What to do in your garden during April

Follow the tips beneath as a basic maintenance guide for your garden this April.

Plant & Sow

Annuals

Sow all summer flowering annuals:

Sow these winter flowering annuals:

Perennials

Iceberg roses – a constant bloomer and vigorous grower. Icebergs are ideal for mass plantings or containers. Gardenias – known as one of the most fragrant shade-loving plants. They have attractive evergreen glossy foliage that grows into a neat round bush. These beautiful plants love growing in well-drained, acid soil.

Vegetables

Sow vegetables like:

Beetroot; Broccoli; Brussels sprouts; Cabbage; Carrot; Cauliflower; 

Celery; Leek; Lettuce; Onion; Parsley; 

Parsnip; Radish; Runner bean; Spinach; Turnip

Garden Maintenance

Fertilize

• Fertilize fruit trees like apples, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums and quinces.
• Fertilise annuals and bedding plants with a liquid fertilizer every 14 days.

General garden maintenance

• Mow the lawn if necessary.
• Water plants properly, giving them a thorough soaking every three or four days to encourage deep root development. Mulch well with organic
  material.
• Spray apples, pears and quinces against codling moth; and apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums against fruit fly. Spray grapes for mildew where necessary.
• Deadhead roses regularly and water two or three times weekly.
• Mulch the garden beds.
• Remember to deadhead annuals and bedding plants regularly and feed every 2 weeks or so with diluted liquid fertilizer.
• Continue to remove weeds from lawns and pavings.
• Lift and divide spring-flowering irises.
• Keep all perennials well watered and feed with all Purpose Fertilizer.
• Water plants originally from summer rainfall regions well. Remember to water the garden early in the morning and preferably on wind-free days.
• Feed flowering shrubs once a month.
• Feed your hydrangeas.

For April maintenance tips on watering, pruning, pests and disease, fertilizing and much more visit our countrywide maintenance guide.