Garden Tasks by Month | April in Zone 5

 Dear Garden Diary,

I cannot contain my delight. The garden is really going to get going this month with all the bulbs that I planted last Fall. I can already see them poking through. Crocuses and chinodoxa will soon be followed by a variety of daffodils and narcissus. 

And then it won't be long before hyacinths, grape hyacinths and tulips follow. But before I get too giddy with excitement, I have got a long list of things to do in my zone 5 garden this month in April. 

This is one of my busiest gardening months. So better get started. Got to dash.

XXX Pia

What Tasks/ Chores to do in my Garden in April? 

A Garden Maintenance Checklist for Zone 5

Spring Clean

☐ Clean Beds- If not done already, tidy beds and gently remove matted leaves to help spring bulbs emerge.

☐ Clear Window Boxes- Clean old window boxes of old, dead annuals. Prep soil and prepare window boxes for new annuals to plant once the weather warms up. Pansies and violas are cool season annuals that can be planted this month.

Lawn Maintenance

☐ Stay off soggy lawn. Only start working on the lawn once it is dry and the ground is firm.

☐ Dethatch lawn: First cut lawn, then rake vigorously with a metal rake to pull up all dried thatched grass. 

☐ Fill low patches in lawn.

☐ Over seed lawn. After dethatching lawn, over seed lawn. Then cover with a light dressing of peat moss and keep moist if spring rains are sporadic.

Stake Peonies

☐ Before peony stems get too tall and start leafing out, stake peonies using peony cages or tomato cages to hold the plants upright and prevent them from flopping over as they grow.

Split and Move Late Blooming Perennials

☐ Divide and move late blooming perennials.

☐ Split and move grasses and hostas as they start emerging.

Water

☐ Don't rely solely on Spring rains to water the garden. If rains are sporadic, start watering plants that are starting to bud up like azaleas and rhododendrons. Without adequate water, the buds will drop off and the flowers for the season will be lost. Buds dropping off without blooming are signs that the plant requires more water.

Fix

☐ Before perennial creepers or climbers like honeysuckle and clematis start to leaf out, check the fences, trellises and supports to see if anything needs to be fixed or reinforced.

Direct Sow

☐ Direct sow cool-season vegetables by sprinkling the seeds into the vegetable patch and covering with a fine layer of soil. Some direct sow vegetables are lettuce, red radishes, kale and peas.

☐ Direct sow flowers like Sweet Peas or summer blooming flowers like zinnias and poppies.

In case you missed it, also see:

Garden Tasks | January in Zone 5

Garden Tasks | February in Zone 5

Garden Tasks | March in Zone 5

Garden Tasks | May in Zone 5

Garden Tasks | June in Zone 5

Garden Tasks | July in Zone 5  

Garden Tasks | August in Zone 5

Garden Tasks | September in Zone 5  

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