This is the month when we forget all about the risk of frost and welcome in a whole host of flowers and foliage with even our most cautious of trees emerging from dormancy.

Plants of the Month

(From Left to Right) Vinca Periwinkle, Cherry Blossom, Magnolia Stellata, Bluebells & Birch & Bergenia

The weather however can be very mixed with showery weather often putting a stop to our great gardening intentions. Showers are frequent and sometimes relentless as the cool weather gives way to warm Summer conditions. Grass growth really takes off in April with the combination of warmth and rain so be sure to cut your grass little and often to encourage a good sward and keep moss at bay.

One must do on your list for April is to take a walk to your local woods and take in the annual event that is bluebells in flower. Bluebells are certainly the plant of the month for April as they create a carpet of blue across our shady woodlands.

Things to Consider

• 'April showers' are a given, but April is more about making the most of the dry days in-between. Be sure to stay on top of your weeds, as if they get out of hand in April the work load becomes unmanageable into the Summer.
• Soil temperatures can reach double figures in April and this is the really catalyst for growth of both shrubs and grass. This makes April the best month for all sorts of lawn care work as your grass will recover quickly from it's makeover to give a good lawn for the summer.

Things to Do

In the Fruit & Veg Garden

1. Frost can still occur in April so be prepared. Cover & protect the flowers (blossoms) on your fruits as these will later produce fruit
2. Also have frost fleece & tunnels on standby in case of a late frost - these can be the most damaging of frosts as young seedlings won't be expecting or be prepared for them
3. Continue to sow vegetable & herb seeds outdoors. This month you can sow root crops, salads & brassicas, leeks, onion & shallot sets, pea & beans directly outdoors
4. Crops sown undercover may be ready for planting out. Be sure they are large enough and harden off before planting out
5. This is potato planting season. At the start of the month, plant the last of your earlies. By the middle of the month you can plant your second earlies and the end of the month onwards you can plant main crop potatoes

In the Greenhouse

1. Watering needs to to kept on top off. Use trays & capillary matting to ensure a more even watering of plants
2. Water seed trays & pots every second day
3. Prick out seedlings from seed trays - leaving one seedling per cell
4. Transplant seedlings into larger pots. Do this for tomatoes, peppers, chilies, corn, aubergines & courgettes
5. Open greenhouse doors on sunny days to ventilate
6. You can continue to sow salads, beans & peas, cucumbers, peppers and chilies
7. Feed seedlings using a liquid feed while watering
8. You can prepare your hanging baskets & keep in the greenhouse until middle of May

Plant Care

1. Trim back early Spring / Winter flowering plants that have finished flowering such as Winter heather, forsythia & flowering currants
2. From mid April begin your regime of spraying roses for blackspot
3. Begin to feed all shrubs & flowering plants
4. Trim lavender & silver foliage plants prior to their burst of Summer growth

Lawn Care

This is the month of lawn care, you can

1. Prepare the soil & sow lawn seed
2. Apply sulphate of iron to mossy lawns
3. Rake out & scarify moss
4. Aerate compacted & mossy lawns
5. Topdress lawns with sand
6. Re-seed lawns
7. Roll our lawn – in damp (not wet) conditions
8. And of course, continue to cut lawns - gradually reducing height of cut

In Garden Beds & Borders

1. Tidy lawn & border edges
2. Plant out Summer flowering bulbs in between shrubs and at the front of borders
3. Protect young plants against slugs
4. Sow sunflower seeds
5. Cut back daffodils after foliage has faded
   

General Maintenance

1. Stay on top of weeding
2. Weed beds & borders with garden hoe every 2 weeks
3. Check tree ties on trees and ensure they are not too tight
4. Inspect the garden for signs of slug damage