Gardening tips for April

Now is the perfect time to get the lawnmower out and cut your grass for the first time this year after the cold weather is gone for good. Keep the blades set high for the first few cuts so your grass is around 4cm high.

If your grass is looking dull and tired, Westland All in One Lawn Feed, Weed and Moss killer is the perfect product to bring it back to life. Not only will it provide your grass with essential nutrients, but it also gets rid of moss and pesky weeds that will be sprouting in the warmer weather. You should also scarify lawns with a spring-tine rake to remove moss, dead grass and debris. This allows for more light and air to get to your grass as the weather warms.

From mid-April, sow new lawns or re-seed bare patches on ground that’s been pre-prepared, levelled and firmed. Just make sure your soil isn’t still wet or cold. Alternatively, and for quicker results, you can lay new turf and leave it undisturbed for a few weeks to allow time for new roots to establish. Water it regularly so it never dries out and wait at least 3 weeks before cutting it for the first time.

Finally, tidy and define your lawn edges using a half-moon edging iron to give your garden a perfect finish. This is particularly effective in maximising the look of smaller gardens.

Whether you’re looking for an instant boost of colour or planning for the summer months, April is a great month to start adding bright and cheerful flowers to your garden decor.

In beds & borders

• Planting low maintenance, evergreen Aubretia and Saxifrage this month is essential if you’re looking to grow a pretty flower garden that lasts and reflowers each year.

• Hardy annual flowers such as Nasturtiums, marigolds and cornflowers look great between existing border plants. Plant out young plants or sow their seeds directly into the soil.

• Pots or strips of sweet peas can be planted out now. These could be ones you started sowing last month or plants bought in your local Dobbies. Tie these to the base of wigwam supports made from bamboo canes or hazel sticks as they grow.

• Continue to plant new pot-grown hedges, trees and shrubs to add structural elements to your garden and as habitat for wildlife.

In pots & containers

• Pull up any winter bedding plants in your tubs and baskets that have come to an end and replace them with displays of spring flowering bedding plants such as Pansies & Violas.

• Towards the end of the month, plant up hanging baskets with summer bedding plants for fabulous shows of flowers all summer long. Grow these under protection for now, only putting outside when all risk of frost has passed.

• Cherry blossoms or Japanese maples – also known as Acers – are stunning trees to start planting in April. Some varieties can be grown in pots, making them perfect additions to gardens of any size.

• Troughs of alpines are easy to look after and make lovely features on patios, balconies, or window boxes. With a myriad of colours to choose from, as well as different styled troughs, alpines can be made to suit any garden style. Top-dress your alpine planter with grit, keep the foliage clean, and ensure water doesn’t collect around the base of the plant to have the prettiest alpines for months to come.

• If you’ve planted summer bulbs in pots and are still waiting for them to grow, be sure to add some spring bedding plants to the topsoil for some instant seasonal colour.

Growing from the young plug plant stage is an economical way to grow lots of plants. It’s ideal if you didn’t get around to sowing seeds earlier in the season either. Plant young plants into small pots and grow them in a warm, frost-free greenhouse or conservatory. If you’ve already started growing young plants, it may be time to plant them out in the garden. Just make sure all risk of frost has passed – read our guide on how to plant young plants for more helpful advice.

Some of your seeds sown last month may already have started to sprout and make sufficient roots too. If so, it’s time to prick out and pot on seedlings and cuttings. Do this when the first pair of true leaves appear. If you’ve not begun to sow seeds, you can sow tender annuals in a heated propagator so they germinate quickly and flower earlier.

Don’t worry if you’ve not got room for a greenhouse or grow house. You can bring greenery and nature into your home with one of our beautiful houseplants. With lots of different varieties – from trailing to flowering – you can add a houseplant to almost every room, shelf and surface. Tending to houseplants is great for your mental health too!

Planting wildlife-friendly plants and flowers in your garden provides pollinating insects like bees and butterflies with food and shelter. These insects are crucial to our environment and ecosystem. Many pollinating species in the UK are facing extinction, so it’s important to do your bit to help them out. Not only do you get to admire lots of gorgeous flowers, but you can also enjoy the gentle fluttering of wildlife in your own garden.

There are hundreds of flowers suited to pollinators readily available to grow and plant. The easiest way to start growing is by scattering mixed wildflower seed packs and flowers for pollinators mixed seed packs in your beds – these grow beautifully for a meadow-garden feel. Popular plants such as Lavender, Heather, and Foxgloves are ideal to grow too. As well as flowers, herbs are very attractive to pollinating insects too. Plant them in between flower patches or dedicate an area outdoors to growing your own herb garden.

Another way to make your garden wildlife friendly is by feeding birds with a variety of bird food, seed, and feeders. If the weather is still chilly, the birds will appreciate a hanging birdhouse on trees or windows as a shelter too. You could also consider putting a birdbath in your garden. Not only can this make a beautiful feature and attract all different kinds of birds, but many water sources will still be frozen at this time of year. Providing clean drinking water will be extra helpful to our feathery friends.