Gardens are leaping into life, there is frog spawn in the ponds, hedgerows are full of birdsong and plants are now enjoying all the benefits that we are, the longer days and the warmer weather. Daylilies are up and tulips. You might notice weeds have sprung into action too but thankfully my winter work has paid off so my days have mostly been filled with planting up and rearranging flowerbeds.
If you are disappointed by a lack of flowering by your bulbs, pull them up in the summer and plant them somewhere where they have space to themselves and give them a sprinkling of Growmore. This usually does the trick! It’s a good time to feed your plants now as they are waking up and getting to work – you can feed your shrubs too.
If you have Camellias and Rhododendrons that are flowering now, give them some liquid feed for ericaceous (acidic soil loving) plants and continue to feed fortnightly while they are actively growing. Other ericaceous plants include heathers, Pieris, Magnolias and Acers.
As I write this the soil is very dry and I have had to water my plants in, we could do with some April showers! I’m hoping for some lovely weather on my birthday though-!
This is my final column for the High Kelling News, if you’d like to be kept up to date with monthly tips for your garden you can sign up for my monthly newsletter. I’ve enjoyed writing the gardening column and your feedback you’ve given me has been so helpful – especially when I was starting out! Now change is in the air and it’s time for me to start something fresh, thank you for being such a lovely, encouraging readership.
“The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.” Gertrude Jekyll
Happy gardening!
Jobs for April:
- Feed plants
- Tie in climbers
- Keep an eye out for pests, I’ve been removing aphids and caterpillars for a month or so now!
- Divide hardy perennials and assess your flowerbeds, do they need rearranging? Are there gaps that need planting up?
- Get sowing – some plants won’t flower in their first year from seed (these are called biennials) – like foxgloves and hollyhocks but some like Calendula and Cosmos will flower in their first year. Make sure to check the packet of seeds so you’re not disappointed.
- Weed, weed, weed!