JOBS IN THE GARDEN FOR APRIL
1 Now is a good time to sow colourful half hardy annuals for summer flowering. Sow either in a glasshouse or on a warm light windowsill. Some annuals like Calendula, Cosmos and Nigella may be sown directly into their flowering positions during April.
2 When early flowering shrubs such as Forsythia and Ribes (flowering currant) have finished flowering is a good time to prune them by cutting back to induce new young shoots for next year’s display.
3 All houseplants which are waking up as the days lengthen will benefit from potting on or if already in a large pot by topdressing i.e. removing the top inch or so of compost and replacing it with fresh potting compost.
4 As Tulips and Daffodils finish flowering remove the flower head but not the stem to allow goodness to do down into the bulb. Do not cut any leaves but let these die down naturally.
5 Make successional sowings of hardy vegetables such as Beetroot, Carrots, Lettuce, Radish and Spring Onions now outside.
6 Tender vegetables such as Marrows, Squashes and Pumpkins may be sown now but sow these in a protected environment. Sow the seed individually in small pots and place each seed on its edge, not flat.
7 Sow Brassicas such as Purple Sprouting, Cauliflowers and Cabbages for planting out in June or July for next year’s crop.
8 Plant out second early and maincrop Potatoes during this month.
9 Many will have been given Amaryllis bulbs over Christmas and the new year. Now they have finished flowering, remove the dead flower heads but not the stem and feed every two weeks with Tomato fertilizer to build up the bulb for next year. Always remember the bulb must be kept in full sun to ripen and set the flower buds for a future display.
10 Penstemmons should be cut back now to induce base growth which will give you strong flowering stems later in the year.
11 Broad Beans sown now in the soil outside will produce a crop later in the summer.
12 Tomatoes sown now will produce plants for planting outside in late May for Midsummer and early Autumn cropping.
13 If you wish to increase your houseplant numbers, now is a good time to take cuttings. Use a gritty multi-purpose compost and after watering, place in a polythene bag, but keep out of direct sunlight.
14 Many herbaceous perennials can be propagated now by either dividing the clump into small sections or by taking basal cuttings. Phlox, Lupins and Delphiniums are amongst the best for this method.
MARCH IN THE GARDEN
1 Herbaceous plants such as Hostas, Hemerocallis (Day Lily) and Phlox should be
divided now if the clumps are too congested.
2 Cut back Buddleija (Butterfly Bush) now by pruning hard back to get plenty
of new growth and keep the plant compact.
3 If we are lucky enough to get some drier weather and the soil surface dries out,
keep the hoe moving to get rid of newly germinated weed seedlings.
4 Now is a good time to start off Begonia corms for planting out later. Start off the
corms in small pots or trays using a multi-purpose compost. Bury the corms completely by covering with no more than ½ inch of compost and keep warm.
5 As Daffodils finish flowering, remove the dead heads but leave the stems to die back naturally over the next few weeks. Never cut away or tie up the green leaves
6 Protect newly emerging young shoots from the ravages of slugs and snails.
7 A mulch of well-rotted compost around your plants will pay dividends later in the year when the soil dries out.
8 Cut down winter shrubs used for stem colour now for a good display next winter.
9 Start off Dahlia tubers in a greenhouse or frame for early planting out later. Tubers can also be planted in the garden now if planted with at least 10cm (4ins) of soil above the tuber top.
10 Start regular cutting of lawns with the blades set at a higher level for a few cuts.
11 Gladioli corms can be planted now, but plant a few each week up to May to get a succession of flowers through the summer.
12 This month and April is a good time to repot Phalenopsis (Moth Orchids), if they have been in their pot for two years or more. Shake away all old compost, trim away any dead roots but leave all the silvery healthy roots. Use an Orchid Compost for this task.
13 Remove the tips from autumn sown Sweet Peas, this encourages basal shoots to develop where you will get the best possible display of flowers this early Summer.
14 Do not be tempted to cut hedges at this time of year because of nesting birds. Leave until the nesting season is over.
15 Tidy up Strawberry plants now by removing all dead or very old foliage. Feed with Blood Fish and Bone Meal around the plants.
16 Sow Peas outside directly into well prepared soil about 1” deep.
17 Start sowing indoor Tomato seeds for a crop later on.
18 Plant Onion sets, leaving the very tip of the set exposed.
19 It is too early to start sowing tender vegetables such as Runner Bean and French Bean – leave this until April.
20 Prune Blueberry bushes by removing about a third of the oldest wood to encourage new growth from the base.
Jobs in the garden for February
Trees and Shrubs Continue to plant bare root trees and shrubs. Not only is it a good time to plant while they are dormant but bare root specimens will be very much cheaper than those of a containerised nature or container grown. Always remember to plant no deeper than the soil mark on the stem. Jasmine nudiflorum should be pruned as soon as the majority of the flowers have faded by pruning back all the stems to two buds, around 2ins, from the main stem. This will produce many more shoots and flowers for next season. Any deciduous hedges can be pruned now to tidy up or if overgrown and can be cut back by as much as half now. Towards the end of February late flowering Clematis can be pruned by cutting back all last year’s growth to a few inches from soil level, about 6ins I would suggest.
Flowers Lift up clumps of Snowdrops and re-plant singly or in very small groups elsewhere but it is important to plant at the same level they were in in their old home. Sow hardy annual seed into cell trays if you have a greenhouse. Be careful not to cover the seed too deeply, just press the seed lightly into the surface and only cover with a small amount of compost. All seed packets should give you the information for each kind of seed and remember that some seeds need light for successful germination. Keep a careful watch for any planted containers becoming waterlogged at this time of year and if noticed immediately unblock the drainage holes and lift the container off the ground by placing battens or stones underneath.
Vegetables If you have a greenhouse and a heated propagator Tomatoes can be sown at the end of February to give an early crop. Again, undercover, but not in a propagator, Broad Beans, Brussels Sprouts and Shallots can be started off. Outside where you intend to sow your vegetables, now is a good time to cover the area with a black polythene sheet held down with clips or bricks. This will warm up the soil underneath ready for sowing when weather conditions are favourable in March.
Fruit If you grow some of the now widely available Citrus species they can be pruned now by cutting back any leggy shoots to form more bushy growth. Also cut away any weak or spent growth to tidy up. If your plant has been in its pot for a number of years, either pot on into a larger pot or remove the top 2 ins of soil and top dress with new compost. Remember always use a specific citrus compost for potting on or top dressing.
David Bassil, Show Manager
Jobs in the garden for January
Check tree ties to make sure they are not rubbing the bark, if so slacken off slightly, also check the stake to see it it is still secure.
If you have clumps of Iris Unguicularis the flowers will be developing amongst the old foliage; cut this off now so that the flowers can be seen.
Continue to plant newly bought bare root and container grown trees and shrubs. Remember to prepare the soil well incorporating as much organic matter as you can but if using fresh manure make certain that it does not touch the roots. If the weather is frosty leave planting until there is an improvement in the conditions. In the meantime just heel the bare root plants in to prevent the root from drying out.
Now is a good time to prune dormant deciduous trees and shrubs if needed to be done. However, Magnolias should be lift until spring to prevent dieback and members of the Cherry, Almond and Plum family should also mot be pruned at this time to prevent silver leaf disease taking hold.
If you are going to plant new Roses or Raspberries, remember to only plant in new ground where they have not grown before, this will prevent the replant diseases which are very common with these types of plant.
If you grow Peaches, now is the time to erect a cover over the tree to prevent an attack of Peach Leaf curl. This is obviously easier to do if the tree is trained against a wall or fence. If covered at this time it will prevent the rain splashing up the fungal spores to the developing new buds which is how this disease is spread. When pruning Apple trees do not remove more that 20% of the crown in any winter. More pruning than this will give you too much new growth at the expense of fruit bud production. On Gooseberries and Redcurrants remove dead wood and any low lying branches. Shorten the main leading shoots by a quarter, pruning to an outward facing bud and prune back all side shoots to 1-3 buds.
If you did not sow Broad Beans in the autumn now is the next best time to do it but this time sow in cell tray pots in a cold frame or cold greenhouse. The resulting plants can be planted out in the normal way in early March. Shallots can be planted now into well prepared ground but without the addition of manure. Keep the bulbs with only their tops exposed above ground level.
David Bassil, Show Manager