13 Garden Tasks to Tackle in April
The days lengthen and warm this month, inviting gardeners back outside to tend to the yard! Perennials wake up, the soil warms, and insects appear. Seasoned grower Jerad Bryant shares 13 April garden tasks that create a healthy, beautiful, and bountiful space for the rest of the growing season.
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April is a unique month; for some, it’s full of rainstorms, cool temperatures, and some sunshine. For others, like those in Southern California and Florida, it’s warm, sunny, and filled with spring-blooming plants! Your garden’s climate will help you decide what to tackle this month.
April is ideal for primary garden tasks like planting, seed-sowing, and soil cultivation. In mild, cool regions like the Pacific Northwest, it’s a good time to start taking daily or weekly garden walkthroughs to look at your crops. Watch for pests and diseases, as they’re easier to prevent and manage than to control after the fact.
Now is also the best time to plan your future garden! Sow seeds, transplant potted trees or shrubs, and move cold-hardy seedlings into the garden.
No matter what you do, you’ll enjoy working in the yard again after months of cold weather. I know I do! Put on that raincoat, and let’s tackle these April garden tasks.
Amend the Soil
Soil amendment is key to plant performance, as healthy soil leads to healthy plants. Soil amendments increase the fertility, drainage, and absorbency of existing soils. They protect tender plant roots by trapping moisture and air for them to access.
There are a few different types of amendments that work well in home gardens. My favorite is compost because you can make it yourself in the backyard! All you need for hot compost is nitrogen and carbon-rich organic waste, a pitchfork, and water.
When considering other materials, try to source organic options that break down naturally. Other options include leaf mold, wood chips, and straw. Add the amendments to create a two to three-inch thick layer above the ground.
Plant Trees and Shrubs
It’s not too late to plant woody perennials! Though bare-root material is likely absent from your area, many potted specimens are still available. Get them in the ground while the soil is soft, moist, and easily diggable.
Some ideal options for planting include ginkgos, crab apples, and seven-son flowers. Aim to plant these specimens before they open their flower and leaf buds. You want the plants to focus on root growth rather than flowering or producing leaves.
An important note when planting is not to amend the hole you dig. Plants prefer a single soil type as they root, and having soft, cushy amendments in the planting hole can discourage the roots from reaching out into the surrounding soil.
To plant, dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the plant’s root ball, then place the perennial inside and backfill the hole. Water well and maintain consistent moisture levels while the transplants adapt to the site.
Fertilize Perennials
Perennials lie dormant for the winter, storing their energy and sugars in root storage systems underground. As the warmth and sunshine of April arrive, they emerge from the ground hungry, thirsty, and in need of sunlight.
Fertilize them as they’re emerging, and they’ll have all the nutrients they need for a healthy start in spring. Any of the following perennials appreciate a dose of fertilizer in early spring:
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Currants
- Asparagus
- Rhubarb
- Artichok
Be careful when fertilizing, as excess amounts near the crowns can harm emerging stems and shoots. Apply the powder or liquid formula to the sides of the plants where their roots can access it, and follow the label for proper application rates.
Test Soil Temperatures
How hot or cold the soil is will determine what plants you can grow! Cool, moist soil is ideal for arugula, cole crops, and onion seedlings. As the ground warms, it becomes more accommodating for squash, corn, beans, and tomatoes.
An easy way to know when to plant seeds or seedlings is by testing the soil temperature. Use a thermometer with a probe that you can stab into the ground. The meter will go up or down depending on how hot or cold the ground is.
Many seed packets describe the exact temperatures that are best for the crops. Plant them at the optimal time, and they’ll excel without significant setbacks. In areas with short growing seasons, consider sowing seeds indoors when the weather is severe.
Tend to Spring Bulbs
After blooming, spring-blooming bulbs like daffodils, tulips, and snowdrops use their leaves to photosynthesize. Post-bloom, they create sugars and energy for next year’s blooming season with their green leaves.
It’s best to leave the foliage in place until it turns yellowish-brown and withers. The withering shows that the bulbs are pulling energy from their foliage. You may safely snip off the leaves after they wither. Avoid chopping them if they’re green, or you’ll harm next year’s flowers.
April is also a good month to plant summer-blooming bulbs! Dahlias, gladioli, and tuberous begonias all benefit from early spring plantings. Plant them after your last average frost date, and keep them moist and insulated until they bloom.
Cut Back Grasses
Perennial grasses often turn brown and yellow in winter as their foliage dies amidst ice, snow, and frost. It’s a good idea to leave the dead foliage in place, as it insulates and protects the grasses’ crowns from extreme weather.
After the risk of frost passes, the dead foliage is no longer necessary! You’ll want to remove it to make way for new growth. Avoid waiting too long to trim, or you may cut off emerging shoots as they develop later in the growing season.
When trimming, leave a few inches of the plants remaining above the soil. Don’t cut down to ground level, or you’ll chop off the stolons where new shoots emerge. Alternatively, rake bunches with a gloved hand to remove dead blades.
Take Care of the Lawn
Speaking of grass, now is a good time to reinvigorate your lawn! The cool spring weather encourages healthy new shoots, and they need plenty of moisture and nitrogen to thrive. These three tasks will keep your lawn in tip-top shape.
First, start by de-thatching the site. Use a de-thatcher with spikes and run it lightly over the lawn’s surface. Dead or dying grass blades and roots will come right up, leaving bare patches ready for new seeds.
After dethatching, apply a fresh round of grass seeds throughout the site. After they emerge and grow for a few weeks, add an organic fertilizer rich in nitrogen. Follow the fertilizer’s instructions for proper application rates.
Prune Spring Bloomers
Deciduous flowering trees and shrubs often bloom in spring before growing leaves. Their branches grow covered in blooms, and the flowers decorate the floor with petals. After the petals fade, you can safely prune the trees or shrubs without harming them or their future blooms.
Many species, like hydrangeas, flower on old wood. Their flowering buds form from summer through winter on year-old wood. If you cut the branches in those seasons, you’ll chop off next year’s blooms. Wait until the petals fade, then use pruners to shape and clean your woody specimen.
These other plants benefit from pruning after their blooms fade:
- Redbud (Cercis spp.)
- Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles spp.)
- Fringetree (Chionanthus spp.)
- Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
- Broom (Cytisus spp.)
- Daphne (Daphne spp.)
- Deutzia (Deutzia spp.)
- Winter-flowering Heath (Erica carnea)
- Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)
- Fothergilla (Fothergilla spp.)
- Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina)
- Witch Hazel (Hamamelis spp.)
- Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum x watereri)
- Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense)
- Magnolia (Magnolia spp.)
- Oregon Grape (Berberis spp.)
- Crab Apple (Malus spp.)
- Andromeda (Pieris spp.)
- Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
- Spirea (Spiraea spp.)
- Lilac (Syringa spp.)
- Hardy Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
- Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
- Weigela (Weigela spp.)
Though this list is extensive, there are many more plants that you may prune in April as part of your garden cleanup tasks. Avoid cutting into late bloomers and fruiting species, as you’ll prevent them from flowering or fruiting.
Start Seeds
If you haven’t already, you can sow seeds indoors or outdoors! Many cold crops germinate outside in April, including cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. Others, like tomatoes and peppers, appreciate a head start indoors.
Some other veggies to sow outside include chard, beets, arugula, kale, bok choy, and carrots. Indoors, sow tomatoes, tomatillos, cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkins. A good way to know what seeds to start is to count backward from your last average frost date. Many seed packets say when to start the seeds according to the last frost date.
Wildflowers and native plants are two other excellent options for seed starting. Many native species benefit from a long germination period, as they take weeks to sprout. Use containers, humidity domes, and trays to ensure high sprouting rates.
Find Potted Seedlings
Instead of sowing, you can visit your local nursery and buy some starts. Nurseries start plants in greenhouses to cheat the seasons. You’ll find cool-loving species available in April, though in warm climates, you may find tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers!
If you purchase seedlings from a covered area like a greenhouse, harden them off before transplanting them. They’ll benefit from two weeks outdoors under dappled sunlight. Each day, increase the sunlight they receive until they’re basking in the sun all day.
Veggies aren’t the only starts available. Garden centers carry violets, pansies, sweet alyssum, marigolds, and sweet peas. The only tradeoff is that starts are more expensive than seeds. One good strategy is to rely on seeds and use starts as a backup in case your seedlings wither.
Control Slugs
Slugs are ruthless in April, so erradicating them should be at the top of your garden task list! They love the cool, moist weather. The ample moisture allows them to travel long distances above ground without drying out. You’ll notice slimy slug and snail trails throughout your garden.
There are simple, environmentally friendly ways to control slugs without harming other beneficial insects. A beer trap works well, as do bread-dough slurry traps! A slurry involves mixing yeast, flour, and water to form a liquidy batter.
Place the bread slurry or the beer in a shallow container, then dig the container into the soil. The slugs and snails will slime into the containers, motivated by their insatiable gluttony! They’ll drown in the liquid before they can escape, and you can compost, bury, or feed the dead ones to chickens.
Another way to manage them is with a board or plank. The slimy mollusks like dark, moist, and chilly locations to hide in during the day. You can trap them with the board; turn it over and plop the hiding critters into a bucket with soapy water.
Watch for Aphids
Aphids are the other common pests that are beginning to emerge in April. You’ll notice their black, green, red, or yellow fleshy bodies multiplying rapidly on emerging leaves, flower buds, and blooms. Find them early in spring, and you’ll prevent large infestations later in the growing season.
One easy way to remove them is with strong streams of water. Spray the infested plant once or twice a day to dislodge the insects. After a week or two of spraying, they’ll disappear and search for a more suitable home base.
Though you can use neem oil or insecticidal soap to kill the aphids, it’s best to start with nonchemical methods to solve the problem. Avoid randomly spraying your garden, and always determine if there is a problem before applying any treatments.
Remove Weeds
Weeds are unique pests; they foster diseases and insects that move from their leaves to your tender crops. They steal nutrients from the soil and can cause low yields during harvesting. Though troublesome, they’re easy to remove when young with shallow roots.
Some perennial weeds, like dandelions, are easier to pick out early in spring rather than in summer. The ground is soft and moist, and their long taproots come out of the soil without resistance.
Early weeding prevents quick growers from sprouting flowers and seeds; preventing seeding is the best way to reduce future weed populations. Though seeds may drift in from your neighbors’ yards, you’ll have few other invasive species present and can easily remove the sparse ones that sprout.
