10 Tips for the April Gardener

Ten Tips for the April Gardener:

1. Continue to apply horticultural oil sprays to control insect pests on fruit trees if temperature is over 40°F.

2. Sow peas, carrots, radishes, lettuces, and spinach. Plant seedlings of cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli, weather permitting.

3. For an instant spring show, fill containers with forced spring bulbs from supermarkets and garden centers.

4. Prune back bedraggled looking ground covers and fertilize lightly after April 15.

5. Check fruit trees for tent caterpillars; they emerge around the same time as leaves sprout. Blast nests with a strong spray of water to destroy them.

6. Remove any remaining last year’s leaves from roses and spread a thin layer of new mulch underneath them to control diseases that may have over-wintered.

7. Divide overcrowded summer or fall blooming perennials. Check for insects such as the iris borer and discard any pest or disease ridden plants.

8. Place seedlings in cold frames around April 25 or later to harden off before transplanting.

9. Prune ornamental grasses and sedums to a height between 6 and 12 inches before new growth starts.

10. Sow cool-weather edible greens and lettuces in window boxes or shallow containers that can be brought inside if temperatures dip below freezing.

For more information please contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at ladybug@uconn.edu.