APRIL GARDENING TIPS

WEEK ONE:
1. Divide and transplant hardy asters, chrysanthemum, and other fall perennials now. Other established perennials such as helenium, phlox, and Shasta daisy also benefit from early spring division; however, you want to do this before they emerge from dormancy or wait until after bloom time.
2. Prune and fertilize hydrangea in the early days of April. If you prefer pink or white blossoms, check the soil pH through late spring and summer to keep pH around 7.0. Fertilization should begin in April with a slow-release granular fertilizer with a high percentage of phosphorus. We recommend Espoma’s Flower-tone or Plant-tone. Both of these products are high in natural organic matter and contain no salts (Potassium Chloride) that may burn the tips of the plant. See Hydrangea Chart for more information about proper pH.
3. Check all seedlings planted indoors and transplant any that outgrow their containers to larger pots. Continue to fertilize tender perennial and annual seedlings that will remain indoors until the air temperature outside reaches 55° at night, at this time you can transplant them outdoors.
4. Spider mites can be problem for indoor seedlings, so be sure to check these plants often for mites and other insect pests and use insecticidal soap using three applications every 5-7 days.
5. If crabgrass and broadleaf weeds have been a problem in your lawn, consider applying Bonide’s Weed Beater Complete. This unique product provides both pre and post emergent control of both grassy and broadleaf weeds, including hard to kill weeds like nutsedge, goosegrass, ground ivy and others. One bag 10 lb. bag will cover about 5,000 square feet.
6. You will have bigger blooms and more of them if you fertilize your spring flowering bulbs after they are finished blooming. We suggest using Espoma’s Bulb-tone at a rate of 4-6 lbs every 100 square feet.
7. Liriope should be cut back to just above the ground now, to keep it full and enhance its bloom time.
8. Remove water sprout growth from tree limbs and suckers from around the base of fruit trees and other trees to allow better airflow, more sunlight to penetrate, and to invigorate the tree to put out new growth.
9. Hosta plants are starting to emerge from the ground now. If they have become too big for their current location, this would be a good time to divide them. Simply dig up the clump and take a sharp shade or knife and cut them in sections and replant the new sections.
10. Place Easter Lilies in medium indirect light and keep soil lightly moist. Pinch off stamens (yellow pods) in each lily to prevent yellow powder from discoloring flower blooms. When flowers fade, pinch below flower and move plant into full sun. Continue to keep soil lightly moist, but begin fertilizing with Jack’s Classic fertilizer every other week at half-rate. In early June, plant in well-drained soil in the garden (morning sun afternoon shade). Plant will flower in mid-June in future years.

WEEK TWO:
1. Prune Crape Myrtles and Rose of Sharon now. They bloom on new growth, and pruning promotes healthy new growth. Apply Plant-tone before mulching for extended feeding.
2. Treat the lawn now for grubs. We offer several products that when applied, will kill the grubs; however I recommend using Milky Spore. This natural product is safe for humans, pets, and the environment. Once it kills the grubs, it multiplies into more spores. If three applications are made (one spring, summer, and fall) for the next two years, this product will protect against grubs for at least ten years. Bonide’s Molemax will also repel moles, voles, rabbits and even skunks. Apply 1 lb to treat a 500 ft. area.
3. Scale may turn up on your hollies and some other ornamental plants. We suggest using Bonide’s Systemic Insecticide; make three spray applications five to seven days apart.
4. Check clematis hybrids for signs of whiteflies, spider mites, and scale, apply liquid horticultural oil or Malathion as per label instructions.
5. Dogs, cats, and squirrels often investigate new plants. Dog urine is high in nitrogen and burns plants. Squirrels dig up new plants to find hidden nuts. Try animal deterrents to keep them away. We suggest Bonide’s “Go Away” to control dogs, cats and rabbits, and Liquid Fence to control squirrels.
6. Check the pH of your pond water, and if needed adjust it to be 6.5 to 7.5. We recommend pH Up or pH Down from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. Lift and clean the filter and pump, then return to the pond. Apply Organica’s Pristine Pond clarifier. This product improves water clarity, biodegrades sludge, provides bacteria for biological filters, and works well under a broad range of environmental conditions.
7.In late April, lift and divide the roots of last year’s garden mums. Discard the old centers and plant the young roots in new places. You will get a better show than if you left them in the same place for years on end.
8. When the hostas break ground, watch out for slugs and snails. We suggest Sluggo or Espoma’s “Slug & Snail Control”. Both products work well in controlling slugs and are pet safe. Also apply Liquid Fence to these plants as they mature as the Deer love them.
9.Mowing begins in earnest this month. Keep the blades on your mower sharp; a clean cut is a healthy cut. Set your mower to cut tall type fescue at 3". Mow often enough so you never have to cut off more than a third of the grass to maintain a 3" height.
10. If not already done, apply crabgrass prevention now. We recommend products that have the active ingredient Dimension. Dimension will prevent crabgrass seed from germinating and will kill the young sprouts up to three leaflets. Jonathan Green crabgrass prevention with fertilizer and Green Light’s Crabgrass control both contain Dimension.


WEEK THREE:
1. Now is the perfect time to plant strawberry plants. We stock varieties that are well suited to our area. Be sure to plant in full sun, and apply composted manure when planting.
2. Gradually withhold water as cyclamen foliage begins to yellow to start the spring/early summer dormant cycle.
3.Spray newly hatched gypsy moths, with Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis), Dipel, or liquid Sevin. Ninety percent are generally in the top third of the tree, so make sure all foliage is covered.
4. Continue feeding your amaryllis bulb with Jack’s Classic fertilizer, and keeping the soil lightly moist at all times to achieve maximum leaf growth during summer and consequently maximum flowers next winter. Plant may be maintained indoors in bright, indirect light or moved outside in total shade in early June.
5. To solve compaction of the lawn, avoid thatch buildup, and condition the soil, aerate every two or three years. Aerating equipment punches 2 to 3 inch deep holes in the soil and lets fertilizer, air, and water penetrate.
6. At every second watering, add a half dose of a soluble fertilizer to the water for shrubs growing in containers. We recommend using Jack’s Classic water-soluble fertilizer or Green Lights Super Bloom flower food.
7. Prune azaleas as they finish blooming to a shape that offers a layering look, rather than just shearing off the branch tips. We also suggest using Ferti-lomes Azalea/Evergreen Food Plus with Systemic. This product promotes strong roots and beautiful blooms, while protecting the plant against insect damage for up to 8 weeks.
8. Spray your pyracantha flowers with Bonide’s Infuse to prevent scab disease from ruining the orange berries produced in the fall.
9. Begin spray program for fruit trees and roses every two weeks. Use Bonide’s Fruit Tree spray, which contains both insecticide and fungicide for all fruit trees. Do not use if it is still in bloom as you will kill the bees; you should only use a fungicide during this period. We recommend Bonide’s fungicides Liquid Copper, Mancozeb, or Bordeaux Mix. When in full bloom, trees are very susceptible to disease, so be sure to spray a fungicide. Roses need to be sprayed to prevent blackspot, mites and other diseases and insects. Try Espoma’s 3-in-one, which kills mites and insects and is organic. Bonide systemic fungicide is another good choice for preventive spraying for fungus and can be combined with Systemic Insecticide, to also control insect pests. Bonide now has a new systemic drench, Rose Rx that will protect plants for up to 6 weeks from disease and insects. One quart will do up to 16 roses. We also recommend Ferti-lomes Rose & Flower Food with systemic insecticide for roses. This product has trace elements and a 14-12-11 analysis, which produces more blooms, new growth and greener leaves. The systemic insecticide is absorbed through the roots to protect the entire Rose bush from Aphids, Thrips, Japanese Beetles and other insects for 30 days.
10. Prune forsythia after flowers fall. Shape and apply water-soluble fertilizer at the dripline. If forsythia did not bloom well, cut back the shrub by one third.

WEEK FOUR:
1. For Boxwoods that are showing gray-white leaves, cut out the discolored foliage and spray the entire foliage with Systemic Insecticide to kill the spider mites. It is suggested that you repeat spraying in ten days to kill any eggs that may have hatched.
2. Prune back new “candle” growth on dwarf pines and spruces to keep plants compact and avoid irregular growth patterns.
3. Do not be tempted to cut back the foliage of your daffodils. The bulb uses the leaves to transform energy from sun to help develop next year’s blossoms. Leave until foliage has turned completely yellow.
4. Remember to be kind to your body during the spring planting season. Repetitive motions from digging, planting, digging, weeding, or other spring chores can take a toll on the body. Try to alternate things, pull weeds, then give your hands and arms a rest and go fetch mulch or compost, then plant or seed your garden. By alternating tasks, you will get your body into the spring gardening mode without overdoing it and will still be able to be outside and enjoy spring.
5. Start a monthly fertilization program for your fall-blooming mum, using Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster, or Green Lights Super Bloom. You will need to continue this until August. Also, remember to allow them to reach a height of 6" and then cut or pinch them back to 3".
6. Spider mites can also be a problem for houseplants, but are hard to detect until it is almost too late to save the plant. In order to better see the insect problem, shake a leaf or the plant over a piece of white paper. Specks that move are spider mites. Another way to help control them is to take the infected plant and turn it upside down in a basin of soapy lukewarm water, then follow-up by spraying with insecticidal soap. Make three applications every 5-7 days.
7. When mulching we suggest using a product called Amaze for prevention of both broadleaf and grassy weeds in the flowerbeds. It is also a great time to apply any needed fertilizers such as Espoma’s Holly-tone or Plant-tone to provide extended feeding of the plants. Be sure to apply all products before mulching to insure that they will stay in place.

Planting Annuals & Biennials Seedlings started indoors:
1. To prepare seedlings started indoors for life in the garden, harden them off for five or six days in a sheltered spot out of the wind and direct sun. The soil they are growing in will dry out more quickly outdoors, so be sure to check and water as needed. Seedlings fresh from a greenhouse also benefit from a few days in a sheltered spot before being planted in the open garden.
2. Prepare the garden soil by amending with composted manure or Leafgro. These products provide organic matter necessary for all vegetables and flowers to grow and thrive. Also us Jonathon Greens Mag-i-cal especially in the planting areas of peppers and tomatoes as this product is high in calcium and will help to prevent blossom end-rot.
3. When you bring home more flats of seedlings than you have time to plant, water them well, and place them out of direct sun until you are ready to transplant. Check the soil moisture daily; remember the six-packs are very small with little extra soil, which will dry out in a matter of hours when left out on a hot and windy day.
4. When you head to the garden to transplant your seedlings, take along a pail of water with Plant Starter by Bonide. This product will cause you to notice how quickly your new plants begin to grow and are much more resistant to transplant shock.
5. Make planting holes with the end of your trowel for as many seedlings as you will be putting in the area. Cut apart any seedlings that have grown together with garden shears.
6. Before setting a seedling in its hole, gently unwind roots circling the root ball, and cut off those matted at the bottom. Set the seedlings upright in their planting holes, starting with the hole farthest from you. Add a half cupful of water to each planting hole.
7. When the water has drained, fill the holes with soil, and firm the soil around each seedling. The seedlings should be set in tightly enough so they resist a gentle tug. Pinch out the central stem and branch tips of the seedlings to encourage branching and more surfaces where flowers may develop.
8. Water the area with a sprinkler for half an hour. Apply a 2" layer of mulch all around the seedlings.

Planting Herbs & Vegetables Seedlings started indoors:
1. Prepare the garden soil by adding composted manure, or Leafgro. If you are going to plant tomatoes, it is suggested that you also add Mag-i-cal which is high in calcium and prevents blossom end-rot in tomatoes, peppers and squash.
2. Check the soil pH to make sure it is between 6.0 and 7.0. If you need to raise pH, add lime, to lower add garden sulfur, in both cases add 5-10 lbs per 100 square feet.
3. Before transplanting herb and vegetable seedlings to the open garden, set them in a warm, sheltered spot outdoors to harden off for a few days.
4. Wet the seedlings thoroughly with tepid water containing a water-soluble fertilizer. We recommend Bonide’s Liquid Plant Starter.
5. Dig a generous hole in the bed.
6. Pour a little water into each planting hole. We also suggest using Espoma’s Bio-tone plus to help the roots grow and prevent transplant shock.
7. Loosen roots that may be binding the root ball. Set each seedling upright and straight in the planting hole so the top of the root ball is just above the soil surface.
8. Back fill the hole with soil and press it down firmly and around the plant.
9. Be sure to water well.

When to Plant Herbs & Perennial Vegetables:
Cold Season Crops: Are plants that tolerate some frost, so you can plant them outdoors even before the last anticipated frost. They will grow well when air temperatures rise to 55-70°F. Early seeding does not always help because the soil is cold, and seedlings can rot as they germinate. The perennial herbs, thyme, oregano, chives, and parsley are biennial, where as arugula, dill, onion sets, and garlic are considered annuals. Asparagus and rhubarb, along with beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chicory, collards, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, peas, parsnip, radish, spinach, rutabagas, turnip greens, and turnips also fall in this category.
These tolerate some cold but not frost: Artichoke, carrot, cauliflower, endive, lettuce, peas, and white potato.
Warm season crops: (readily damaged by frost) include lavender, nasturtiums, summer savory, beans, cantaloupes, carrots, chard, corn, cucumbers, muskmelon, sweet peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, and tomatoes. They do well at 65-80°F, but sulk or rot in cold soil.
Hot weather crops: need air temperatures at least 65°F; however, they do best in temperatures above 80°F. These plants require a long growing season: hot peppers, lima beans, shell beans, eggplant, okra, peanuts, sweet potato, and watermelon.

Spring Flowering Bulb Care:
1. Daffodils and Jonquils will perennialize well by allowing the foliage to remain undisturbed until it has withered away. Do not tie up or bind up the foliage, as this cuts off light and oxygen the bulbs need to nourish the flowers for next season.
2. Allowing the foliage of tulips to yellow about halfway down before trimming them back will help to perennialize these bulbs and allow for proper nutrition.
3. It is a good idea to feed all bulbs after bloom time, in order for the plants to achieve bigger and more blooms. We suggest using Espoma’s Bulb-tone at the rate of 4-6 lbs per 100 square feet. Repeat this application again in early September.
4. If you plan on moving or dividing bulbs, the best time to do so is after the foliage has died away. So as not to damage the bulb, use a flag or some other type of marker to show the exact location. Be sure to move them before September to allow them time to root out properly before winter.
5. Daffodils, narcissus, and Jonquils are safe from deer damage, but tulips and crocuses are not. Use a Deer repellent if this is a problem. We recommend using liquid fence, you will get about 30 days worth of protection.

Spring Azalea Care Tips:
1. Azalea Leaf Gall is a gray-white growth that envelops azalea leaves in early June. In early spring, spray the leaf buds with a lime-sulfur spray just as they are about to open. One spray will end the problem for the entire year and prevent the need to prune away unsightly growths.
2. Leaf spots may develop in late April if the weather is cool and rainy. If spots develop on the tops of leaves, apply Bonide Infuse or Mancozeb. One application will usually halt the disease before more leaves are infected. Repeat every two weeks.
3. Make a soil pH test in early spring to verify that the soil is in the acid range, usually between 4.5 and 5.5. Azaleas can extract food from the soil only when the pH is in this range. To lower pH use Espoma’s Soil Acidifier, and to increase pH use Garden lime.
4. Azaleas generally do best with small amounts of energy such as that provided by compost (composted manures, or Leafgro) that is worked into the soil around the dripline in early April. Also, use Espoma’s Holly-tone applied at the dripline to increase flower production and stimulate growth. Use pine bark chips, nuggets, or pine straw as a mulch rather than hardwood mulch, which will also help with acidifying the soil.
5. Lacebugs are a real problem in our area due to the high humidity levels we experience. Three generations of lacebugs (mid-June, mid-July, and mid-September) may attack the leaves of azaleas. To determine if you have them, check the bottom of the leaves to see if you have pencil-dot chocolate brown spots, the signs that lacebugs are siphoning sugar from the leaf tissue. If a few leaves show signs of lacebugs, you could have thousands since they are microscopic and invisible to the naked eye. We suggest using every 8 weeks Ferti-lomes Azalea/Evergreen Food Plus with Systemic. This product will not only feed your plants but also protect them from lacebugs and other sucking insects as well. Use 8 tbsp. per foot of plant height.
6. When planting new azaleas, be sure to find a location with morning sun and afternoon shade, and use Espoma’s Bio-tone starter, which will help the roots establish themselves and prevent the plant from going into transplant shock.

Hydrangea Chart:
Many varieties of hydrangea have been hybridized in the past decade, which seems to complicate choosing the best one for your garden. Lacecap hydrangeas are shrubs that generally grow between 3 and 5 feet tall, and feature tiny pink or rose-colored flowers surrounded by similar colored petals. These plants flower on dormant flower buds made the prior summer or early fall. Mophead hydrangeas are shrubs that produce large snowball-size flowers ranging from 4-8" in diameter. Mophead flowers can be pink, blue, red, or white, and color will depend on pH of the soil in which it is planted. Here is how soil pH influences the color of Mophead flowers:
     If the pH is below 4.5, flowers will be in varying shades of purple
     If the pH is between 4.5 and 5.5, flowers will be blue
     If the pH is between 5.5 and 6.5, flowers will be pink
     If the pH is between 6.5 and 7.0, flowers will be white
     If the pH is between 7.0 and 8.0, flowers will be red Through late spring and summer, check foliage periodically for signs insect damage. Spider mites and aphids are insect pests characteristic to hydrangeas. Use horticultural oil for Aphid and mite controls. Diseases such as botrytis (ugly blotches on foliage) is controlled by spraying Mancozeb or Fungonil, both are products from Bonide. Macrophylla Hydrangeas like morning sun and afternoon shade, while paniculata varieties can tolerate full sun. Consider your proposed planting location for each of these types of Hydrangea.