Hit the Dirt; Chores for April

Good Morning and Happy April this is John O'Keefe your gardening partner walking to hit the dirt here and we are you. Today we're going to discuss what can be done in the garden in April. This is of course assuming that we can see our gardens through the snow or get to them through the mud no matter how mild the windows are here in Maine. By late March or early April we've had enough. We want green we want signs of non frozen life on Easter Sunday I noticed Primrose junctions Dalal is comparing those impulsive Tola poking through the cold wet soil. Many plants respond to the lengthening days despite the very cold weather we recently experienced in March April is an excellent time to work in the garden. The sun when it shows up feels good on the face and the earth smells rich and stirs with new life and energy. Robin's grosbeaks chickadees juncos bluejays finches and Cardinals scour the ground for seeds and eat the old seed heads for my lilacs and Stegman sumac state bird the black fly usually doesn't arrive until May. So what is on our list

or garden shows. Well first and foremost if you have a winter protective mulch on your garden you can begin to remove it. Most perennials and bulbs are showing signs of life and growth now and are able to withstand temperatures well below freezing. It's very important to remove heavy wet mulch as such as hay or leaves. You may need to make several forays into the garden to remove the use because there often are frozen mass. This will help prevent the new life under them from being smothered and rotting. If you have mulched around the crowns of your Rosas you can remove that mulch in another week or two. I never do heavy pruning of my roses in the fall. I save those tasks for April and early May when the Bushes have begun to leaf out. I find that it's less stressful on the plants. Number two for owning a plant sort of heaved out during the freeze and thaw we get during winter and spring. Many plants push up and passionately out of the ground due to frost action. This is particularly true for small shrubs and perennials planted mid to late season where they haven't had a chance to significantly

root or anchor themselves into the ground. Plants and heavy o soil appear to be more prone to heaving exposed roots can easily dry out in a short period of time and your plant can be fatally damaged. So pruning is a firming is very beneficial. Number three do a soil test. Unlike Otto's who work with mediums like paint or stone you're designing your garden a landscape with living material. The trees shrubs and Ewell's perennials and bulbs use are dependent on an interaction with you to succeed. If the soil is not suitable the plants will not perform well and may die. You cannot tell the nutrient level of the soil by looking at it. The soil may look good but may be devoid of organic matter and certain minerals that the plants need to survive and thrive. The soil test tells you how acid or alkaline your soil is and whether or not you need to add lime for the plants you want to grow. This is a PH reading. The test results

also will let you know how much manure or fertilizer you need to add in order for your plants to do well. Test kits are available at your local cooperate extension service. You fill out the form fill the box with soil and some them with the required amount of money usually I think $10 up to you and all and the results will be back to you in a few weeks. Soil tests only need to be done every three or four years and truly a wise investment. Number four cut back any old dead foliage in the garden. A clean garden is less prone to disease and pest problems. Many insects and their eggs over winter in or under garden debris. You cut back this old foliage to one inch perennials like Siberian Iris daylilies peonies that you haven't gotten to in the fall. You can go in and remove all the dead foliage now. Remove also any of last year's enables. This will offer less hiding places for critters like slugs. Take any old pots of boards out of the gardens little slugs

don't have an opportunity to hide under the eaves. A couple of perennials that you do not cut back a lavender Diantha those are a Bose a breeze Shure and creeping phlox. These flower on last year's growth. Don't get too anxious to plant pea seeds pansy plants if you have had them hardened off and many profiles can be planted by late April. Keep in mind though that the last frost state for this area is around Memorial Day. That's almost two months away. Well that's it for now. Next time one on hit the dirt are you. We will be talking about seed planting. Think Green and thank you this is John O'Keefe.