What to do in the garden in April

A lot of rain arrives – April showers – yesterday I cleared a small area for turf, and all night it rained, before the new turf has been laid.

Weeds are on the march in April. So get busy.

Mulching is a good idea, lay mulch between plants, after removing weeds and detritus. This will improve the soil structure and retain moisture, and keep the ground neat looking.

Vegetables

Sow fast growing seeds like broad beans, peas, radishes, etc in intervals to get useful crops.

Later developing plants such as cauliflower can be started off in seed beds for later planting out.

Do not plant too closely together. This saves thinning later.

Tip: plant carrots next to onions to deter carrot fly (a pest).

Fruit

Apples, plums, pears and cherries will either have flowered or be in flower. The plum in our Garden starts flowering in January, and it gets earlier each year.

Rhubarb (also known as a vegetable as it derives from a Chinese veg variety): cut off any flowering stalks as they weaken the plant.

Greenhouse

Clean the glass and open windows on hot days, don’t forget to shut them in the evening – perhaps use a timer alarm on your phone or in the kitchen.

Tomatoes can be sown in the ground or grow-bags, if not done already.

Trees and shrubs

Prune shrubs to encourage new growth. Feed the plants with fertiliser (organic if possible) and water.

Mulch rose and shrub beds.

Wildlife

Bats are out of hibernation, why not set up a bat box on a south facing wall? The bats will eat insects on your garden.

Birds might still be after food, although more insects are now out and about. Avoid nuts as they can choke young birds.