Garden Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for April

“April showers bring May flowers” as the old saying goes, and across the Northern Hemisphere this month is filled with the promise of summer to come! As we move into April, we thought it might be fun to present a list of garden tips, tricks, ideas, and projects that you might want to try out in your own garden space. Gardening is a learning process, always, and we’re always looking for new ideas and always happy to share our own thoughts!

• Spend some time with your compost heap! It’s always a good time to spend time with your compost, but for many of us April is the beginning of growing season. If you’re harvesting compost from your heap to use in the garden, take some time to look your composter over and see if it’s healthy, well-maintained, and thriving. Bad smells, mold, and pests are good signs that something may be wrong, and that you’ll need to take action. And of course if you’re new to gardening, now’s a great time to start your own composter for compost later on.

• Plant some greens and peas! For many of us—folks in the Deep South and parts of the Southwest notwithstanding—this is the time of year to plant greens, beans, and peas in order to get a great crop before the hot weather arrives. If you’re in a warmer climate, you can still start these plants—they may just need a bit more shade and water as things warm up. Regardless, these are all easy to grow in containers, making them a great start to garden season.

• Now’s the time to mulch! If you’ve not mulched your garden beds and containers yet, now’s a great time to get started. Mulch helps your soil retain moisture and protect your soil biome from the sun. If you have mulch in place already, take a look at it and make sure it’s still in good shape and not getting thin—you can add more anytime, but sooner is often better than later.
• Start thinking about lawn care! Lawns are part of your garden and your landscaping, and it’s time to think about how best to care for them. What you do with your lawn depends on your situation and your goals, but this is the time of year to consider how you’ll conduct your lawn care for the season. Remember—hot months are coming and all plants need to be prepped for them.

• Now’s the time to plant (most) perennials! The soil has warmed up and the spring rains are here, making this a great time to plant perennials, particularly decorative flowers and shrubs. Planting them now—and watering them appropriately—gives them time to get settled in, develop healthy root structures, and otherwise adjust before the heat of summer hits or their blossoming cycle starts. Perennials are by definition a long-term investment, so make sure you’re giving them the best chance for success.

• Clear away weeds and debris! With spring here, it’s time to weed thoroughly. Weeding after a good spring rain makes the process easier, and clearing away debris brought down by spring weather and winter storms can help keep  your garden tidy and healthy. We encourage you to leave some “wild” spaces to support local wildlife if possible, but you can still clear up the rest of your garden.

There’s always more to do, from tool maintenance to spring pruning to getting seeds started. We hope this list helps you focus your garden activities a bit and gives you a few ideas of new things to try. If you think about it, send us some photos of your garden. We love to see what you’re up to!