"The world may change, but spring always returns with open arms." Unknown

 April is a lovely time. The weather  is slowly  getting warmer, and days are noticeable longer. Time to get busy in the garden or on the allotment!! 

If you haven’t done already, to let in more light, give the greenhouse a good scrub with hot soapy water . Use a greenhouse fumigator to eliminate pests and diseases. Clean paths and paving, a pressure washer is useful, and patio cleaner. 

As soil warms in the garden or allotment, prepare seed beds ready for sowing, keep weed-free and rake to a fine tilth. Dig 5cm (or more) layer of compost or well-rotted manure,  or spread a general-purpose fertiliser, poultry manure pellets or fish, blood and bone fertiliser.   
In the greenhouse or a sunny windowsill, some of the seeds to sow are  marrows, courgettes, pumpkins, squash, sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, celery, and lettuce. 

When warm enough and frosts passed, into well-prepared soil, seeds to sow are beetroot, Swiss chard, summer cauliflower, Kohl Rabi, lettuce, leeks, radish, turnip, and spinach. 

Sow a dedicated seedbed of brassicas to provide transplants of sprouting broccoli, cauliflowers and cabbages, for planting out in June or July. Protect early outdoor sowings with cloches or fleece.

Mid-April, start runner beans in pots indoors. Beans do not tolerate cold ,so do not plant out until every risk of frost has passed. If your plot is exposed, wait until late May through to July, to sow them directly in the garden.

If you haven’t already, sow sweet pea seeds under cover, in the greenhouse or a sunny windowsill. Soak seeds for 24hrs to help germination. Sow into root trainers, long thin pots or cardboard loo rolls  to help develop good root systems. Plant out May/June and provide good support. 

Start a Garden Diary to keep track of  all seeds sown, this will help with planning. 

Wildflowers are loved by Bees and Pollinators, sow these undercover in pots or outside in drifts. 

"Not only do Bees pollinate our food crops, they are vital for the survival of wild plants that support our wildlife". Woodland Trust 

Using a hoe, gently weed through beds and borders. Apply weed killer to perennial weeds in paving and patios. Look for signs of pests and diseases, early prevention is easier than having to fight an infestation.  

Lift and divide established border perennials, e.g. Hostas, to improve growth. This will create new plants for your garden or to give to friends. Divide primroses once they have finished flowering and redistribute around the garden for next Spring. 

Protect fruit blossom from late frosts/cold nights, covering  with horticultural fleece. Mulch fruit trees with well-rotted manure  or garden compost, taking care not to mound mulch up around the trunk. Top-dress patio fruit trees with fresh compost and  slow-release fertiliser.  

Chit  second early potatoes, e.g. Charlotte and plant out in first half of month. Plant  maincrop potatoes, e.g. King Edward, during the second half.  

Sow carrots and pea seeds directly outside. Tender crops, e.g. sweetcorn and courgettes should be sown under cover or kept in the greenhouse/sunny windowsill before planting out in May.

Continue planting  summer-flowering bulbs and corms such as gladioli and dahlia  in containers to grow on in the greenhouse. Only put these outside once all risk of frost is over, usually May. Pinch out tips of Fuchsia plants to encourage bushy growth for the coming Summer.  Cut back dead foliage on perennials and ornamental  grasses, to make way for new growth.

Remove old mop head Hydrangea flower heads to just above a pair of strong emerging buds. Hydrangea buds can be easily knocked off, so cut carefully using the tips of  sharp secateurs.

Dead head spring bulbs to stop seeding. Leave foliage intact, allowing to die back naturally, to encourage all goodness to return to the bulb for a beautiful display next year. If not done already, feed raspberry canes, fruit bushes and fruit trees to encourage  a good crop and apply a slow-release fertiliser, lightly forking it into the soil surface around their base. Feed Roses with rose fertiliser as they come into growth .   

Tie in climbing roses and check tree stakes and ties to make sure they are not tight. Install water butts to harvest rainwater from roofs, including the greenhouse, ready for the summer ahead

Look for new growth at base of penstemons, prune by cutting back all the old shoots to the base; but if there are no new shoots, cut just above the lowest set of leaves. Prune Forsythia as it finishes flowering, cutting back to strong, young shoots. Trim winter-flowering heathers when flowers drop, to prevent the plants becoming leggy. 

Sow lawn seed now on well-prepared soil and keep moist until it germinates. Or, for an instant lawn, lay turf and keep moist until it’s established. Repair bare patches and  apply Spring and Summer high nitrogen fertiliser. If moss and weeds are a problem, apply Feed and Weed.   Aerate compacted areas of lawn, by spiking with a lawn aerator or for smaller areas, a garden fork. Brush away worm casts on dry days and mow lawn as required, lowering the mower blades towards the end of the month.
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• Seeds, bulbs, compounds, products, and tools all available for Members from the Garden Shop.

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."  William Shakespeare