- Flowering cherry, Redbud, Ajuga Weigela, Bloodroot, Columbine, Bleeding heart, Pieris, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Trillium, Anemone, Azaleas
Fertilizing
- Fertilize shrubs if not done in March.
- Fertilize vegetables at planting per recommendation.
- Once you can determine whether your fruit trees have any fruit, you can decide how much fertilizer to give them.
Planting
- Many gardeners prefer to transplant azaleas in April so they can group the plants according to their flower color.
- Divide liriope, ajuga, mums, violets, and other perennials.
- Plant most shrubs and trees.
- The following vegetables can be planted this month: beets, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, and potatoes.
Pruning
- Prune spring-flowering plants like azalea, lilac, forsythia, spirea, and weigela after the flowers fade.
- Prune berry producing shrubs like holly and pyracantha while in flower to prevent complete removal of all of this season’s berries.
- Disbud roses and peonies for large specimen flowers.
- If needed, trim spring flowering trees like Bradford pear, flowering cherry and redbud.
- Cut out any winter damage that may have occurred this year.
Spraying
- Spray the following landscape shrubs for the following insect pests: azalea-lace bug, boxwood-leaf miner, euonymus-scale, hemlock and juniper-spruce mites and hybrid rhododendron-borer.
- Spray iris beds for iris borers.
- Spray broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower for worms if needed.
- Spray your squash plants near the base of the stem to control squash borer.
- Continue through June 1 and use only the recommended insecticide. Begin weekly tree fruit sprays after flower petals fall.
- Start a fungicide spray program for your bunch grapes this month. Follow with weekly sprays.
- Continue with rose spray program.
- Scout or observe your landscape plants before spraying. Pests may not be present.
Lawn Care
- Maintain mowing height of fescue and bluegrass at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches. Do NOT fertilize.
Propagation
- This is a good time to layer new plants by lowering a branch of your favorite shrubs and covering it with soil and a stone.
Specific Chores
- Visit your local garden centers and nurseries to see what plants and products are available.
- Mulch all of your landscape plants as needed. Pine needles, cypress mulch and pine bark are good mulches.
- Prepare labels for all new plants and keep records on how well they perform.