April

Delightful Daffodils

Spring weather and spring walks - definitely the time to go beyond the garden gate and visit your local gardens open to the public. Seasonal shows of spring bulbs and fabulous blossoming trees are food for the body and mind. They are not just a marvelous sight but will also provide inspiration for your own garden. So find out where your local National Trust property or park or open gardens are and enjoy!

Ponds & Water features

As the pond comes back to life here are some things to think about:

• Remove all dead plant residues and decide which plants need pruning.
• Divide pond plants such as water lilies and get rampant varieties back under control.
• Plant new plants in baskets with fresh pond soil, oxygenators will help control algae. Give the plants special water plant fertiliser granules by the roots in the soil as you plant. Also think about feeding your existing plants: there are special water plant food pellets which help the plants thrive.
• Turn the pump back on and examine your pond. Check fish are healthy and are beginning to feed.

If you do not have a pond in your garden yet, and you've got space, then now is the time to build one!

Pruning

• The more often you prune, the more the plants branch.
• After pruning Buxus give special buxus fertiliser with magnesium and trace elements immediately.
• This is your last chance to prune the roses. It should really have been done in March.
• Also prune your false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Umbraculifera') or Indian bean tree (Catalpa bignonioides ‘Nana').
• Prune spring flowering shrubs such as Forsythia & Quince when flowering is over & evergreens such as Photinia, Choisya & Viburnum.
• Shrubs which do not flower until after the longest day (21 June) can be pruned now. This includes varieties such as Buddleia davidii, Ceanothus and Hypericum.
• Shrubs which flower from buds which formed during the previous season should only be pruned when they have finished flowering.

Planting & Sowing

• Evergreen shrubs are replanted later than the deciduous varieties because many evergreens are not fully winter-hardy. This is less important if they are pot-grown, but many evergreens are also sold ‘with rootball in sacking'.
• Perennials may have pushed themselves up above the soil on their roots. They are standing on ‘islands'. Replant them to the right depth.
• Birches are famous for being difficult to (re)plant. This is the best time to do it.
• You can now sow plenty of kitchen herbs, spinach, rocket as well as vegetables like carrots & 1^st early, 2^nd early & maincrop potatoes.
• Indoors you can also sow basil, then courgettes & pumpkins at the end of the month for planting out in late May.
• Beware of night frost! Protect plants which are sensitive and possibly already flowering with garden fleece if a night frost is forecast.
• Ventilate greenhouses & cold frames on sunny days.
• Sow annual flowers such as Nigella, Calendula & poppies direct into the soil where you want them to flower.

Maintenance

• Remove all dead and withered plant residues from your plants & give them a good mulch to improve soil texture. All the waste can go in the compost bin.
• It's best to put in supports now for perennials which will grow tall in the garden or in pots.
• Lots of annuals are available to buy - make sure you give them frost protection and keep them watered as temperatures increase as this is when they will start growing well.
• In the meantime, now is a good time to get the pots and troughs ready for planting. Rinse, ensure good drainage and get in supplies of fresh potting soil, water holding crystals and slow release fertilizer.
• If you have not done so yet, now is certainly the time to tidy the garden, clean the patio and the garden furniture. Flagstones and all sorts of other stepping stones and tiles can become green and slippery during the winter. Turn them over now to get rid of the problem. The green underside will then automatically be cleaned by creatures in the soil, so that you can repeat this trick every year. Otherwise use an environmentally friendly algae cleaner.
• It is still an excellent time for sowing a new lawn or restoring a lawn. Now is also an ideal time to aerate. The grass will recover very quickly. If your lawn is not enclosed by hard surfaces, the edges will grow irregularly. Restore the shape by edging the lawn neatly again. You can now mow the lawn every week. Mow an ornamental lawn to two centimetres and a play lawn to three centimetres.
• Rake thoroughly any gravel areas you may have, to stop the first weed growth.
• Keep watch for pests such as greenfly & caterpillars & control populations of slugs & snails.
• Increase watering and feeding of indoor plants including citrus trees. Repot any that are pot-bound.