April
Primula Sunshine.
Spring should now be in full flow and, now the clocks have gone forward, the days are longer and the evenings lighter With these longer days comes the frenzied spring growth as the sap starts to rise. If you have not pruned back any Dogwoods (Cornus sanguinea), early April is the VERY last chance you have to do it. Rose pruning should also be completed this month. If you do not have time to do these tasks, contact Gardeneer and we can come and do the hard work for you.
April is also the month to start feeding your lawn. You can combine killing the broad leaf weeds and moss with this as most lawn feeds combine a moss and weed killer in with the treatment. If you find this too daunting a task it is another task we at Gardeneer can take it off your hands.
Now is a good time to make changes in your garden and Gardeneer can advise on suitable plants and design schemes, whether it's one small flower bed or a complete layout. Knowing which plants prefer sun or shade, acidic or alkaline soil or wet or well-drained spots is critical. From annual bedding plants and lawns to roses, shrubs and trees, the Gardeneer team can plant your garden and make it look the way you want.
Gardeneer services don't stop there: they provide a ‘one-stop service' from design and plant selection right through to patios, fences and driveways, built and completed. Gardeneer team work with you all the way to ensure that you are delighted with the finished result. Why not give them a call now to discuss your requirements?
Tips
Redefine lawn edges using a half-moon edging iron, and add any off-cuts of turf to the compost heap.
Sow or turf new lawns on soil prepared last month. Stagger the joints of turf, and brush a peat/sand mixture into the cracks. Soak newly laid turf with a sprinkler, and keep it moist until the new roots get into the soil below.
As early-flowering shrubs such as Magnolia stellata come into flower, be prepared to throw a curtain net, garden fleece or polythene over them as protection on frosty nights.
Plant gladioli corms six inches deep on a handful of sand or garden grit. Hand-weed until the shoots are fully emerged from the soil.
Sow outdoors: peas, broad beans, leeks, cauliflower, summer cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions, early/salad beetroot, spinach, turnips parsnips, and lettuce.
In their flowering positions, sow seeds of hardy annuals: e.g. nasturtium, calendula, lavatera and cornflowers.
Put well-rotted manure on rose beds, both as a food and as a mulch. An ounce of sulphate of potash will also help to build ripe wood and give you abundant flowers.
Cut down the woody stems of hardy fuchsias such as F. Magellanica and 'Mrs. Popple'.
Spray fruit trees as necessary to avoid aphids and scab disease. Do not spray on to open flowers.
Complete any drastic pruning of yew and holly hedges, to give new shoots time to grow and ripen.
Shrubs to look out for in April or even consider planting in your own garden: Prunus incisa "Kojo-no-mai" a naturally dwarf cherry which only grows to 1.5m to 2m and has sprays of pink stained red flowers that look like sprinkled confetti! As an added bonus it has a fantastic display of autumn colour.
Everybody knows Chaenomeles (Ornamental Quince) and most people are familiar with varieties such as "Crimson and Gold" or "Fire Dance" which are crimson or red but there is specie called "Moerloessii" which is apple blossom pink outside and white inside - a really good addition to any garden.
A shrub which is so often overlooked is Osmanthus x burkwoodii - it looks like privet but, unlike privet, it produces small creamy white tubular flowers which are superbly scented.
