Florist's Calendar For April. Calendar Of Works In The Flower Garden

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Florist's Calendar For April. Calendar Of Works In The Flower Garden
Florist's Calendar For April. Calendar Of Works In The Flower Garden

Video: Florist's Calendar For April. Calendar Of Works In The Flower Garden

Video: Florist's Calendar For April. Calendar Of Works In The Flower Garden
Video: Farmer Florist - Official Trailer 2024, March
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In April, a truly active front of work opens up in the life of every gardener. Of course, lingering frosts, whims of the weather and not always warm days still affect the pace of action, but you have to be active in the garden itself much more. Many summer residents call April the most active month. After all, right now, garden cleaning is reaching its peak, the period of planting ornamental plants begins, and everything planned for the winter can finally be put into practice. There is so much work to do that it's easy to overlook the important little things. Namely, they are the key to the health and beauty of the garden during the entire active season.

Crocuses in a spring flower garden
Crocuses in a spring flower garden

April is the most active month of planting

April is considered the ideal month for planting ornamental garden plants. And not only trees or shrubs, which are best planted as early as possible (as soon as the snow melts and the soil warms up, but the buds have not yet blossomed).

Also planted in April:

  • classic decorative perennials;
  • ferns;
  • cereals;
  • autumn stars from among perennials and seasonal accents;
  • all garden vines;
  • biennials that need to be moved to a permanent place (from daisies to pansies).

And this is not to mention the fact that it is in April that it is better to have time to plant all new roses.

Naturally, if the spring is unsuccessful and the weather is too cold, there is no question of any landing. Planting can be started only when the soil is free of the ice binding it and warms up, thaws to a sufficient depth. But if the weather permits, there is no need to delay landing.

The main key to success in the spring planting of any plants, both shrubby-woody and herbaceous, is an individual approach. Do not forget that for each plant, for each species and variety, you need to select the optimal conditions. Illumination, soil and other important parameters of the growing site are created literally for each plant and its requirements. As well as the size of the planting holes, the distance to neighboring crops, the need to lay drainage.

We continue to grow seedlings
We continue to grow seedlings

We continue to deal with seedlings

Despite the fact that most of the ornamental plants for seedlings were sown earlier, in April you can continue to replenish the range of balcony and garden seasonal accents. Sowing for seedlings can be carried out using conventional technology and using greenhouses, hotbeds and greenhouses with reliable protection of film or glass.

March crops in April will take a lot of energy. Indeed, after the release of the first or second pair of true leaves, tender seedlings will need to be cut out. And the frequency of watering, which is regulated by the degree of soil drying, the first feeding that has begun and the pinching for thickening will make the leaving schedule more intense.

In April, decorative annuals such as rudbeckia, lavatera, kosmeya, sunflowers, sweet peas, marigolds, lobularia and zinnia can be planted on seedlings. And the cornflower, bells, gailardia, aquilegia, delphinium and carnations can also be sown in greenhouses.

At the end of the month, if the soil not only warms up, but also dries up, you can carry out the first sowing in the ground for the most cold-resistant annuals. Early sowing in open soil is permissible for matthiola, nemophila, sweet pea, nigella, decorative flax, malopa, escholzia, bindweed, mignonette, malcolpia, godetia. Cold-resistant annual poppy, calendula and cornflowers are especially fond of early crops.

For germination in April, you can put dahlias, Indian eland, and other corms that winter outside the soil. Pre-germination will speed up flowering and extend the period for a much longer period. Plant rhizomes are placed in boxes or large containers with sand or loose substrate, observing the planting depth recommended for each culture. By maintaining light moisture, exposed to heat and light, the plants will start to grow long before planting ordinary tubers in open soil.

In April, we begin to clean the flower beds and front gardens from the remaining debris
In April, we begin to clean the flower beds and front gardens from the remaining debris

April cleaning in the ornamental garden

The cleaning of the garden, revision of decorative compositions and the cleaning of all accumulated debris on flower beds, rabat beds, curbs, front garden, rock gardens and rockeries should begin in April. True, the timing has its own nuances: they start harvesting only after the soil dries out. While the soil remains saturated with moisture after the snow melts, you should not step on flower beds, lawns, any decorative compositions even by accident.

As a result of such walks, even if they serve noble purposes, the soil is too compacted and it will take a lot of time and effort to restore it. Therefore, it is better to be patient and wait until the soil is dry enough to walk not only along the paths, but also between the plants.

The first step in cleaning decorative objects is a complete trim. Old mulch, plant debris, remnants of dead clumps and all damaged, rotten, dry parts of plants must be completely removed from flower beds, ridges and other ensembles. As part of the cleaning, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning of shrubs and woody decorative species.

After the immediate harvest has been completed, measures should be taken to restore the texture and characteristics of the soil. For all decorative compositions, without exception, it is necessary to loosen the soil, which will allow the soil to return to air and water permeability.

The upper compacted layer will not fluff up on its own, and aeration should be carried out as early as possible. Be careful: in plants with a superficial root system, loosening is carried out very carefully, at a considerable distance from the clumps. Work especially carefully with shrubs and woody ones.

Pay attention to perennials that tend to "rise" in the soil. Plumose carnations, primrose, violets and heucheras often bulge out of the ground by spring, their root system is bare. And the sooner you take action, the better. Inspect the turf and lightly sprinkle the soil around the plants to cover the raised roots.

After loosening, you should think about feeding. When choosing fertilizers, you need to focus on the preferences of specific crops. For most perennials, bulbs and biennials, nitrogen fertilization is preferable in early spring, which stimulates rapid and vigorous growth. All bulbous and primroses, spring-flowering perennials and biennials need mandatory feeding.

You need to complete the April harvesting by mulching - creating a protective layer that will maintain an optimal level of moisture, preserve the texture of the soil, prevent it from overheating, compacting and changing characteristics.

For flower beds and flower beds, use a 4-centimeter layer of mulch made from organic fertilizers - peat, compost or humus, crushed bark or any other materials available to you. Without fail, mulch is laid out where it was last year.

But cleaning isn't just about colorful ensembles. It is necessary to remove garden debris and take care of the surfaces of the grounds and paths, check the garden furniture and, if necessary, treat it with protective materials, clean the glass and remove dust and dirt that has accumulated over a long cold period in literally every corner.

We carry out mulching of perennials, add soil if necessary
We carry out mulching of perennials, add soil if necessary

Exclusive treatments for flower garden stars

Most garden perennials growing in lush ensembles need to be prepared for the new season in April. This month is well suited for transplantation and separation, rejuvenation of scabiosa, echinacea, rudbeckia, small petals, heuchera, New England aster, pyrethrum, goldenrod, lychnis.

The time is getting closer when magnificent fragrant irises can arrange a real watercolor parade. But to enjoy one of the most beautiful sights, it is worth taking care of the health of the rhizomes in April. As soon as the weather allows it, reduce the risk of bacterial rot due to rotting by simply shoveling the soil from the "neck" of the rhizomes, freeing the irises from excess soil by simply exposing the top. Of course, in unlucky seasons, the procedure is carried out later.

Handsome peonies in April, after the snow melts, will respond with gratitude to the earliest possible feeding. Dolomite flour (100 g for each plant) is scattered under the bushes this month and liquid fertilizing with nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer is applied.

An unusual procedure will be needed in April and all winter-green crops - saxifrage, Julia's primrose, periwinkle, liverwort and Co. In order for the plants to start growing and renew themselves faster, immediately after the snow melts, you need to water them with warm water. The optimum temperature is 30-40 ° C. Such warm watering will benefit both coniferous crops and roses. But for them it is better to add growth stimulants to the water.

Preparation of new flower beds and compositions

If you have not had time to complete the work since the fall, then at the same time when you can start cleaning the decorative compositions, you can still prepare the site for planting plants for new flowering ensembles and decorative groups. Where you plan to set up new flower beds and ridges, flower beds, islands, dig up the soil - for the first time to a considerable depth, the second, after applying organic matter and fertilizers or correcting the composition and acidity - by fluffing and leveling the soil, preparing it for planting.

In April, you can already start planting perennial flowers and ornamental shrubs, for example roses
In April, you can already start planting perennial flowers and ornamental shrubs, for example roses

April scraps

Finding the perfect time to prune roses is not easy: they are pruned before bud growth begins and after the soil has thawed completely. From garden queens, frozen, blackened, damaged, dry shoots or parts of healthy branches are removed. Roses are always pruned to the first overwintered, healthy bud on the outside of the shoot. Powerful, strong branches shorten, thinned or too old - removed. Formation is carried out in accordance with the type and characteristics of the variety. You need to complete the spring pruning of roses with top dressing and hilling.

This month you have your last chance to trim your crowns and hedges. For evergreen hedges, they traditionally carry out the main formative pruning (he especially loves the April hedge cut from thuja).

In April, or rather, in its first half, if the plants have not yet swollen and the buds have not begun to open, you can take advantage of the last opportunity and carry out the formation and cleaning of the crown of ornamental shrubs and woody ones.

Unraveling hidden crops

Traditionally, in April, the process of clearing ornamental crops from winter shelters is completed. But in this matter it is better to rely on specific weather conditions: if the frosts are still strong, then it is necessary to continue the airing started in March and the layer-by-layer release from non-woven material and spruce branches. It is better not to rush with a shelter of dry foliage and a hillock: only when the temperature rises at night, it will be possible to rake them from the sods.

But it is also dangerous to delay the removal of the shelter: if the process is delayed, the already active enough sun can easily cause podrevanie. After freeing vines and other plants in need of a garter from shelter, do not rush to fix them on a support: let the branches straighten, adapt, and only then tie them up.

This month it is better to remove the shelter from the clematis. Between different stages of unwrapping - removing the nonwoven material and removing the spruce branches - you need to wait 1.5-2 weeks. After the final removal of the shelter for clematis, top dressing is immediately carried out, the soil is loosened and the plant is protected with mulching for optimal moisture and protection of the roots from overheating.

Many gardeners, even with unstable weather and unfavorable frost conditions, prefer to complete the opening in April for all plants. True, for this it will be necessary to provide for temporary protection, which will replace dense hilling. As soon as the snow melts, clematis, roses and other heat-loving plants are gradually freed from all layers of protection, replacing it with a simple cover made of nonwoven materials, which can be easily removed on fine days.

Let's start restoring the lawn
Let's start restoring the lawn

Lawn chores

In April, the amount of work on the green lawn is directly dependent on the weather. It is strictly forbidden to move and carry out any work on a wet lawn after the snow melts. Only after the soil dries out, the lawn is cleaned for the first time, aeration is carried out, if necessary, they are engaged in correcting the sod, sowing new grasses in the bare areas.

It is advisable to spend in April:

  • alignment of depressions or bumps;
  • spring feeding with special fertilizer mixtures;
  • lawn edge correction.

April is one of the best months for laying new lawns and creating immaculate green lawns.

What about pot and container plants?

The April sun is already warming up with might and main, but its warm rays should not mislead you: the air temperature, even in the most stable years, does not allow you to take out indoor plants and gardening of terraces and balconies in April. Unless on the warmest days, you can decorate the tables with blooming bulbs in pots, fuchsias and geraniums, carefully picking them up for the night. This month, you better continue preparing for the real summer boom in May. For example, you can start transplanting horticultural crops overwintering indoors, which can be transferred into new containers and changed substrates.

If the temperature stabilizes at the end of April, then you can try out several boxes and containers, fill them with plants for the balcony. Pelargoniums, lobelias, petunias, Drummond's phlox, lobularia can be taken out to the balcony first, but it is better to be guided by the weather, and at least in the first weeks, reliably protect the plants from the slightest drafts and cover them when there is a threat of cold snap.

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