"April
showers bring May flowers." We have heard that prophetic rhyme
since childhood. Although I don't look forward to the showers,
anything that will bring beautiful flowers I will tolerate.
April is a good month to prepare your yard, flower beds and
garden for the busy month of May.
April
showers actually help soften the ground and wake up the earth
from its frozen slumber. This is a good time to start cultivating
and pulling any tiny weeds that appear before they become
impossible over the next month. It is a perfect time to add
compost and to till any area that you plan to plant. If you
don't have your own compost pile, don't worry, many garden
centers have it in bulk. We fill up the back of our pickup
and it is much cheaper to purchase it this way instead of
bagged. You can also rent a tiller from many home improvement
store. You really shouldn't need it for more than a few hours
or a day for larger projects, so to save money, just rent
for one day at most.
April
is also a great month to start your own seedlings. There are
some very inexpensive kits at your local home improvement
store. These are very easy to use if you follow the directions
and also keep your seed packets to use as a reference. Some
seeds that I have had good success with are zucchini, cucumbers
and sunflowers. This is also a great project to involve your
kids. They will love to help in the care of the tiny seedlings.
It is still exciting for me as an adult to see just how fast
those little seeds grow!
Early
spring is also an optimal time to prune your bushes and trees.
Do not prune back into the bare wood of the plant, but do
remove any diseased or dead wood.
This
is also the best time to start your lawn care routine. I would
suggest that you rake out any thatch and start on a program
that best suits your family's needs. After the risk of a deep
freeze, it is also a great time to start fertilizing and laying
grass seed. Your local garden center should be able to help
you individualize the best care for your lawn. You want to
use careful consideration when you are applying harsh chemicals
to areas where pets and children will be playing.
If
you just can't resist planting something this month, plant
some adorable pansies! They are so cute and surprisingly very
hardy. If you deadhead them regularly, they will definitely
last you until late spring. They also love the cool weather
and can tolerate our climate about a month or so before traditional
annuals and perennials can. I love to fill up some pots with
pansies and display them early on my porch.
A
little time and effort now will save you money and hassle
in the yard and garden in the next few months. Laying down
a good foundation for your plants to thrive is just as important
as their maintenance after planting. Take the time now and
enjoy those helpful April showers, so you will have the best
looking May flowers on the block.
