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Gardening Calendar
We all thought spring would never get here this year! It was not the best
winter for us and we are all ready for some color! This is the month when all
your plants should begin to grow if they haven’t already. Start to assess damage
from the winter weather and prune if needed. Let your spring flowering shrubs
finish blooming before pruning, but if you have dieback on any shrubs, handle it
soon. From reports we have gotten around the state it seems that there has been
at least a little superficial damage on some loropetalums, Encore azaleas and
gardenias. Hydrangeas should be growing from the old wood not from the base if
you expect flowers this summer. Evergreen shrubs that you are growing primarily
for foliage—hollies, eleagnus and boxwoods—that need severe pruning—(more than
one third) need to be pruned this month if you want quick recovery. Prune spring
flowering shrubs AFTER they finish blooming. Remember though, before you prune
know why you are pruning, when is the proper time and how should each bush be
pruned. Plan for expected outcomes. If you choose the right plant for the right
location, pruning should not be a huge chore.
April is the best month for vegetable gardening. You have until mid month to
plant or replant all the cool season crops and from mid month on you can begin
planting all the warm season crops from tomatoes and peppers to squash and
eggplant. With the weather as pleasant as it is in April, everyone wants to be
outside and gardening. Edible gardening has never been as popular as it is now,
but use caution with the size of your garden—especially if you are a novice
gardener. Start small and build on success. A large garden may seem like a good
idea this month, but be a challenge by late June or July. All vegetables and
herbs can also be grown in containers. If you live in an apartment or condo, or
simply have a yard with all shade, find a sunny spot on the patio and plant your
garden there. If you use your outdoor grill a lot put some pots of fresh herbs
nearby to throw on your food as you are cooking. Fresh and easily accessible
produce will have you eating better all summer.
Lawns are greening up all over, and some of it is still winter weeds, but the
lawn grasses are also almost all actively growing as well. It is during this
transition period between dormancy and growth that you need to use caution when
applying herbicides. Wait for your lawn grass to be totally green before you
apply your first application of fertilizer. Mow any remaining winter weeds to
prevent seed set, and start monitoring for summer weeds.
It is finally time to move your houseplants and overwintered tropical
flowering plants back outside. Mid month on should be safe. As you move the
tropical flowers like hibiscus, mandevilla and bougainvillea outside, repot them
and prune them back by at least one third if not more. These summer tropical
plants bloom on new growth and you need to encourage that by alleviating
root-bound conditions and encouraging rapid new growth. If you don’t repot or
prune you will see limited new growth. Limited new growth means less flowers as
well. Start fertilizing every three to four weeks and your plants should be
blooming again in no time. Or if you are like me and buy new plants every year,
start shopping! New colors, new plants and old favorites are all available now
and will continue to arrive in nurseries and garden centers on a regular basis.
After the dreary winter we have had, we are all ready for lots of color!
Speaking of color, it seems that many pansies and violas are just now hitting
their prime, and it is almost time to replace them with summer color. Our
seasonal winter color did not fare too well this past year, and many are looking
for new options. If your winter annuals are doing well, enjoy them for another
month and plant then. If you need help, there are plenty of options to choose
from. Perennials that are blooming now include bleeding heart, foxgloves,
verbena, peonies and dianthus. Annuals that can take a little cool weather, plus
summer heat include petunias, calibrachoa, geraniums and begonias. Hold off on
the heat loving impatiens, lantana and zinnias until mid to late April or even
into May. Planting in cool soil won’t spur them on to growth, so don’t get too
anxious. For annuals, we want to push the plants as much as we can to encourage
rapid growth and plenty of flowers. As one breeder has said, if you want
elephants, feed them like elephants—so good soil, plus regular watering and
fertilization should give you large, free-flowering plants.
If you are looking for a plant that will give you several seasons of color
look at some of the earth kind roses. From the series of Knock-outs, to Home Run
and the Flower Carpet series, there are some fabulous plants that will bloom
from late April until frost, with little care. For shadier gardens look at oak
leaf hydrangeas—which bloom in the summer then have outstanding fall foliage.
Itea is another showstopper late spring and again with fall foliage.
Loropetalums now come in dwarf to standard size, so pick the right plant for
your location. If purple foliage and pink flowers is not to your liking, try the
green leafed, white flowered forms. As a gardener, there is always a plant for
every situation, sometimes we simply end up with too many plants and not enough
garden space!
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