April Garden Checklist
Annuals: Check to see if any annuals need staking. Add mulch if your mulch layer is too thin to hold in water, but never more than 2-3 inches. To prevent stem rot, make sure the mulch is kept a few inches back from the base of the annuals. Annuals to plant now include celosia, coleus, coreopsis, crossandras, dusty miller, exacums, gaillardias, gazanias, geraniums, hollyhocks, impatiens kalanchoe, lobelia, Marguerite daisies, marigolds, nicotianas, ornamental peppers, pentas, phlox, portulaca( moss rose), rudbeckias, salvia, streptocarpus, sweet William, thunbergia alata, torenia, verbenas, periwinkles, and zinnias.
Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, caraway,cardamom,chervil, chives, coriander, culantro, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, horehound, lemon balm, lavender, marjoram, mexican tarragon, mint, nasturtium, parsley, oregano, rosemary, sage, sesame, and thyme can be planted now.
Lawns: Wait to water when the leaves curl and turn gray-green. Water during early morning hours. Stop feeding during the very dry times. Keep your lawn mower height at the highest setting for your grass type. Recycle grass clippings by not catching them when the lawn is mowed. Removing the clippings carries off fertilizer that has been applied to the lawn. Grass clippings don't cause thatch to build up if only the top third of grass is removed when mowing. Almost all yard trash can be used as mulch or in a compost pile. Sand may be applied to uneven areas of a lawn for leveling. It should not be more than 1 inch thick or it may damage the lawn. Repair dead or damaged spots with sod, plugs, or seedlings.
Perennials: This is a good time to do a little grooming to reshape perennials. If limbs with blooms are lanky or out of place, prune hard to correct the growth problems. Divide overcrowded fall flowering perennials and bulbs.Begin watching roses for black spot fungus disease, small black spots on the leaves that quickly worsen. Control it by spraying every seven to 10 days with a fungicide. Bulbs to be planted now include achimenes, agapanthus, amaryllis, Asiatic lilies, begonias, blood lily, caladiums, canna, crinum, dahlia, gladiolus, gloriosa lily and zephyranthes.
Trees:Most older trees and palms are fine and can exist with the seasonal rains. Look for aphid, borer, and scale infestations. Caterpillars may be extra heavy this month.
Vegetables:This month you can plant snap beans, pole beans, lima beans, cantaloupe, collards, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, kohlrabi, okra, Southern peas, pumpkin, peppers, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon, and yams
