Maintaining Your Landscape - April

-Remove any remaining coverings, such as burlap, from your plants

-Divide perennials that may be getting too large, such as ornamental grasses

-Prepare your soil by getting a soil test

-Apply crabgrass preventer to established lawns

-Apply Preen to reduce weeds later in the season and consider adding a fresh layer of mulch

-Seed lawns and bare spots to reduce erosion

-Prevent grub damage in your lawn by applying a season-long grub control (such as Scott's GrubEx)

-Fertilize your plants with a slow release plant food, such as Plant Tone or Osmocote, to get their season off to a great start

-Prune spring flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, after they finish flowering

-Prune hedges before new growth starts

-Plant pansies once the nights are above 32°F

-Plant summer flowering bulbs, such as lilies, dahlias, and cannas

-Sow seeds or plant cold crops directly into your garden, including broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower, beets, brussel sprouts, and much more

-Start seeds for summer fruits and flowers indoors, such as tomatoes, peppers, squash, and watermelon 

-Make repairs to birdhouses and feeders

-Aerate or rake your lawn to encourage thicker growth

-Always read the labels on lawn chemicals; many are only effective at certain temperatures

Get Ready for May

March   May   June   July   August   September   October   November