April garden jobs

April can be a tricky month for gardening. In my experience it is either a blazing heat wave or else it's weather that requires 3 jumpers!  Whatever the weather throws at us this year there are always things to do.

 

 

April is a good time to sow hardy annuals, herbs and wildflower seeds outside.  Why not give over a part of your garden to mini wildflower meadow? If you don't have a free area you can just sprinkle the seeds in any gaps in the borders.  You will find all sort of seed blends for a huge range of different garden conditions so there should be one to suit you.

 

 

Deadhead spring bulbs so they preserve more energy for next year. Avoid removing or knotting their foliage, leave this to die back before you tidy them up.  It is also good to feed them, a tomato feed works well for this.

 

 

You can rejuvenate congested clumps of herbaceous perennials, such as hardy geraniums, by lifting them and then dividing them. I love this as not only does it benefit the plant you are also getting plants for free to fill any gaps in borders. 

 

 

Now is a good time to plant perennials. I struggle in my garden with terrible soil which is still recovering from previously being used as a dump and also it is pretty shady, so I have learnt that only the hardiest of plants will thrive. I have just planted a mass of Galium Odoratum or sweet woodruff.  It is an attractive groundcover plant with frothy white flowers carried over aromatic foliage. This plant has many attributes not only is great for pollinators is has also been used in the treatment of jaundice and insomnia. Furthermore the flowers and leaves can be dried to make pot pourri or used fresh to flavour white wine or juice.  

 

 

Shrubs do like a feed at this time of year. Organic chicken manure pellets are a good choice if you want to use non chemical feeds.

 

 

If you have not given your lawn a cut yet, then do the first mow with the blades set at the highest level.  You can also seed bare patches at this time it is cheaper than turfing the only downside in my case is that the local pigeons do love it!