April Gardening Tips
April is often one of the nicest months of the year in Texas. It’s a great time to get outside and get your hands dirty. So what should you be doing in the garden this month?
Soil
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to boost our soil with compost. Adding it to your ornamental and vegetable beds will boost microbial activity, provide nutrients, and improve drainage. If you have heavy clay soil, expanded shale can help aerate and loosen your soil.
Plant
There’s not much you can’t plant in April. It’s a great month to plant many vegetable transplants and seeds into the garden. It’s also prime time for planting blooming color, perennials, and summer flowering bulbs. Take care when planting trees and shrubs this month; they’ll need extra water to make it through our tough Texas summers.
Lawns
April is the month when you’ll put down your first lawn fertilization. Use a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer and be sure to follow label instructions. New lawns, via sod or seed, can be established this month. Be sure to adhere to local water restrictions when establishing them.
Mulch
Mulch all landscape and vegetable garden beds in advance of the onset of summer heat. Mulch can help you save significant amounts of water in your landscape and keep you from losing new plantings.
Water
Water all plantings wisely; be aware of your local watering restrictions. Have your irrigation system audited to check for leaks, runoff, and pressure problems.
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