Garden Tasks for April Harvest
April is a delightful month for gardeners, as the soil starts to warm and life begins to bloom. Here are some tips to help you make the most of this season.
Preparing Your Garden
A bee hotel can be a simple addition to your garden, providing a home for solitary bees. You can create one by filling a wooden bird box with dry hollow canes, logs with holes drilled in the ends, or even purchasing a specifically designed bee hotel [1].
April is also the perfect time to plant, sow, and get new edible plants acclimated to the outdoors. Short areas of grass are valuable ground nesting sites for solitary bees such as the tawny mining bee, so consider leaving some patches untouched [2].
Growing Vegetables
Starting vegetables from seed in April can save money compared to buying pots and trays of young veg plants. Leeks can be grown from seed, and doing so provides a wider choice of varieties and the possibility of spare plants to share or give as gifts. Leek seedlings should be planted out at the end of May, when they are about 20cm tall, in 15cm deep holes, spaced 15cm apart [3].
Onions can still be planted in April, and onion sets should be firm and not rotting. Peas can be supported with twiggy branches or pea netting, while potatoes can be planted in trenches or containers [4].
Supporting Climbers
Recommended techniques for supporting climbing crops in a vegetable garden include using sturdy stakes, poles, bamboo canes, trellises, netting, and frames like wigwams or A-frames. For example, beans do well climbing tall poles, teepees, or string trellises, peas prefer netting or wire mesh to cling to, cucumbers need strong lattice or A-frame supports because of their weighty fruits, and tomatoes benefit from cages, stakes, or panels to hold their branches upright [1][2][3].
Specifically, use sturdy stakes or bamboo canes pushed into the ground next to plants as vertical supports. For heavier plants like squashes and melons, thicker poles provide better stability [1]. Create support structures by connecting poles horizontally or arranging them in a wigwam (tepee) shape, which works well for peas and beans [1][3]. Employ mesh fences or netting, which allow plants like cucumbers and peas to climb easily and provide good sun exposure on both sides [2][3]. For vining vegetables without tendrils, such as some zucchini types, secure the vines gently to the supports with soft ties or garden twine [2][3].
Maintenance
Maintenance is important: gently tie vines to the support, prune excess growth to improve airflow, and regularly check that supports remain secure especially after storms or rapid growth periods [3].
Weeding and Watering
Weeding in April helps prevent a buildup of weeds in May and June, and gives bigger yields. Watering in the morning is recommended to avoid attracting slugs at night. Hoeing every couple of days in April and uprooting quick-spreading perennials such as creeping thistle and bindweed is recommended [5].
Hardening Off Tender Plants
Towards the end of April, tender veg such as tomatoes, chillies, courgettes, and tender beans should be hardened off by leaving them outside during the day [6].
Sources:
[1] RHS (2021) Growing Vertical Vegetables: A Guide to Supporting Climbing Crops. [Online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=467
[2] Gardening Know How (2021) How to Grow Peas in Containers. [Online] Available at: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/peas/growing-peas-in-containers.htm
[3] The Spruce (2021) How to Support Climbing Vegetables in Your Garden. [Online] Available at: https://www.thespruce.com/supporting-climbing-vegetables-3122801
[4] The Veg Patch (2021) How to Grow Climbing Beans. [Online] Available at: https://www.thevegpatch.co.uk/growing-climbing-beans/
[5] The Guardian (2021) April Gardening: Tips for Weeding, Watering, and Pest Control. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2021/apr/01/april-gardening-tips-weeding-watering-and-pest-control
[6] BBC Gardeners' World (2021) Hardening Off Tender Plants. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/howto/hardeningofftenderplants
Here are two sentences that follow from the given text and contain the words 'lifestyle' and 'home-and-garden':
- Cultivating a home-and-garden, particularly in April, can greatly enhance a person's lifestyle, allowing them to enjoy fresh vegetables, the beauty of blooming flowers, and even attracting beneficial insects like bees.
- Nurturing a home-and-garden can be an enriching part of a lifestyle, offering a rewarding hobby, a source of fresh produce, and a breath of fresh air in one's daily routine.
