April Landscape, Lawn & Garden Tips - Zone 8
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HOORAY FOR SPRING! It's April and here in the South this means the up and down weather of March is usually gone by now and warmer temperatures have set in. This means it's time to plant...anything and everything. Warm season lawns are greening up and begging for food. Most early pruning has been done by now, except for spring flowering shrubs which should be pruned after flowers have faded. Weeds could be a problem this month if you forgot to put down weed preventers in February or March.
Fertilization & Feeding Tips
Fertilize warm season lawn's during April. - If you have a Bermuda, Centipede, St. Augustine or Zoysia lawn and new growth is emerging it's time to feed it. If there is moss growing in the lawn use a moss-killer to kill it. If there is heavy thatch build up, April is also a good time to thatch and aerate before fertilizing. Thatch buildup can smother your lawn and provide an environment for diseases. Remove thatch with a brisk raking, or with a de-thatching machine. Aerating the lawn will allow water to penetrate deeper into the lawn soil and reduce the need for watering during the coming summer months. Use a garden fork or aerating machine to punch holes and/or pull plugs over the surface of your lawn. Consult with your local nursery and garden center professional as to what type of fertilizer is best for your type of lawn. If you apply a weed & feed type fertilizer, make sure you get the right type. Centipede and St. Augustine lawns require a specialty weed and feed that contains Atrazine weed killer. If you are planning on overseeding your Centipede lawn within the next 8 weeks, do not use a weed and feed fertilizer. Click on your grass type for fertilization instructions: Bermuda / Centipede / St. Augustine / Zoysia
Click here to see the D-I-Y Lawn Care Programs provided by our nursery: Wilson Bros. NurseryFertilize fescue lawns in the mid to latter part of April. April is a good time for the second application of fertilizer for the year on fescue lawns. Don't wait until May because the hot weather usually rolls in at this time. Fescue grass is a cool season grass that for the most part goes dormant in hotter weather, meaning it won't respond well to fertilization during the hotter months of summer. SEE: How To Fertilize A Fescue Lawn
If necessary, broadcast lime over Fescue, Bermuda, and Zoysia lawns. Lime is not a fertilizer, however, you may notice after applying it that your lawn greens up quickly. This is due to the correction of the pH, which can unlock plants roots to absorb previously applied fertilizers. If you've never applied lime to your lawn, a one-time application of 40 lbs pellitized lime per 500-1,000 sq. ft. or 1 bag of Green 'N Grow Lime lime per 5,000 sq. ft. usually corrects soil pH to a level sufficient for these grasses to thrive. Soil pH testing kits available at most local nursery and garden centers. Your local cooperative extension service may also provide soil testing services. Typically, the more clay and organic content in your soil, the more lime you will need to correct the pH. Sandy soils usually require less lime, if any.
Fertilize perennial plants that are emerging from dormancy - Use a flower food to fertilizer perennials that are just now starting to pop up after winter. Follow instructions for application rates and methods on package label.
SEE: How To Fertilize PerennialsFertilize roses if you haven't done so within the last six weeks - Fertilize roses every 6 weeks or so or as directed on product label with a well-balanced rose fertilizer, preferably one containing a systemic insecticide. Alternatively you may feed your roses with a natural or organic plant food.
SEE: How To Fertilize RosesFertilize any spring flowering shrubs that have finished blooming - Fertilize Forsythia, Flowering Quince, Azaleas and other spring flowering shrubs that have finished blooming with a well-balanced shrub and tree type fertilizer or organic plant food as instructed on the product label.
