Introduction
Spring has finally arrived! We have been fortunate to experience the sun shining for the past few days, and we can only hope that April will keep the trend going. The evenings have already gotten noticeably lighter, and when the clocks change to summer time this is going to improve even more significantly. The blossoming magnolias, the smell of freshly cut grass, the buzzing bumblebees, and seeing the first leaves emerge from their buds on the trees makes it difficult not to feel enthusiastic about the month ahead. Picture yourself soon being able to enjoy your morning coffee in your garden, feeling the warmth from the sun on your face. April is one of the most rewarding months for gardening and there is plenty to get done. To quote Margaret Atwood, “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt”.
Planting
As there is less chance of cold snaps in April compared to March, and the soil being warmer which provides more ideal growing conditions, there is plenty of planting that can be done. Start sowing hardy annuals outside and plant out half-hardy summer bedding plants. Get started with your vegetable garden now as it is the perfect time to plant out carrots, beetroot, and peas. More tender vegetables such as courgettes, cucumber, chillies and sweetcorn can be sown in pots kept undercover until there is no chance of frost damage. In April you can start to plant up your hanging baskets. Use a good quality compost for the growing media. It is best for now to keep them in your greenhouse to keep them protected until the temperature is suitable for hanging them outside.
Fruit Planting
Now is the time of the year to start feeding your citrus trees and re-pot them if necessary. Strawberries can be planted around this time of the year. You can plant strawberries into pots or into the ground. We have a soft fruit mix growing media available that is perfect for growing strawberries. It has got added slow-release fertiliser which will last to feed the plants during the growing season. If you were thinking of planting blueberries this is your last chance to do so before the soil gets too warm as they need a colder period. Blueberries require an ericaceous growing media to thrive, so try using our Blueberry Mix which has been specifically designed to suit their needs. More people have started to use peat free mixes, so to cater for whatever your preferences are, all our mixes can be made Peat-free. Blueberries prefer damp growing conditions. To retain moisture in the soil it is a good idea to add a bark mulch of some kind. Our composted bark is ericaceous and will retain moisture in the soil without raising the PH.
Create visual interest within your garden!
There are many other ways of providing visual interest within your garden besides planting up your borders. By planting climbing plants such as wisteria, clematis and climbing roses, all which suitable to plant in April, you will create vertical interest and can cover up unsightly walls within your garden. If you don’t have any shade in your garden this can help with creating a shady area suitable for a different variety of plants. Utilise other plant adaptations in garden design such as hairy leaves found in plants like lavenders, silver ragwort, and lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina). The hairy leaves make the foliage appear silvery white, which can be used to create a certain colour scheme, such as seen in “The White Garden, Sissinghurst”. The plants have developed the adaptation to reflect sunlight from the leaves which makes the plants drought tolerant, so this might be suitable for a sunny area in your garden.
Wildflower Garden
I find it challenging to think of anything more idyllic than having a wildflower patch in your garden. Not only will it be enchanting to look at, but the flowers will also attract butterflies and other pollinators. If you are planning to create a wildflower area in your garden, April is the ideal time to sow wildflower seed. Wildflowers require a low fertility soil, and our TS5 Topsoil is the perfect product for the job. We can source the right wildflower seed for you so if you have any enquiries, why not give us a call!
Whatever your dream garden looks like, now is the time to start the preparations. Happy gardening!
Alicia Paaso
Gardenscape Sales Team/RHS Level 2 Horticulturalist