by Joe Daniels, Delaware County Master Gardener
Determine if your soil is ready to work by taking a handful and squeezing it. If it crumbles, then it is ready to plant. If not, wait several days and try again.
Cut and remove weeds near the garden to help prevent plant virus diseases. Clean out hiding places where slugs live.
Vegetable Gardens
Fertilize the vegetable garden before planting.
Plant asparagus and rhubarb now.
Start sowing cool-season vegetables (peas, carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, spinach).
Set out transplants of cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli and collards.
Start seed indoors for summer crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant).
Lawns
Seed bare patches.
Cool season grasses can still be seeded. Keep the seeded areas moist to allow germination. (The mix recommended for this area is 70% Kentucky bluegrass, 20% perennial ryegrass, and 10% fine fescue).
Before you begin cutting, replace the blade on your mower. An old mower blade is going to tear your grass and put a lot of stress on it.
Never cut more than a third of a blade of grass (in one pass). That means if your lawn grows to a small jungle in the spring, trim the grass slowly until you get it to the length you would like.
It has been suggested to use four step fertilization products available at most hardware stores. But remember to follow the directions.
Perennials, Biennials, and Annuals
Fertilize as growth begins.
Gradually remove winter mulch.
Continue to divide and transplant.
Plant cool season annuals (pansies, sweet peas, snapdragons).
Enjoy your time outside, put an energy bar in your back pocket and keep going.
For Joe’s tips on houseplants, bulbs and roses, go to April Gardening Tips
Do you have a gardening question? In Delaware County, call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.
UPCOMING MASTER GARDENERS EVENTS
April 12, 2008
Peonies
Explore gardening with peonies. Join Eleanor Tickner, owner of A Peony Garden for a discussion about the unabashed "Queens of the Garden." Cost: $10
April 26, 2008
Arbor Day Celebration
Join us at Smedley Park for an afternoon of educational activities for children that are designed to stimulate interest in trees and the environment. We'll provide hands-on experience in planting trees. Contact Elsie Mueller at 610-626-7210 or email for more information.
Registration required for all events except Arbor Day. Please call 610-690-2655 for more information or visit our website
