April at last! Everything should be in varying stages of growth now, some things will be further on than others, so don’t worry too much if some plants look as they are taking their time. They will catch up with the weather improving every day.
In the flower garden
- Pinch out the tips of fuchsia plants and sweet pea plant shoots, to encourage bushy growth this summer.
- Divide primroses once they have finished flowering. Plant them in the shade over the summer, so they can grow and bulk up ready for next year.
- Prune your penstemons now — cut back all the old shoots to the base, provided there is new growth at the bottom of the plant. If there are no new shoots at the base, cut just above the lowest set of leaves.
- Tie in new honeysuckle and clematis stems. These plants will be putting on growth now, and you’ll need to train them along their supports.
- Continue to remove faded flowers from winter pansies to stop them setting seed. This will encourage flushes of new flowers throughout the spring.
In the veg garden
- Keep hoeing any weeds that start to appear, try and keep on top of this, half an hour here and there will save you hours of work later on.
- Carry on with staking and supporting Beans and Peas, use either bamboo canes to provide either a wigwam shape or an A framed structure.
- Maincrop Potatoes can be planted in the ground now. Don’t be tempted in planting too many, as they do take up quite a bit of room.
- Tomatoes will be available mid april, they will be ideal for planting out in the greenhouse anytime they are available. Either plant out in large pots or growbags, or directly into the soil in the greenhouse.
- Keep on sowing vegetable seeds, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower; sow main crop carrots, second early and main crop peas, beetroot, red and summer cabbage, leeks and turnips can all be sowed now.
That’s all for this month. We’ll be back next time with our top tips for May – hopefully we’ll get lots of warmth and sunshine in the meantime! 🌸