Gardening jobs for April

April is a brilliant month for us gardeners... tulips and daffodils are flourishing and there is new growth each and every day. However, it is also a month which can have some devastation if not careful... FROST! Please, please, please do not plant out any tender plants until after the last risk of frost has passed- this is usually in May. 

But whilst we wait for the risk of frosts to pass we can certainly keep busy in the garden!

- Sow flower seeds (see 'Flower seeds to sow in April' blog post)

- Now the weather is warmer we can direct sow some flower seeds. Do this on a nice warm day.

- Protect new shoots of perennials such as Hostas, Delphiniums or Lupins from slugs and snails. (I recommend Wool pellets)

- Continue deadheading spring bulbs and bedding plants so they dont waste energy setting seed. By deadheading the bulbs, the energy will go back into the bulbs for n extra special display next year. If you have bulbs planted in grass, don't be tempted to mow the grass until the bulbs die back

-Plant out Sweet peas into their final position. Ensure you prepare the ground well and ensure you 'harden off' your Sweet peas for 10 days before you plant out.

- Prune hydrangeas, cutting back the old stems back to a healthy bud lower down

- Now is a good time to divide and move perennials before the hot weather. Dig a large area around the roots and break into smaller plants Ensure you give them a good water once you've planted them.

- Check roses for aphids and rub them off before any infestations

- If you have a garden pond, now is a good time to add aquatic plants such as water lilies

Don't forget to take time to enjoy your garden!

You can look at when your average ast frost dates are here: https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-united-kingdom-last-frost-date-map.php