April Landscape, Lawn & Garden Tips - Zone 8

HOORAY FOR SPRING! It's April and 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.

Here's some timely tips and reminders for April:

• 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 and punch holes over the surface of your lawn or an aerating machine. 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

• Begin planting annual bedding plants in flowerbeds and containers. If weather forecasters say there will be no more frost, you can begin planting annual flowers. Don't forget to check your newly planted annuals to see if they need water. Be careful not to overwater them as this can lead to disease. Click on a link below to find planting instructions and plant recommendations: Planting An Annual Flower Bed / Planting Annual Flowers In Containers

• Plant warm season vegetables in the garden. It's time you can begin planting warmer weather crops like tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers. Wait to plant peppers until the middle or end of April; when low temperatures are consistently 55 F or above. If you have not yet refurbished the soil in your vegetable garden, till or turn in a 1 to 2 inch layer of organic matter or compost before planting. If you do not make your own compost you can use mushroom compost, composted cow manure or some other form of organic matter. If you are planting a new vegetable garden see: Getting Started Growing A Vegetable Garden or How To Grow Vegetables In Containers

• April is a great time for planting perennial plants. Hundreds of varieties of perennial plants begin to arrive at nursery and garden centers in Zone 8 during April. Perennial plants are those that come back year after year and can be planted in garden beds or containers to add vibrant splashes of color in just about any situation in your landscape. There are perennials that will grow in sun and others that grow in shade. Some grow in dry soil while others prefer moist soil. Many flowering perennials are great for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds, or for cutting to bring fresh flowers indoors. Whatever the situation or need, there is a perennial plant that fits the bill. Click here for perennial plant planting instructions and tips

• Fertilize 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 and releases fertilzers that have been applied in the past. If you have never applied lime to your lawn, a one-time application of 40 lbs standard pellitized lime per 500-1,000 square feet usually corrects soil pH to a level sufficient for these grasses to thrive and for fertilizers applied to activate. There is a new, specially formulated pelletized lime on the market that spread 5 times further than standard pelletized lime. See: Green 'N Grow Lime. Check with your local nursery and garden center to see if they stock it. Make sure to use "pellitized" lime as it activates instantly. To test your soil, there are 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.