April
Lawn & Garden Tips
In the Garden
- Start Your Veggies. Now is the time to start tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant…all the vegetables you love to harvest come summer. When planting be sure to amend the native soil at a 50/50 ratio with Dr. Earth Organic Home Grown Vegetable Garden Planting Mix to add vital organic matter to the soil for better root development and needed moisture balance so you have happy, healthy plants that provide you an abundant harvest.
- Color in Your Garden. All winter/cool season color like pansies and cyclamen should be replaced with plants that thrive in warm months like geraniums, marigolds, impatiens, petunias and more. Plant in the garden, pots and hanging baskets.
- Get Ready for Outdoor Living. If you're hosting celebrations or just love to spend time on the patio now is the time to freshen it up for spring. Add container gardens, hanging baskets and more for color. Your patio should be just as comfortable as your home; time to clean off your patio furniture or get a new set.
- Waterwise Favorites. Choose from a vast selection of California-friendly, waterwise plants that thrive with little water and care for all areas of the garden! Our horticulturalists can help you pick the best drought-tolerant plants for your landscape.
- Protect Your Plants from Snails and Slugs. Rain will bring out snails and slugs that feast on your garden. Apply Sluggo to protect your plants. Kid and pet safe.
- Plant for Earth/Arbor Day. Show Mother Nature some love by planting a tree, shrub or a basket of flowers to celebrate.
- Roses in Bloom. Now is a great time to choose from over 50 types of roses that are now in bloom. Choose from roses known for the fragrance, for cutting or landscape roses that require little care. If your roses have any issues stop by and our horticulturalists can assist.
Though roses seem to be perpetually in flower in Southern California,
the blossoms actually come in fairly distinct cycles. The first flowering is in
early April, the next usually late May, one in early July, and so on, right up
to Christmas. Remove spent flowers promptly after each cycle; otherwise, much
energy goes into the production of seeds, in the form of rose hips.
- Reduce Fruit. What? Reducing a quarter of the fruit on deciduous trees now will give you a higher quality fruit and help prevent branch breakage.
- Release Good Bugs. Release good garden bugs like ladybugs and praying mantis into the garden to eat bad bugs like aphids and thrips. Be sure to release at dusk to help them stay in your garden.
- Water Wisely. As the weather warms up its important to water your garden. Maximize water use by watering between 6-9am with a deep watering. This means you want to water until right before you see runoff. This encourages deep root growth which in turns means a healthier plant. Drip irrigation can also help you save water; we can help you get started.
- Plant Summer Blooming Bulbs. Now is the time to plant Gladioli, Dahlias and Lilies for summer blooms
- Spring Cleaning. For some spring flowers, the show is just about over. Though it seems too soon, it's time to start clearing out and cleaning up for the summer ahead.
- Ranunculus might come back if you leave them alone and don't water much in summer, but most gardeners just pull them out.
- Tulips seldom come back with much conviction in Southern California, so dig them up while the leaves still clearly mark their locations and toss them.
- Other bulbs, including daffodils, freesia, anemones, ixia, and sparaxis, definitely return to flower again next spring, and need to have their foliage cut back after it turns completely brown.
- Calendulas and snapdragons may only be past their peak at this point, and you might want to enjoy them for a few more weeks
In the House
- Home Inspection. Take a closer look at your houseplants. Prune, feed, and repot if the plant is getting crowded.
- Re-evaluate Your Watering. Houseplants may need to be watered more frequently as your home receives more sun. If the leaves start to droop or wilt start watering more frequently.
- Vacation Outdoors. The night time temperatures are now similar to the temperature in your home. If you brought houseplants in for the winter now is a perfect time to move them back outdoors for a spring/summer vacation.
For the Lawn
- Feed Established Lawns. Be sure to feed your lawn regularly with Armstrong Lawn Fertilizer to encourage root growth and keep your lawn lush and green.
For the Birds
- Feed the Birds. Make sure feeders are clean and full with bird food to encourage birds, including hummingbirds, coming back.
- Time for a Bath. Birds need a water source for bathing and drinking. Place a birdbath in your garden to attract birds in your yard.