Local Answer April 2023

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In The Garden

A fter a wet spell, mulch around camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas to help conserve moisture to ensure good flowering next year.

Tie in new shoots on clematis, jasmine and climbing and rambling roses. Rose shoots should be kept as level as possible to promote growth of side shoots.

Sow sweet pea seeds outside or plant out those you have grown over winter. Put the climbing structure, either a wigwam or frame with netting, in place. Put two seeds or plants to each cane.

If you have a light soil you can start making sowings of hardy annuals. Sow into straight seed drills as this makes it easier to take out any weeds that will grow. Once the flowers are in bloom you will not be able to see the rows. Put in supports for perennials to grow through before they become too large. Use frames sold for this purpose and once the plants mature they will be hidden by the foliage. The more tender plants that had their stems left on to protect the crowns such as fuchsias and penstemons can now be pruned taking care not to cut out any new growth. Keep dead heading daffodils and tulips taking off only the flower and seed head. Buy seedlings and plug plants ready to grow on for your hanging baskets and containers. On warm days open the vents and doors of your greenhouse and damp down the floor. Start to feed fish in the ornamental pond. This is the best month to apply weed killer or moss killer to your lawn.

Apply a spring fertilizer to help green up your lawn after the winter. Mow the grass as necessary but don’t put the clippings on the compost after applying weed killer.