April Gardening: Your Monthly Garden Guide
Now there's a definite chill in the air along with crisp nights and foggy mornings. While the soil isn't too cold yet, autumn is the time to prepare and plant for winter crops.
As the month progresses, the first tinges of autumn colour will be seen on deciduous trees – leaves of brilliant reds, oranges and golds will gradually fade and drop, carpeting the ground and swirling in the wind. Autumn is a time of transition. Summer’s bountiful harvest is over but the cool season’s flowers, fruits and vegetables are yet to develop.
What to grow in April and other April gardening tips
There’s still enough warmth in the soil in the first couple of weeks of this month at least to get plants into the ground and established before cold weather sets in. See what’s looking good at your local garden centre or plant supplier.
There’s no shortage of options for growing in April. So, whether it’s getting some winter-hardy seedlings in the ground or planting some new fruit trees, you can roll up your sleeves for a busy month in the garden.
Vegetables
What vegetables to plant in April
Planting seedlings of winter veggies can continue this month. Your crops will get a good start before colder weather slows down growth.
The following vegetables can all be planted in April:
Bok choi, Beetroot, Brussels sprout, Broccoli, Carrot, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Coriander, Celery, Leek, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Mesclun, Radish, Parsley, Rocket, Rhubarb, Silverbeet, Spring onions, Spinach.
Growing vegetables in April
- Keep new plantings growing strongly with applications of fertiliser for vegetables and herbs.
- Water deeply at least once a week if the weather is dry – add a wetting agent to ensure moisture penetrates deep into the soil.
- Hand pull or hoe out weeds as they appear – they compete for nutrients and moisture and may also harbour pests that could attack your crops.
- Watch for the caterpillars of the White Cabbage Butterfly on cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other brassicas. Pyrethrum will assist or try a cabbage dust.
- Newly planted seedlings may be targeted by snails and slugs. Protect them with Scotts Quash Slug & Snail Killer.
What vegetables to harvest in April
There may not be a lot to harvest from the veggie patch now, although some new plantings of salad greens may be almost ready.
- The last of the pumpkins may still be clinging to their vines and there may still be some green tomatoes on late fruiting varieties. These should all be picked now and the plants removed. The tomatoes won’t ripen this late in the season, so turn them into pickles.
- Lettuce, rocket, silver beet, spinach and rhubarb planted last month may have some tender young leaves ready to pick later in April.
Fruit
April can be a busy time in the garden when it comes to vegetables, but what fruit can you plant in April? The answer is generally evergreen fruit trees. There’s also plenty to harvest this month, so make sure you brush up on your fruity dessert recipes.
What fruit to plant in April
Evergreen fruiting plants such as passionfruit vines and citrus may still be put in while the soil is still warm. It’s still too early for and new bare-root fruit trees. They are best planted in mid to late winter.
Any of the following fruit can be planted in April:
Blueberry, Feijoa, Lemon, Orange, Mandarin, Lime.
Growing fruit in April
- Continue checking for fallen and/or diseased fruits. Good garden hygiene helps prevent disease and pest carry-over to the next growing season. Dispose of them in the household rubbish – do not put them in the compost bin!
- Raspberries can be cut back to ground level, and you can tie the new canes that have grown this year into supports, ready to produce fruit next year.
- You can also cut back the leaves from your strawberry plants and, if you mulched them with straw earlier in the year, you can now remove it to improve ventilation around the plants.
- Similarly, you can lift and divide your rhubarb plants to improve ventilation and to stop them from overcrowding each other. Use a spade to split the clumps up and replant the pieces, making sure each has a healthy bud or ‘eye’ that will produce shoots next year.
What fruit to harvest in April
There may still be some crops of late season fruits maturing. These include:
Apples, Pears, Raspberries, Mandarins, Selected oranges, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Quinces, Passionfruit, Chilean guava.
Flower and Bulbs
What flowers and bulbs to plant in April
- Daffodils, jonquils, ranunculus, anemones, freesias, hyacinths, muscari and others should all be in the ground by ANZAC Day (April 25).
- Tulip bulbs that have been in the fridge for a few weeks can be planted from the last week of the month.
- In cool and temperate areas it’s a bit late to sow seeds of flowering annuals now but there’s still time to plant out seedlings of pansies, violas, bellis, calendulas, cinerarias, cornflowers, honesty, hollyhocks, Iceland poppies, nemesias, polyanthus and primulas.
- In warm temperate to tropical areas marigolds, impatiens, delphiniums will all do well.
Dianthus, Daisy, Cyclamen, Delphinium, Poppy, Pansy and viola, Sweet pea, Forget-me-not, Hyacinth, Daffodil, Calendula, Tulip, Alyssum, Sweet William , Wildflowers, Cineraria, Snapdragon, Primula, Polyanthus, Flowering kale, Bellis, Lobelia.
Perennials such as hostas, hellebores, dianthus, pin cushion (scabiosa) and gaura can also be planted in April.
Growing flowers in April
- Check the ties on dahlias and chrysanthemums to ensure they are not cutting into stems.
- Carefully lift gladioli corms, let them air dry for a few days, then spread in a single layer in a tray. Store in a cool, dry place until next planting time.
April lawn care
Autumn is the perfect time to sow a lawn or carry out lawn care. New lawns may be started from seed or turf rolls. A reminder of the autumn lawn maintenance program we recommend:
- De-thatch with a garden rake to remove build-up of dead grass, especially in buffalo, kikuyu and couch lawns.
- Aerate the lawn with a garden fork or hire a coring machine suitable for home gardens.
- Top dress with Scotts Lawn Builder Lawn Soil.
- Sow Scotts Lawn Builder Superstrike Lawn Seed and rake into the soil.
- Water entire lawn area, if permitted, to settle topdress mix.
- Fertilise with Scotts Lawn Builder All Lawn Types Slow Release Lawn Food or the Lawn Builder Extreme Green hose-on.
- Worn and bare areas may be patched with instant turf.
