April

General

Continue weeding – they are getting faster – do little and often remove from site and compost.

Remove daffodil leaves after they have turned brown and died.

Planting and Pruning

Lift and divide late flowering perennials – chop clumps into sections with a sharp spade or two forks back to back. Use a sharp knife with soft fleshy rooted plants. Add compost or well rotted manure to the soil when replanting. Offer any spares to family, friends and neighbours.

Prune shrubs by removing diseased and damaged wood from healthy plants.

Prune Hydrangea macrohylla - remove dead flower heads and shorten old or straggly to the lowest healthy bud.

Prune Hydrangea paniculata – cut each main branch to within two buds of their base.

Prune lavenders, sage, and santolinas silver leaved plants – cut into last year’s growth to within 5-10cm of new buds. If cutting into old wood ensure that there is new growth visible before doing so.

Lawn

Lawn maintenance continues;

Now is the time to sow lawn seed. Prepare the ground either for a new lawn or to reseed bare patches, net to protect from birds.

Feed the lawn during the warm weather. If necessary use a feed containing a mosskiller and/or weedkiller. Give consideration to weed removal by hand. Weeds with a taproot can be successfully removed by using a dandelion weeder or tool designed for the specific purpose – ensure that the root does not snap off or it will re-establish.