April

Warmer days are on their way, and it's time to get out in the garden.

Barring a few April showers you might even be able to get the BBQ out!

Lawn

Increase the frequency of mowing. The grass can now be cut shorter until it is at a minimum in June.
If patches are dying or if birds are picking the lawn you have worms or leather jackets so put on BHC immediately. At the end of the month, if weather is fine, a new lawn should be seeded.

Vegetables

Plant all potatoes before the end of month. Start successionally sowing main crop peas and carrots. Sow salad lettuce every ten days. Sow seeds of brussels sprouts, winter cabbage.
Early cabbage and cauliflower - remember to apply calomel dust around cauliflowers.

Fruit

Before buds open spray apple and pear trees with a good fungicide, e.g. Captan (against apple scab), and again at a pink bud stage, towards the end of the month.
In later areas spray blackcurrants at grape stage with lime sulphur. Mulch and hoe among fruit trees. Remove half the flowers on maiden strawberries, if planted later than September.

Shrubs

Plant evergreen shrubs and conifers,
Plant clematis.
Prune early-flowering shrubs such as ribes, forsythia, and trim winter flowering heathers.
Light dressing of fertiliser to encourage growth on all shrubs.

Flowers

Plant out early chrysanthemums.
Sow hardy annuals.
Tidy away spring flowering bulbs to a reserve bed.

Frames and Indoors

Sow winter flowering primulas in sifted soil.
Plant up hanging baskets and put in position.
Prick out half hardy annuals.

General

Persistent weed killers containing simazine should be applied to drives and paths.