April is here! We’re cruising right into a beautiful Spring – there’s lots to do to make the most of all this sunshine and new growth! Here’s our list to get done this month.
Check out our April Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!
1. Feed Your Lawn and Plants
Fertilizing/feeding your plants this month is a must. This includes lawns, trees, and most plants. Everything is actively growing, which means they’ll need more food to continue looking their best. For lawns we love organic Medina Growin’ Green or our Gill Lawn and Garden Food. Growin’ Green is great for shrubs and trees too. For blooming perennials and annual flowers, we really like organic Plant Tone by Espoma and Medina Hasta Gro liquid.
2. Anchor Your Landscape with Trees and Shrubs
Trees and shrubs are like the bones of your landscape. They provide structure for you to embellish with all sorts of other textures and color. You can plant most trees year-round, but these favs will greatly benefit by planting now: Citrus, Crape Myrtles, Mountain Laurels, Wild Olive, and Bottlebrush. Classic shrubs like Boxwoods, Ligustrum, Viburnum, Pineapple Guava, Eleagnus, and Texas Sage are all great to plant right now too. Planting now gives them time to start growing and you more time to enjoy.
3. Attract Helpful Guests
Add some blooming perennials to attract pollinators like butterflies, bees, and birds to your garden. You’ll enjoy watching them work and they’ll help you have more blooms and better production on your veggies! Think all kinds of Salvias, Butterfly Weed, Lantana, and Mist Flower for butterflies, anything that blooms for bees, and natives like Turk’s Cap that produce a fruit or berry for birds.
4. Plant Your Warm Weather Veggies
It’s still time to plant hot peppers, squash, zucchini, basil, beans, and more. Tomato time has almost passed, but if you still really want to plant a tomato, choose a cherry tomato that can still set fruit in warmer weather.
5. Share Tips with New Gardeners
One of our favorite things about Spring is meeting folks who are new to gardening. There’s so much to share! Chances are, if you’re a regular here at Gill’s, you know a thing or 2 about gardening. Now is a great time to share tips for success (or lessons from failure) with friends and neighbors. You can always connect with us on Facebook and Instagram or send questions & pics to info@gillnursery.com. Help us encourage new gardeners to subscribe to the Gill Garden News!
Check out our April Garden Guide for more tips!
Patty Cary says
How often should you water newly planted plants?
James Gill says
So many different factors! Size of plant and amount of foliage in relation to the size of the pot. Planted in sun or shade. Season of planting. Clay or loose sandy soil. Open to wind, or sheltered by building, trees, other shrubs. Etc. And it varies with the weather each day. Is it cloudy or sunny? Windy or calm? If you follow a calendar schedule, you will be wrong when the weather changes. Best thing is to use a moisture meter ($7.99) and check every morning, while considering the days forecast. If your meter is down to the lower quarter, water. If it is in the top quarter and not too hot or windy that day, skip until checking again tomorrow morning. By this means you will start to learn the moisture requirements of your different plants.
Elizabeth DuPont says
I see that wild olive is listed with the trees that can be planted now. We grew fruit bearing olives when we lived in Tucson, but will they thrive here? Does a wild olive tree just shade, or does it have fruit on it?
susie says
How about plugging in floratam with 20 yr old Raleigh St Augustine? I have LOTS of “dead spots” . I will apply Natures Blend compost to fertilize..+ daily watering.
Jeanne Price says
What can you use for Johnson grass, that won’t hurt your pets?
james gill says
My advice would be apply GrassBGon according to label directions, and exclude pets from the area until grass is dead. Then remove dead grass and allow pets back in. Here is a link to MSDS info on that product.
https://www.whatsinproducts.com/types/type_detail/1/19622/standard/p%3EOrtho%20Grass%20B%20Gon%20Garden%20Grass%20Killer,%20Pump%20Spray-12/04/2015/p%3E/19-026-282
james s gill says
This would be a very safe and conservative approach based on the presumption that your pets are grazing on the grass. You will see in the MSDS information- “Conclusion: Very low toxicity to humans or animals”
Joni McRee says
I saw you mentioned treating for grubs around July 4th…..I had always heard, by July 4th they are too deep to treat effectively. I am guessing that is not correct by your post?
james s gill says
Grubs are hatched and juvenile, the most vulnerable stage to insecticides, at that time. They are not deep, because they are very actively feeding on the grass roots.
Pat Harris says
Thanks for grub info!!!
Jennie Torgerson says
Thanks for the helpful email!
james says
And thank you too, everybody likes to know they are appreciated!
Dwayne says
After seeing June Bugs, how many weeks do you wait before putting down Grub Control?
james says
Dwayne, typical application date for grub control insecticide is around July 4th.
PRINCE MACON says
Is there one best grub control product you prefer?
james gill says
Bayer Season Long now, or Bayer 24 hour later, in summer
Maureen Satchwell says
Hi,
I found a little green worm when I was trimming branches on my oak tree, what’s the best thing for that? I have a sprayer that I use to spray weeds in the easement behind the house.
gillnursery says
Did you just find one? If you have an outbreak of many , you can use Thuricide which is an organic worm killer. We have plenty in stock.
LeAnne VanLeeuwen says
We fertalized a couple of weeks ago. Can we still use Weed B Gone now??
Thanks,
LeAnne VanLeeuwen
leannevaillette@gmail.com
Gill nursery says
Yes you can . You need at least 3-4 days of sunshine with no rain and that looks like Monday would be perfect after this weekends chance of rain. Sunny for the week again.