Monthly Tips
April
Start
Finish indoor sowing of tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, herbs, cabbage, cauliflower, Okra, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Peas can be planted but be sure to use pea inoculants to promote growth.
Plant
Grass seed can be planted now. As the ground temperature warms, the seed will germinate. Use a starter fertilizer that includes a crabgrass inhibitor that does not affect grass seed germination (contains Ciduron or Tupersan).
Lime
Lime heavily where broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are to be planted.
Remove
Winter mulches can be removed from flower beds and strawberry patches. But remove straw slowly over several weeks. When leafy buds begin to expand, remove mulch from the base of rose bushes. Rake old foliage away from Iris beds to avoid the Iris borer which winters in the old foliage.
Dig
Perennials can still be dug and divided before new growth advances too far.
Mow
Usually grass grows quickly and is heavy with moisture at this time. It can be cut lower and bagged for best results. If you prefer to mulch the grass, be sure you mow often so that the cuttings are not thick, choking the growing lawn.
Prepare
It’s time to turn over (rototill) your garden 6 to 8 inches deep and amend the soil with good organic compost. There are many ways to obtain compost but be sure you know what it came from! Home made or bagged “organic” composts assure the best results.
Prune
Roses can be pruned when you see the Forsythia in flower.
Apply
Spray fungicidal sulfur to the emerging leaves of hollyhock and continue at 7-10 day intervals to prevent rust. Apply a small amount of low nitrogen fertilizer around peonies. Spray horticultural oil on trees and shrubs that had aphids, scale or spider mites last year or as a preventative.
Aerate
If you have had a lot of compaction on your lawn from construction, children at play or other causes now is the time to rent an aerator and get the oxygen back in the soil. Aeration is a good idea every few years especially if it gets a lot of traffic in the wet spring.
Thatch
Before the grass grows too much you should de-thatch the lawn of unwanted growth blocking dead grass called thatch. Usually this done every 3 years or so, depending upon the build up.
Needham Garden Center
We stock fertilizers, organic and chemical, digging and edging tools, rototillers, dethatchers and aerators to buy or rent, lawn mowers and tractors and horticultural sprayers. Most importantly we will help you make the right choice of product and teach you its proper use.