April

Keep dead-heading primroses, polyanthus and pansies to prolong their flowering throughout April.

Protect fruit tree blossom and other tender shoots by using fleece on cold nights.

You can sow a good range of vegetable seeds outside now including beetroot, cabbages, lettuce, radishes and spinach as long as the soil is warm.

Use feed, weed & moss killer on your lawn now as a 4 in 1 application or lawn sand if you have particular moss problems.

Overseed thin or bare patches of lawn. Use a fast-acting grass seed, remembering to water it in well.

Plant summer flowering bulbs including begonias, dahlias and lilies. For a longer flowering season, plant gladioli corms in succession throughout April and May.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia and flowering currants straight after flowering.

Don’t forget to “earth up” your potatoes as leaves appear.

Try to deter slugs as new shoots on hostas & perennials appear – use slug pellets or natural methods such as copper bands or beer traps.

Spray roses with “roseclear” to prevent blackspot, mildew & aphids.

When planting summer containers and baskets add water retaining gel crystals to ensure compost stays moist and slow release fertiliser to encourage strong growth.

Place plant supports above tall-growing or floppy plants so the plants grow through them before getting too tall.

Harden off bedding plants by putting outside during the day and bringing in at night. Don’t be tempted to put tender plants out whilst we’re still getting frosts!

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