April is a good time to plant trees, shrubs and grass.  Plant when the earth is warm enough to dig and Mother Nature helps with watering!

LAWN

• Take advantage of rebates for your annual lawn fertilizer program such as Scott’s LawnPro 4-step or Greenview’s 4-step program. Begin applying your Crabgrass Control plus Lawn Food (Step 1) when the forsythias are in bloom.

TREES & SHRUBS

• Apply Espoma’s Soil Acidifier to Hydrangeas as directed to ensure sky blue color on blue varieties and Espoma’s Garden Lime for pink varieties.
• Plant trees, shrubs and vines once the soil can be worked.  Remember, soil that sticks to the spade is too wet to work.
• Apply Espoma’s Hollytone to evergreens, flowering trees & shrubs.
• As soil warms, pull back mulch from roses.

GARDEN

• Apply a side dressing of Espoma’s Bulb-tone or Bone Meal to spring flowering bulbs to promote bigger blooms and to keep the bulb healthy.
• Many plants prefer to grow in cool weather and can be started well before the last frost:
  • Vegetables: Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Lettuce and Onions
  • Flowers: Bachelor Buttons, Love-in-a-Mist, Calendula, Poppy, Rocket Larkspur, Phlox
• Plant cool weather flowers such as Pansies & Violas.
• Divide overcrowded perennials that didn’t get divided last fall.
• Pull back or stir up old mulch to allow air and moisture to circulate, then top dress with a fresh layer of mulch.
• Clean rust from and sharpen your garden tools; inspect for damage.
• Introduce new organic material such as Sweet Peet or Composted Manure to the soil for improved drainage and as a natural fertilizer.
• Apply Preen as directed to your flower beds to help prevent unwanted weeds.

INDOOR

• Repot houseplants as needed now that the days are getting longer, and begin fertilizing.

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