April Ideas, Tips & Guides

For the last two or three years I have kept a rough record of how many hours I spend gardening (excluding things relating specifically to our charity openings). It’s usually the afternoon before any gardening can be done, and a couple of hours a day is the figure I generally quote when someone suggests I must spend ages working in it to get keep on top of it, but of course this varies during the week and over the year as a whole. This year, in the three months prior to this one, I spent 31, 20 and 39½ hours gardening; in April it was 59 hours! In previous years, the number of hours worked in the months after April dropped back to 30 or 40 and then tailed off towards 20 hours or so in December, showing that April is indeed the busiest month.

“April showers bring May flowers.” English proverb

Ah, April, a month that gives us leaves on the trees, blossom in the hedgerow, and a headache with its changeable weather. We gardeners would love April to be a season of sunshine and soft showers. But, instead, we need to plan for sleet and hail, or even snow. As the effects of climate change are felt more widely, we may even need to forego thinking of April as a rainy month at all, and just an extension of dry winters. It’s also at least a month before we can be relatively sure that there will be no more frosts.

Last month’s giveaway, my first ever on the blog, was such a hit that I promised a monthly event (though in April we might just have a surprise “extra” edition, so stay tuned).  As a garden writer, it seems fitting that I should give away not just my own book (as I did last month, and promise to again) but also books by those who’ve taught me. I have been stockpiling some goodies from the used-book dealers the last few weeks.Crockett’s Victory Garden James Underwood Crockett (first published, 1977) The star of the PBS series “The Victory Garden” was also the author of a series of books on how to garden, and this is my favorite of his. It was my first garden book ever, given to me by my sister, so maybe that’s why, but I think its value far exceeds the sentiment attached. Dated (meaning chemic

AS IF THEY SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER, the list of things starting to color up and open this cold, wet spring is accelerating–no matter whether the weather lifts its pall. From spike winterhazel (above) to the first of the Corydalis and Primula, here comes the start of full-on spring.

BEFORE we start: Last month I asked if you’d set the tone for your 2015 garden? This year’s mantra is “Be thoughtful, keep weeding,” with the “thoughtful” part standing for “thoughtful organic gardening,” as in thinking carefully before any action is taken. My resolutions. (A year earlier, I’d suggested, “More mulch, no spray,” another way to say: Be kind.)10 steps to get the season startedI FEEL FRANTIC, but know that being strategic is a smarter attitude in the face of April’s heroic to-do’s. I try to stick to these 10 steps, as I begin erasing winter’s havoc.Start cleanup near the house. Tidying beds along the most-traveled front walkway early reminds me that I can do this, a little at a

John will also explain other mushrooms beyond shiitake that we can grow ourselves and how—such as wine caps on wood chips and more. Come prepared with your mushroom questions. Take home a log you inoculate yourself and all the knowledge and resources to create your own home mini mushroom farm.There will be limited spawn, mushroom-related books, and even John’s Catskill Fungi mushroom extracts available for purchase.The workshop will be repeated in each of two half-day sessions: 9:30 to noon, or 1:30 to 4 PM.Refreshments will be served: baked goods and coffee/tea in the morning session and cookies/beverages in the afternoon. Reserve a spot usin

Special thank-you’s to photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo, and to features editor Melissa Ozawa of MSL.P.S. — A week earlier, the garden and I were in “The Washington Post,” if you missed that news.

I know, you may still be wondering “is it spring yet?” as I am, if the weather hasn’t settled. For a read on that based on data, not anecdotes, the USA National Phenology Network’s maps are worth a visit. They call the process of tracking the progress of spring “Springcasting,” and here is how it works.As the weather allows, shall we proceed, then, one chore at a time? I’ve got 10 strategic steps for getting started, plus the longer list to get you through the whole month. 10 strategic steps to get the season startedI FEEL FRANTIC EVERY APRIL, but know that being strategic is a smarter attitude in the face of the month’s heroic to-do’s. I try to stick to the 10 ste

Half past the March you start to feel the excitement of working in the garden and from the beginning of April, gardening season perks up and mood uplifts for summer. To enjoy your garden, whole season–it’s important to do certain April gardening tasks. What are they? Find them out in this article.

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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

To celebrate Spring the team from Bale Breaker’s Yakima farm is bringing 6′ hop plants sell at our their Ballard Taproom. We’ll be here selling our new Freyr trellis, our friends at Beyond Peat Professional Organics will have some of their latest soil to sample, and Ecolibrium Farms will also be in house selling plant and flower starts for the spring season!

The clients that I was at both these mornings only need me for a half day at this time of year. Give it until next month and I’ll be back to full days. But that means I have the afternoons to myself. So after popping along to our local independent garden centre to buy 6 more bags of compost and running a few other errands, I was then home in time for lunch and the entire afternoon was spent in my garden doing all sorts.

This year I’m getting compost as and when I need it (which at this time of year is frequently). They have a special deal at our local independent garden centre on compost when you buy 3 bags, so I’m buying 3 bags at a time. However with so many seedlings to sow and especially prick out, 3 bags doesn’t last long, as I’m sure you can imagine. Maybe when I go tomorrow I’ll buy 6 bags.

I seem to have all my April seeds finally sown in the greenhouses and I’ve also pricked out everything that I can. I’m sure in a couple of weeks time there will be loads more to do. The greenhouses are filling up very nicely and the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer so all is good in the world.

It was practically a 4 day weekend, although I did work on Good Friday, but only for a couple of hours so that was ok. The rest of the long weekend was spent doing all sorts of things, mainly in the garden.

We are excited to partner with our friends at Ecolibrium Farm to offer expertly tended, organic veggie & herb starts direct from their greenhouses, and our new Freyr trellises and accessories. Plant sales are first come, first serve, but we’ll have lots!

Pause to Admire the Tulips It’s a really good ye

Have a look at the best Balcony Garden Pictures of April 2021 from around the world and get global while stylizing your balcony!

April is a beautiful month to celebrate a birthday with the flowers that bloom during this time. From daisies to sweet peas, let’s take a closer look at the April Birth Month Flowers.

What a difference a month makes.

Want to give a little makeover to the open space in your apartment or studio? Feast your eyes with these amazing Balcony Garden Ideas of April 2022 from Instagram to help you out!