Though the weather is often fickle, April can be a golden month. Don’t you find yourselves looking for any excuse to be outdoors in the early spring sunshine? It feels as though everything alive is aching to stretch-the length of the days, the leaves on the trees, the germinating seeds.
New lily bulbs can be planted directly into the garden unless your soil is still really wet. Try the chocolate cake method to know for sure. Pick up a handful of soil and gently squeeze it into a ball. Then poke your finger into the middle. If the ball breaks apart like chocolate cake, your soil is ready for planting. If your finger makes a squished hole, ala really gooey brownies, wait for another few dry days.
You should wait to plant Gladiola bulbs until late April. Then throw in a handful every couple of weeks to extend the blooming period. Cool weather bulbs like Freesia, Anemone and Ranunculus should be planted now as they need the cooler spring temperatures for flower development.
It’s too early to plant out your other summer-flowering bulbs such as Dahlia, Begonia and Canna outside. Start them in pots, keeping them in the house where it’s warm. You can put the pots outside on warmer sunny days, but be sure to bring them back in at night.
Be sure to do a thorough clean-up this spring of any areas where you have fruiting plants. Rake away any old foliage and fruit, and finish your pruning. Add a 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch to the root area. Studies show that a nice thick layer of wood mulch will greatly increase yields, so don’t skimp.
Fertilize fruiting trees and shrubs with a slow release, low nitrogen fertilizer before growth begins. And as long as your fruit tree buds haven’t broken open, it is okay to apply dormant oil sprays to prevent insect infestations. This product can smother any egg masses, reducing the hatch. Follow package instructions. If you had a problem with scab last year, begin to apply a fungicide as soon as you notice green tips on the buds. Repeat after the petals fall and resume applying the treatment every 10-14 days. If the mid-summer is dry this year, you can stop spraying then.
Given last summer’s general fungal issues, lay in your stock of Serenade to combat the inevitable outbreak of powdery mildew. To prevent it from getting a toehold, apply to your ninebarks, lilacs, peonies and serviceberry once petals have fallen from area crabapples. Serenade uses beneficial bacteria to control many fungal diseases. It’s available in both hand and hose-end sprayers, making it easier to treat larger plants.
Asparagus crowns have arrived at the Garden Center and can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked. Beds can be productive for decades, so choose and prepare the planting space carefully. Asparagus can tolerate some shade, but 8 hours of sun will give you the best yield. And the plants do best in soils that drain easily, so start by working 3 to 4 inches of compost into the soil. Next, dig 12-inch wide by 6-inch deep trenches and set the crowns about 18-inches apart. Top them with 2-inches of soil. In a couple of weeks, add another inch or two. Continue adding soil until you’ve created slight mounds over the trench.