Japanese cherry blossoms.
Garden Chores for April
Oullioles tulips surrounded by the white flowers of Snow Day Surprise pearl bush, an Exochorda cultivar.
In This Issue
Garden Clean-up - Perennials - Pruning Rules - Pruning Fruit Trees - Pruning Hydrangeas
Lawn Care for April - Mossy Lawns - Grubby Lawns
Purchasing New Plants - What to Plant this Month - Dahlias, Tuberous Begonias & Tropical Bulbs
Sow Seeds Indoors & Potting Seedlings - Hardening Off - Planting Seeds Outdoors
Success With Veggies - Grow Potatoes - Good Bugs & Bad Bugs
Taking Cuttings - Spring Bulbs - Planters & Hanging Baskets - Feeding Plants - Kill the Weeds
April Garden Stars - Garden Club Plant Sales - April Garden Chores
April Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Forsythia
Lawn Care for April - Mossy Lawns - Grubby Lawns
Purchasing New Plants - What to Plant this Month - Dahlias, Tuberous Begonias & Tropical Bulbs
Sow Seeds Indoors & Potting Seedlings - Hardening Off - Planting Seeds Outdoors
Success With Veggies - Grow Potatoes - Good Bugs & Bad Bugs
Taking Cuttings - Spring Bulbs - Planters & Hanging Baskets - Feeding Plants - Kill the Weeds
April Garden Stars - Garden Club Plant Sales - April Garden Chores
April Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Forsythia
Tulips and narcissus from the garden.
Fellow Gardeners..
A fish out of water & in the garden with Oullioles tulips.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
There’s much to do in the garden this month. I wonder if I will manage to get all the chores done. It’s always a scramble every spring, but it’s so nice to be back in the garden doing my thing. The trouble with venturing forth into the garden in April is I spend way too much time taking pictures of all the pretty plants. It’s not my fault that I find them totally irresistible. Let me be clear, I am not a plant addict. I can quit anytime. As long as there are no plants around, I’m fine. Although it’s a beautiful time of year, distracting as it is, the garden awaits. The list of what to do is rather long, and as the month progresses, priorities will change as May will be here before you know it. t’s a rather daunting juggling act to say the least. Beautiful April is an exciting, albeit busy time. I always look forward to seeing how the garden changes and evolves throughout the seasons. I know there will be disappointments, as that goes without saying. I try to learn from my mistakes, but it often depends on the weather. Drought, heat, cold, wind, fluctuating temperatures and copious amounts of rain are responsible for many a dead plant. However, I rejoice when things work out, so much so, I can’t help myself from taking oodles of pictures of the happy plants, as it makes me happy. It’s not an addiction, I just like being happy, that’s all. I hope that your garden makes you happy and if it does, that doesn’t mean you are addicted to plants, not according to me anyway and I’m an expert on these things – ahem. Have fun out there and be happy! Cheers, Amanda Garden Club Plant Sales
Get the word out! Click here to list your garden club plant sales, fundraisers, garden tour & other events.
Click on the green text to be redirected to their websites. 
White Rock Garden Club Plant Sale
Saturday May 9th, 2026 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Ocean Park Community Hall, 1577-128th St., Surrey, B.C. Features perennials, succulents, grasses, veggies, herbs, shrubs, books, garden décor, baked goods, hanging baskets & cut flowers. Price ranging from $2 to $8. Cash only. 
NWHS Plant Sale
Saturday, May 9, 2026, 10:00 am to 2:pm St. Thomas More Collegiate, 7450-12th Ave, Burnaby, B.C. Members donate a wonderful variety of perennials and vegetable seedlings at below Garden Outlet prices. Cash only. April Plant of the month
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A fawn lily, Erythronium.
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Prepare for the upcoming gardening year with a consultation with Amanda. Book an appointment for a consultation here.
Gift Certificates
A garden consultation is the perfect gift. Click on the pic for more.
Get the perfect gift for gardeners and non-gardeners alike with a gift certificate for a personal garden consultation. Get your gardening questions answered including maintenance, design, trouble shooting, plant ID, lawns and veggie gardening. A $200.00 value. Serving Metro Vancouver. Click on the picture above for more information.
April's Arrangement
April 2026
April's flowers feature rhododendrons, pearl bush, lily-of-the-valley shrub and grape hyacinths. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to
Monthly Flower Arrangements |
April Garden Stars
Star magnolia, Magnolia stellata, deciduous tree, fragrant, 15-20' x 10-15', sun to part shade. Zone 4 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Flowering currant, Ribes sanguineum, 5 to 8' x 3 to 5', full sun, part shade. Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Lily-of-the-valley shrub, Pieris japonica, broadleaf evergreen, sun to part shade, 9–12’ x 6–8’. Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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‘Bob’s Blue’, Rhododendron, broadleaf evergreen, 3 to 4’, x 3’, part sun. Zones 7 to 9.
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White trillium, Trillium erectum f. albiflorum, herbaceous perennial, 10 - 20 inches, shade to part shade, woodlands, summer dormancy. Zones 4 to 7
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Pasque flower, Pulsatilla vulgaris (Anemone pulsatilla), herbaceous perennial, sun to part shade, 6-12” x 8 -12”, sun to part shade. Zones 2 to 9.
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Dwarf fothergilla, F. gardenii, deciduous shrub, 1.5' - 3' x 2' - 4', fragrant, sun to part shade, good fall colour. Zones 5 to 8.
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Wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa, herbaceous perennial, 0.50 - 1.50 ft, part sun, shade, summer dormancy. Zones 5 to 8.
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Serviceberry, Amelanchier canadensis, deciduous tree, to 30' x 20', sun to part shade, fall colour. Zones 4 to 8
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Grape hyacinth, Muscari armeniacum, spring bulb, 6 to 10 inches, sun to part shade, fragrant, naturalizes. Zones 4 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Basket-of-gold, Aurinia saxatilis, deciduous ground cover, sun, dry, 1 ft x 1.5ft. Zones 4 to 7.
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Bleeding heart, Lamprocapnos (Dicentra) spectabilis, herbaceous perennial, 1’-3 x 2’-3’, summer dormancy, part shade. Zones 2 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Handkerchief or dove tree, Davidia involucrate, deciduous tree, 15’ x 10’, sun to part shade, May flowers. Zones 6 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Lake Lolog Barberry (Berberis x lologensis), broadleaf evergreen shrub, deer resistant, sun, part shade, 8ft x 8ft. Zones 5 to 9.
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Evergreen clematis, Clematis 'Armandii', evergreen vigorous vine grows to 25 ft, fragrant flowers, sun to part sun, Zones 7 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Flowering quince, thorny deciduous shrub, edible fruit, 5-6’ x 5’. Zones 4 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Shooting star, Dodecatheon pulchellum, herbacous perennial, up to 12", indigenous, part shade. Zone 4 to 7.
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Crown imperial, Fritillaria imperialis, spring flowering bulb, 3-4’ x 1-1.5’, fragrant, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Bishop's hat, barrenwort, Epimedium × versicolor 'Sulphureum', evergreen perennial, 8-12”x12-18”, part to full shade. Zones 4-9
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Hardy cyclamen, Cyclamen repandum, herbaceous perennial, 4 to 6”, partial shade. Zones 7 to 9.
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Dog tooth violet, fawn lilies, Erythronium. perennial bulb, part shade, 6 to 12”, Zones 4 to 9. Click on pick for more.
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English primrose, Primula vulgaris, perennial, 6” x 6-9”, light shade, moist soil. Zones 4 to 8.
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Double weeping cherry, Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula Flora Plena', weeping deciduous tree, 15-25’, sun. Zones 5 to 8.
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False rock cress, Aubrieta deltoidea, groundcover, evergreen herbaceous perennial, up to 6", sun, part shade, Zones 4 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Common lungwort, Pulmonaria officinalis, herbaceous perennial, shade to part shade, moist soil. Zones 3 to 8
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English wallflower, Erysimum (Cheiranthus) cheiri, biennial, 6" to 2ft, sun to shade, self-seeds. Zones 7 to 9
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Common Dog violet, Viola riviniana, 3.9” x 20”, herbaceous perennial, evergreen, fragrant groundcover, aggressive, sun to shade. USDA Zones 4 to 9.
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April Garden Chores
Visit Your Garden
Take the time to walk through your garden.
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Take pictures of the good and the not so good.
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Your garden needs you now as it’s in full tilt growing mode. It will continue to gather momentum as the days stretch out, the sun gathers strength and the nighttime temperatures are not so nippy. Take the time to do a walkabout. Make a list or take pictures of what needs attention, what's dead and whatever is flowering. Here's more on Garden Inspections.
Garden Clean Up
Don't rake off organic debris from the soil.
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Cut off dead plants, but leave their roots.
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Trim off dead flowers from heathers.
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Remove debris from emerging perennials.
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Take off fallen leaves from shrubs.
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Untangle spring bulbs.
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Resist the urge to rake off all the organic debris from garden beds as it does more harm than good. The dead leaves, twigs and petals break down to become nature’s fertilizer are home for overwintering bees and other beneficial insects. Do remove any matted leaves and debris from emerging perennials, on top of shrubs and untangle bulbs foliage caught in leafy mulch. There's no need to dig up dead plants, just cut them off and allow the roots to decompose.
Perennials
Cut back ornamental grasses.
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Divide perennials with hollow centres.
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Stake peonies while you can.
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Remove infected hellebore leaves.
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When irises, peonies and other perennials wake up from their winter's sleep, cut off any remaining old stems at their base. Remove blemished and unhealthy foliage on hellebores, bishop’s hat and other evergreen perennials. Feed with compost, SeaSoil and/or kelp, fish fertilizer and mix into the soil. Provide peony rings, bamboo poles and other staking devices for peonies, Autumn Joy sedum, delphiniums and other tall and top heavy plants. Divide overcrowded perennials and discard the old, non-productive centre of the mother plant.
Pruning Rules
Topping trees is obviously wrong.
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It's too late to prune wisterias.
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Suckers, stubs and where to cut.
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Dead stems are brown under the bark.
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A grafted purple witch hazel needs the green suckers removed.
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Remove dead branches.
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Remove suckers.
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- There’s no need to prune a plant that’s healthy, looks good and is well behaved.
- Don't ever cut off all the limbs on a tree!
- Inspect shrubs & trees for bird nests before pruning.
- Remove dead, diseased & broken growth on all plants anytime of the year. Living stems are green under the bark, dead stems are brown.
- Remove all spindly, weak & non-productive stems.
- Remove stems that grow towards the centre of the plant.
- Pull or cut off suckers and watersprouts so no part of them remains.
- On grafted plants, completely remove all stems from under the graft (bud union).
- Don’t leave stubs. When removing a tree limb, cut to the branch collar, which is the raised tissue at the base of a branch.
- To shorten a tree branch, don’t cut it in the middle, instead cut it off just above a side (lateral) branch at the crotch where the two stems meet.
- Do not to cut too much off, only ¼ of overall growth. Be mindful. Step back occasionally, so you don’t get carried away.
- Prune most plants right after they have finished flowering.
- It’s too late to cut back plants if they have already leafed out as replacing their lost foliage weakens them.
- Refrain from pruning spring flowering plants in spring before they flower, wait until they finish flowering: wisteria, lily of the valley shrub, magnolias.
- Prune summer and autumn flowering plants now in spring: rose of sharon, lavender, buddleja, potentilla.
- Thin shrubs rather than just chopping off their heads. Remove all old, weak, crossing stems and ones that grow towards the plant’s centre.
- Shorten shrub stems by cutting just above a bud (node) that faces away from the plant’s centre.
- After pruning plants give them water and fertilize with compost, kelp, fish or another organic plant food.
- Here's more pruning info: Pruning Basics 101 - Pruning Tools - Pruning Grapes - Pruning Clematis - Pruning Shrubs Into Trees - Prune Your Own Garden Registration
Pruning Fruit Trees
Cut just above a node (bud).
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A collection of apple spurs.
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Cut branches off at the branch ridge.
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Follow the pruning rules mentioned above. It's best to prune fruit trees after the coldest weather has passed, preferably before they blossom. Shorten overly long stems to prevent them from breaking under the weight of ripening fruit. Shorten the remaining branches by a quarter, just above an outward facing bud (node). Remove erect branches that grow straight up, suckers and watersprouts. To produce more apples and pears, cut back side, lateral branches to 2 to 4 nodes. Repeat the same pruning process in the summer.
Pruning Hydrangeas
Remove spindly & dead stems.
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Cut off the old peeling stems.
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Don't cut mopheads back too far.
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Cut mopheads & oakleafs to fat buds.
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Shorten smooth hydrangeas by 1/3rd.
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Prune panicles back by a third.
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Cut oakleaf hydrangeas above fat top buds.
For all hydrangeas, remove all damaged, weak, spindly, crossing and errant stems any time of year. There are two pruning methods depending on the type of hydrangea.
Mopheads (H. macrophylla & oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) form blossoms on current season’s new growth on the end of previous year’s stems. Cut off their dead flowers atop of the stems right above a couple fat buds. Refrain from cutting stems beyond the first few buds as they will not flower.
Smooth (H. arborescens) and panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata) produce blossoms on new wood. Prune as new growth emerges. Shorten remaining stem by 1/3rd just above a couple of buds. Learn more about hydrangeas here and oakleaf hydrangeas. For more on pruning click on Pruning Basics 101, and check out the tools that make pruning easier Pruning Tools.
Mopheads (H. macrophylla & oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) form blossoms on current season’s new growth on the end of previous year’s stems. Cut off their dead flowers atop of the stems right above a couple fat buds. Refrain from cutting stems beyond the first few buds as they will not flower.
Smooth (H. arborescens) and panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata) produce blossoms on new wood. Prune as new growth emerges. Shorten remaining stem by 1/3rd just above a couple of buds. Learn more about hydrangeas here and oakleaf hydrangeas. For more on pruning click on Pruning Basics 101, and check out the tools that make pruning easier Pruning Tools.
Lawn Care For April
Aerate the lawn.
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Get a soil test for sad lawns.
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Raise the mower.
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Repair & lay lawns asap!
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Don't cut it too short.
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Water lawns in the summer!
Give your lawn some love now, and it will reward you with lush green foliage that handles environmental stresses and resists lawn grubs. Aerate the lawn especially if it sits atop hard packed soil prone to puddling and is reluctant to dry out after a downpour. An aerator removes plugs of soil, which stimulates root growth and relieves thatch. Rent an aerator or hire someone to do the job. Leave the cores on the lawn as they add nutrients as they break down.
Refrain from cutting the lawn too short, no shorter than 2", preferably 2.5". Use a ruler to make sure your mower is set at the correct height. Any lower and the roots die back in tandem to the grass height, Water the lawn in the summer. It’s a popular misconception that they are water hogs as they only need an inch a week.Here's more on Lawn Basics - Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod - Lawn Maintenance Schedule - Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Grub Control
Refrain from cutting the lawn too short, no shorter than 2", preferably 2.5". Use a ruler to make sure your mower is set at the correct height. Any lower and the roots die back in tandem to the grass height, Water the lawn in the summer. It’s a popular misconception that they are water hogs as they only need an inch a week.Here's more on Lawn Basics - Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod - Lawn Maintenance Schedule - Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Grub Control
Mossy Lawns
Moss grows in acidic soils.
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Raise the pH with Dolopril lime.
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Liquid moss killer works quickly.
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A mossy lawns means the pH is too low. Moss thrives with a pH of 5.0 to 5.5, however lawn grasses need a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. To rectify use Dolopril or dolomite lime to raise the pH. Avoid quick acting lime as it works quickly but it’s short lived, it’s easy to over apply, which fries the lawn. Use a moss killer, ferrous sulphate, according to directions. After the moss dies, reseed or resod where necessary. Here's more on Mossy Lawns.
Prevent grub infestations.
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A crow hunts for grubs in a mossy lawn.
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Chafer beetle larvae.
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Grubby Lawn? When chinch bugs, chafer beetles, sod webworms and leatherjackets feed on grass roots, crows and other critters dig up the lawn to feed on the juicy morsels. They favour lawns that are mossy, weedy, dried out, half dead, scalped ones that are cut too short. Mow the grass no shorter than 2", preferably 2.5". Not only is the grass healthier with the longer leaf blades, the lawn grub adults can’t reach the ground to lay their eggs. For more info click on Lawn Grub Control.
Do You Hate Your Lawn?
Clover provides many benefits.
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Epimedium loves the shade.
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A meadow garden.
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A pergola covered garden.
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There's no room for a lawn.
When your unhealthy lawn becomes an enigma wrapped in a mystery it’s time for a soil test. Check online for a lab near you. If you have given up on having a nice lawn, that’s okay, there are alternatives. Convert the lawn to a patio or a meadow. Use ground covers or a lawn alternative such as clover. If you don’t want to remove your lawn, use the sheet mulching method to save your back and time. Click on Lawn Alternatives for more.
Purchasing New Plants
Select healthy plants that are suited to your garden.
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Know the sunny and shady areas of your garden.
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A Katsura lily-of-the-valley shrub is a tempting find.
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The seemingly small Katsuras matures to 6' by 6'.
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Avoid ball & burlap plants.
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Plant shopping is part of being a gardener, especially this time of year. Love at first sight is certainly a problem for seasoned and novice gardeners alike. Floral beauties are difficult to resist, that’s why it is essential to read plant labels. It’s an effective way to end the love affair when your realize the plant is not a good fit for your garden.
Assess your garden for the sunny parts and the shady bits. Keep in mind that plants grow up and out. Perennials don’t get grow in height, but they do multiply, taking up more space year after year. Shrubs and trees become taller and wider as they age. Inspect plants before purchasing to make sure they are healthy and well formed. Avoid ball & burlap grown plants as they are more expensive, difficult to plant, and are grown in solid clay, which impedes their establishment into their new home. Keep plant labels or take their pictures and store in your computer for future reference.
Assess your garden for the sunny parts and the shady bits. Keep in mind that plants grow up and out. Perennials don’t get grow in height, but they do multiply, taking up more space year after year. Shrubs and trees become taller and wider as they age. Inspect plants before purchasing to make sure they are healthy and well formed. Avoid ball & burlap grown plants as they are more expensive, difficult to plant, and are grown in solid clay, which impedes their establishment into their new home. Keep plant labels or take their pictures and store in your computer for future reference.
Plant & Transplant
Cut if off burlap as far as possible.
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Tree trunk flares must be above the ground.
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Planted too deeply
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Planted too high & roots not loosened.
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Tightly bound roots killed this tree.
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Planting does not mean shoving plants in the ground and hoping that they will grow. There's a right way and wrong way so follow the rules and turn your brown thumb green. Make the holes in the ground so they are the same depth as the root balls and 3 to 5 times wider. Loosen plant roots with your hand where possible. For stubborn roots, use a bread or drywall knife or an old pruning saw. Add bonemeal, firm the soil, water and add 3 inches of mulch. To help roots grow into their new home, use transplant fertilizer as it also contains beneficial hormones.
Planting depth for trees and shrubs is different. Install trees so their trunk flare, where the trunk joins the roots, sits above the ground. Plant shrubs so the crown, where the stems and roots join, sits level with the soil. Water thoroughly after planting so all the roots and surrounding soil is moistened. For more on planting click on Planting Know How.
Planting depth for trees and shrubs is different. Install trees so their trunk flare, where the trunk joins the roots, sits above the ground. Plant shrubs so the crown, where the stems and roots join, sits level with the soil. Water thoroughly after planting so all the roots and surrounding soil is moistened. For more on planting click on Planting Know How.
What to Plant Outside This Month
It's too early for tomatoes.
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Go ahead & plant lettuce.
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It's too early to plant petunias.
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Plant sweet peas.
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Plant peppers outside next month.
It’s a bit too early to plant tomatoes, petunias, peppers, and impatiens as nighttime lows maybe a tad too low for these warm weather plants. However, it is the perfect times to plant cool season crops, hardy annuals, perennials, shrub, trees, fruits and vines. Avoid planting when and where the soil is a soggy quagmire as it compresses the soil, which turns it into concrete.Wait until May, after the danger of frost has passed, to plant warm season crops & flowers such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants (aubergines), cucumbers, petunias, impatiens and sunflowers. When to plant warm season and frost tender crops outdoors depends on the climate. In coastal southern British Columbia, the beginning of May is safe, however for the rest of Canada, wait until mid-May during the Victoria Day weekend. To know when to plant click on your country: Canada - America - Great Britain & France for the last frost dates.
Dahlias, Tuberous Begonias & Tropical Bulbs
Dahlias in wait for May.
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Protect tuberous begonias from frost.
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Pot up cannas.
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For early blossoms pot up dahlias asap.
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Protect potted tender bulbs on frosty nights.
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Pot up dahlias, tuberous begonias, cannas and other tropical bulbs with fresh soil, a slow release fertilizer and water thoroughly. Place in a frost free area in full sun, if possible, if not place them against the house or in a sheltered location. Watch nighttime temperatures and if it’s frosty, cover with bed sheets, garden fleece or another breathable fabric. Video: Planting Dahlias -
Video: Dividing Dahlias - Video: Planting Tuberous Begonias - Video: Dividing Begonias
Video: Dividing Dahlias - Video: Planting Tuberous Begonias - Video: Dividing Begonias
Sow Some Seeds Indoors & Potting Seedlings
Cucumber seedlings
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Plant marigolds indoors now.
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The lettuce seedling on the left is stunted because it was not potted on.
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Homegrown tomatoes are delish.
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Sow zinnias, sunflowers, nasturtiums, beans, squash, melons, cucumbers and other warm season plants indoors to give them a head start. It also keeps them safe from slugs, snails, wireworms and cutworms. Growing Seeds Indoors - Damping-off a Seedling Killer - Preparing Soil for Seedlings video
Potting On Indoor Seeds
Seeds that were sown indoors or in the greenhouse last month as they will need to be repotted into bigger containers. Tomatoes need potting-on several times before they are ready to plant outside. Replant into pots up to 2 sizes larger to prevent over-watering and over-fertilizing. Alternately, root-bound plants become stunted, weak, thirsty and hungry if the pot is too small. Click here for a transplanting tomato seedling video.
Love tomatoes? There's nothing tastier than homegrown. Here's a few tips I've learned along the way: Tomato Seedling to Plants - Tomato Tips - Potting Tomato Seedlings - Transplanting Tomato Cell Pack Seedlings
Potting On Indoor Seeds
Seeds that were sown indoors or in the greenhouse last month as they will need to be repotted into bigger containers. Tomatoes need potting-on several times before they are ready to plant outside. Replant into pots up to 2 sizes larger to prevent over-watering and over-fertilizing. Alternately, root-bound plants become stunted, weak, thirsty and hungry if the pot is too small. Click here for a transplanting tomato seedling video.
Love tomatoes? There's nothing tastier than homegrown. Here's a few tips I've learned along the way: Tomato Seedling to Plants - Tomato Tips - Potting Tomato Seedlings - Transplanting Tomato Cell Pack Seedlings
Prepare Plants for the Outdoors
Cold damage on tender basil seedlings.
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An anthurium enjoys its summer vacation.
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Harden off angel trumpets (Brugmansia) & other tropicals.
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Hardening off plants that were grown indoors.
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Hardening Off: Plants that have been grown inside, including house plants and tropicals, need to be acclimatized to the outdoors before placing them outside. Without being hardened off they will suffer from tissue damage and might even die. To toughen them up, click on Hardening Off Plants.
Planting Seeds Outdoors (Direct Seeding)
Prepare soil before sowing your seeds.
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Don't sow all the seeds in one go.
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Sow carrots and radish seeds together.
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Carrots seeds need special care,
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Sow seeds directly in the ground when the soil reaches 10°C (50°F). Read the back of seed packets for suitable veggies and flowers as well as the planting instructions. Corn, radishes, nasturtiums and hollyhocks are good examples. Prepare the ground before sowing. Weed and mix in compost, rake the soil level, water well, wait for at least a few days for the ground to settle then go ahead and sow the seeds as directed on their packets. Keep the soil moist as the seeds will not germinate if the soil dries out. Sow carrots when soil is 13-24°C (55°F to 75°F) as they won’t germinate in cool soil. Keep them moist until they germinate, which takes about 3 weeks. Here's more on Direct Seeding.
Success With Veggies
A nice raised bed ensemble with drip irrigation & a trellises.
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Hardware for making raised beds is available.
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Plant wilt from the heat in a metal raised bed.
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Growing food organically is easier than using chemicals.
Situate veggies so they will receive at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. For shadier areas try greens such as lettuce and kale. For hot climates place veggie gardens where they won’t receive baking afternoon sun. Practice companion planting to save space & increase harvest by planting different crops together. Grow fast growing crops after slower ones with successive planting. Prolong harvest times by sowing a quarter of the seeds in the packet, then another quarter 10 days later. Avoid growing the same crop in the same place each year to prevent diseases, insects and nutrient deficiencies with crop rotation.
Grow veggies in raised beds as they are easier to water, weed, fertilize and harvest. Raised beds warm up faster in the spring and provide a solution where soil and drainage are not ideal. There are many raised bed kits and hardware available at hardware stores, garden centres and online. Four foot wide beds are easy to access from both sides with a depth of 18” to 2”, no shorter than 4’ in length. Reduce the width of beds against a wall to 2.5’ to 3’. Avoid metal planters & containers as they get too hot in the sun and too cool at night. Here's more on Growing Food - Spring Veggie Gardening - Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting
Grow veggies in raised beds as they are easier to water, weed, fertilize and harvest. Raised beds warm up faster in the spring and provide a solution where soil and drainage are not ideal. There are many raised bed kits and hardware available at hardware stores, garden centres and online. Four foot wide beds are easy to access from both sides with a depth of 18” to 2”, no shorter than 4’ in length. Reduce the width of beds against a wall to 2.5’ to 3’. Avoid metal planters & containers as they get too hot in the sun and too cool at night. Here's more on Growing Food - Spring Veggie Gardening - Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting
Grow Potatoes
Seed potatoes are sold in bags.
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'Chitting' prepares spuds for planting.
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Plant potatoes in trenches, and don't add lime to the soil.
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Grow potatoes in pots.
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It’s better not to plant grocery store potatoes as seed potatoes are certified as disease free and are raring to grow. You don’t need a garden to grow your own potatoes, just a deep plant pot with drainage holes. To learn more on growing potatoes click on Potatoes.
Good Bugs & Bad Bugs
Leaf minors in a columbine are difficult to control.
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A June beetle. Click on pic for more.
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Aphids devour a dahlia while a ladybug devours the aphids.
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Cabbage caterpillar.
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Butterflies are important pollinators.
Keep slug bait covered.
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Ladybugs larvae also devour aphids.
An artichoke is safe from aphids.
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Copper mesh from Lee Valley Tools.
Cloches protect veggies from insects.
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Save the bees!
The garden needs good and bad bugs as you can’t have one without the other as ladybugs would starve without aphids. When the bad bugs get out of hand, there are numerous strategies to help plants from being devoured without harming the good guys. Cloches & floating row covers protect carrots from carrot rust fly, cabbage worm, leaf minors on chard, spinach & other leafy crops. For more click on Cloches. To caterpillars, spray them with, Bacillus thuringiensis (BT, thuricide. This organic bactericide only kills caterpillars. Don't spray near butterfly gardens and read the instructions before using. To learn more click on Plant Pests 1 & Plant Pests Part 2 - Controlling Insects
Snails & Slugs: These slimy mollusks devour plants and are serious problem in shady gardens. There are numerous methods to control them from hand picking to baits and copper mesh. For more click on Slugs & Snails.
Snails & Slugs: These slimy mollusks devour plants and are serious problem in shady gardens. There are numerous methods to control them from hand picking to baits and copper mesh. For more click on Slugs & Snails.
Take Cuttings
Select stems that bend.
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Potting a rooted rose cutting.
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Heel cuttings work well.
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Take herbaceous cuttings from geraniums.
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Make clones of your favorite plants by taking softwood/semi-hardwood cuttings. Cut off 6 to 8 inch long stems that have at least 3 nodes (buds) from roses, hydrangeas, magnolias, maple trees and other woody plants. Take herbaceous cuttings from geraniums, coleus, fuchsias and from new and overwintered annuals. To learn more, click on Taking Cuttings.
Spring Flowering Bulbs
Plant bulbs in pots.
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To ensure flowers next year, don't remove their green leaves.
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Remove bulb seed heads.
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Pinch off the dead blossoms from tulips and daffodils so they don't set seed. Once tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs have finished flowering wait for their foliage to yellow before cutting them off. Another option is to dig them up after they finish flowering and their leaves are still green. Be extra careful not to break the leaves from the bulb. Plant the dug up bulbs into a container or in another part of the garden and water well. For click on Spring Flowering Bulbs
Planters & Hanging Baskets
Plant up planters now.
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Container grown veggies on the balcony.
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To reduce watering line moss baskets.
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Get a head start by planting them now so they will be ready to display in May. It’s still a bit too cool for petunias and other tender annuals, so keep the finished planters in protected, frost free areas. If frost is predicted, cover the planters with a frost blanket or bed sheet. When planting containers, don’t put rocks in the bottom of pots as it HINDERS drainage. If it did work, garden centres and plant nurseries would use rocks – but they don’t. Drainage is critical so don’t cover the drainage holes either. Need more convincing? Click on Rocks in Pots. Since water runs through moss baskets, add a plastic drainage tray inside at the bottom of the basket to act as a reservoir. To learn more about container gardening click on Growing in Containers, Types of Containers
Let There Be Roses
Easy care rose Sweet Kordatura
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Give your roses love this spring. Honor hybrid tea rose pictured with English lavender.
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Meidiland roses are low maintenance.
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Roses need pruning and feeding in spring, however, if they have already leafed out, go easy on the pruning. No matter what time of year it is, roses benefit when all the dead, diseased, weak, spindly, damaged canes and suckers have been removed. Cut off stems growing towards plants centre. Cut back all remaining canes by ¼ just above a bud (node) that faces away from the plant. After pruning, mix in compost, SeaSoil, kelp or an organic food around the plant’s perimeter and water well. For more on roses click on the following articles: Roses 101, Pruning Roses, Types of Roses, Easy Roses, Climbing Roses, Portland's Rose Test Garden, Rose Insects & Diseases, Rose Bloom Balling, Rose Sawfly For rose pruning videos click on the following: Pruning a Climbing Rose in Spring, Pruning a Shrub Rose in Spring, The Worst Thing to Find When Pruning a Rose, Golden Olymp Climbing Rose
Feeding Plants
Now is the time to use your compost.
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Healthy soil contain worms.
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Fish fertilizer provides organic nitrogen.
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Mulch is essential.
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Recycled wood pallets mulch.
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Natural, organic food doesn’t hurt earthworms, microorganisms, beneficial fungi and essentials for a healthy soil, but Miracle Grow and other chemical fertilizers do. Compost is an excellent source of nutrients and essential organic matter. Others include SeaSoil, triple mix, well-rotted manure kelp, fish and Gaia organic products. Add a 3-inch layer of an organic mulch on top of the soil and around plants. As it breaks down, it converts into plant food. To learn more click on Fertilizing & Feeding Plants - Organic Plant Food - Fertilizers & Ratios
Kill the Weeds
Pull up ground elder- don't dig.
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Landscape fabric doesn't work.
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Roundup causes more harm than good
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Organic fatty acid organic herbicide.
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Pull up horsetails, don't dig them up.
If hand weeding is not an option, select widely available organic herbicides such as fatty acid, horticultural grade vinegar or make your own. In a spray bottle, mix 4 parts 11% white vinegar, 1 part Epsom salts, and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Protect nearby plants with a piece of cardboard or an upside down plant pot. Reapply every 7 days. Don’t spray on windy days, when the leaves are wet and when rain is forecast. Please don’t use Roundup (glyphosate) as it is linked to numerous cancers and health issues. If you want more information on the research, click on RoundUp . To remove horsetail and bindweed don’t dig them up, just pull. For more info click here. To prevent weeds after weeding, apply 3 inches of organic mulch on top of the soil. DO NOT use landscape fabric or plastic as both are detrimental to the soil, the plants and the environment. Neither work to stop the weeds as they soon grow on top of the fabric or plastic. Just lay a thick layer of mulch on top of the soil and around the plants.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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