Last updated on April 2nd, 2020
Well, hello there, April! Here in New York’s Hudson Valley (zone 5-b), lawns are greening, birds are mating, and dwarf yellow daffodils are trumpeting the arrival of spring. Shall we have a look at the month’s garden chores?
First things first, check your weather forecast. If freezing temps and snow are predicted, you might need to delay your April chores May. So just twiddle your thumbs until the ground thaws.
Winter-Sowing. Many of you have written to say your winter-sown seeds are sprouting. That’s music to my ears. In my neck o’ the woods, mid-April is the time to winter-sow (spring-sow?) zinnias and other tender annuals.
New to Winter-Sowing? You can read all about it in these mind-blowing posts:
Winter-Sowing 101
How to Turn a Milk Jug into a Greenhouse
What to Winter-Sow…& When
How to Transplant Winter-Sown Seedlings
Perennial Beds. To avoid damaging emerging shoots, do what I do, and clean up beds entirely by hand. Then apply a balanced, organic fertilizer over the old mulch. Place fresh mulch over the fertilizer.
Mulch. Consider how much you’ll need, and then obtain twice that amount. This way you’ll have plenty on hand for beds and paths. Shredded woodchips, which many communities offer for free, make a fine mulch for beds, as do shredded leaves and pine needles. Pine needles do not acidify the soil. That’s a garden myth.
Dealing with Weeds. If pulling weeds isn’t your idea of a good time — I can’t bear the job — plan to smother the offenders with thick layers of newspaper or cardboard, as above, followed by a layer of shredded leaves or some other mulch. Do this after the ground has thawed. Details and pictures here: How I Smother Weeds With Newspaper.
Consider Vinegar for Paths. I use common white vinegar to eliminate weeds that emerge in my brick, gravel, and blue-stone walkways. I do not use vinegar on my lawn or in my garden beds. Click here to read more about Vinegar v. Roundup.
Dandelions. I let these grow in the lawn during all of April and most of May. Why? Because dandelions provide early food for honey bees. By late May, when the bees can find food elsewhere in the garden, I keep the weeds out of sight with regular mowing.
Boxwood. Late this month or early next, hire a professional to shear and shape these enduring evergreens. I always save some of the trimmings to make new plants. More details and photos in this riveting post: How I Propagate Boxwood.
On a side note, no, that is not my derriere in the above photograph. It is the derriere of a very talented man who trims and shapes my boxwood each spring.
Roses. Uncover and prune shrubs before leaf break. I prune my David Austin roses (pictured above) back by about half, and then apply a balanced, organic fertilizer beneath the drip-line of each. To conserve moisture and reduce weeds, I mulch first with newspaper or cardboard. Then I apply a layer of shredded leaves or shredded wood chips. Here are some of the better roses I grow for their handsome form and intoxicating perfume.
Blackspot on Roses. You can treat this fungus with ordinary milk. Details and photos.
Peony. Apply a trowel-full of wood ashes and one of manure or compost (triple these amounts for huge plants). Also, set ringed supports around plants before heavy growth makes the job impossible. If your peony refuses to bloom, it is either planted too deeply or set in a too-shady location.
Chrysanthemums. Lift and separate, just as this old Playtex commercial advised. Then plant the rooted divisions 18 inches apart.
Iris. Remove and destroy old leaves. Also, remove any surrounding debris in which the eggs of the dreaded iris borer may lie. As you can see in the photo above, my own iris bed is in desperate need of attention. I’m on the job!
Ponds & Fountains. Clean out leaves, but watch that you are not cleaning out frogs, too. These insect-eating amphibians are emerging from their muddy hibernation now.
And finally, don’t work so hard that you miss out on the miracle of Spring!
In the comments field below, let me know what’s happening in your own garden. Your words are the sunshine of my day.
Hungry for more? Get my email updates.
You may also like:
Al Saveriano says
Hello Kevin,
I tried your Blueberry Danish recipe and the Danish are indeed delicious. However, I believe you need to correct (or add to) a statement you make regarding the main ingredient. You state that you can use fresh as well as frozen blueberries. While that is correct of course, you do not note that if using the frozen variation that you should not add the 1/2 cup of water. Adding the water to the frozen blueberry vatiation, even with the addition of the cornstarch (or even, as was my case, extra cornstarch), makes the final compote too watery even after a night in the refridgerator. I think that statement therefore should be modified, otherwise it will frustrate new bakers. Thanks for listening and thanks for an excellent site. Regards. The Insecure Chef (Al).
Durf says
Daffs are coming up, buds everywhere. But I gotta admit – I’m anxious as heck. And when I’m anxious I sit in front of the TV. But I don’t eat much, so weight loss is a plus. Not a recommended weight loss program, though.
Amy from the UP says
Still buried under 3 feet of snow…
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Al – Duly noted!
Hi Durf – Much anxiety (and anger) here as well during this global crisis. A virtual hug to you.
Hi Amy – Sending sunshine and warmth your way.
Sharon says
Hello Kevin from FINALLY sunny Plymouth, Michigan! We are getting high temps in the 50’s and the crocus are blooming! Although it’s a bit too early here to plant( mid May hopefully), what catalog companies would you recommend checking out?
I am grateful for a positive distraction like yourself, in these challenging stay at home days! Take care!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Sharon – Hooray for spring! Click here to see my favorite seed sellers. As for catalogs, there are too many to mention. So I’ll mention just two: Wayside Gardens and Logees.
Sue says
Try distraction for your anxiety – if you can get outside listen to the birds in our new found quiet and watch the spring unfold.
Try to feel better about yourself and remember this will pass
Sharon says
Kevin,
In Western Chicagoland. Finally getting warmer. Buds coming up, etc, but zone been told by am Illinois extension guy yo not pull up leaves till May 1 to protect bee and butterfly larvae. Agree?
Also, if I was to go back to gardening with one bed, what would you put in?
Thanks. Love reading your stuff !!
Sharon
Sharon says
Kevin,
In Western Chicagoland. Finally getting warmer. Buds coming up, etc, but have been told by an Illinois extension guy to not pull up leaves till May 1 to protect bee and butterfly larvae. Agree?
Also, if I was to go back to gardening with one bed, what would you put in?
Thanks. Love reading your stuff !!
Sharon
Paul Warren says
NO! Do not use vinegar to kill weeds. It also kills amphibians too!
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/a20705796/vinegar-weed-killer-danger/
Anne LaMonica says
It’s such a pleasure to view your videos and recipes. I especially like that you also include the wrestling with the plastic wrap and normal things that happen to me in fact. Thanks and continued success!
Regina says
Good morning. Happy spring. I had to make a list of chores I have so many to do! I will have to give the paper mulch a try once again, although it didn’t keep my vigorous weeds from growing right through and around them. I’ll add that layer of weed eaten mulched leaves on top. Love that idea from you, it works wonderfully to mulch those leaves! What fun(?) ahead with all the weeding and transplanting, plus getting all my milk jug babies set out soon.
Take care, stay home, stay well, from a hospital worker.
Christine says
Well, I am just finishing up my first year of homeownership, and finally getting to thinking about what to do about the garden. It’s very overwhelming! Perhaps you or your readers have advice for a newbie?
The former owner was a prolific gardener, but had rented the place out for several years before we bought it, so a lot of the plants were removed or left to go nuts. So, we have some bulbs (daffodils mostly—ours are now past blooming down here in Maryland) and lots of lovely wildflowers (Virginia bluebells are out now!) and some flowering shrubs (peonies, which we just discovered!) and rhododendrons snd azaleas. It’s fun to see what shows up. I would like to preserve or transplant some of the flowers…but they get all mixed up with weeds. Ack! Hence why I’ve done nothing so far! I pulled some weeds yesterday which felt like a huge accomplishment!
Bonnie says
Thank you so much for sticking up for the dandelions! You are brave and kindhearted
KK Meyer says
What critter is beheading my oriental poppies? Stem remains, all buds gone but one and that will be gone tomorrow. Same thing happened last year. What can o do to prevent it next year? Thanks