What To Do in April, plus companion planting
April is great, the soil is warming up and spring should be here. Do keep an eye on the weather forecast though, as a cold snap and snow are not unknown. Keeping horticultural fleece on standby in case of cold weather is a good idea.
Harvest
We’re in the ‘Hungry Gap’ between the last of the winter crops and start of the early crops but there are still a few things available, late sprouting chards for example plus you may have some early salad crops from the greenhouse border.
Do re-check your stored crops. On a fine day, empty out the potato sacks and check for any rotten potatoes. If you’ve strung onions, watch out for the odd rotten one and remove it before it spreads. Another good way of storing onions is in a stack of ‘bread trays’ in a frost free place, but check them regularly, and they can keep up till early summer with some care.
General gardening tip
If you have any horticultural fleece, you can put that onto the ground a week or so before you plant. The small rise in temperature of the soil can make a big difference.
Sowing, Planting and Cultivating
There’s quite a list to sow and plant outside, especially if March has not been suitable.
Do remember the weeds are springing into action, so keep the hoe going. Don’t forget, a sharp hoe is the best friend a gardener can have. Hoeing is also good in the event of drought as the disturbed soil surface stops the water being sucked to the surface by capillary action and evaporating in dry winds.
Things to Sow
Beetroot Broad Beans Broccoli Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage Cauliflower Chard Carrots
Kale Kohl Rabi Lettuce Leeks
Peas Rocket Radish Spinach
Sweetcorn
Plant Outdoors
Globe and Jerusalem Artichokes
Onion and Shallot sets
Asparagus
Potatoes
Easter is the traditional potato planting time. There are a dizzying number of varieties (just Google ‘potatoes’ and you will see what I mean). Some are best for mashing (the ‘floury’ varieties), some best for chipping or roasting (the ‘waxy) varieties, and some for boiling as salad potatoes (check out : Pink Fir Apple and Anya)
Consider what you want in a Spud, and go for what suits you best. Grow a small number of three or four varieties, rather than a huge crop of an ‘all rounder’ – in other words - experiment!
Most of all, go for flavour. There are some really oddly shaped and coloured potatoes that have a far superior flavour, but you have to go to a specialist dealer to buy them – as you will never see them on the garden centre or supermarket shelves.
One other thing about potatoes. ‘First Earlies’, ‘Second Earlies’, ‘Early Maincrop’ and ‘Late Maincrop’ refer to the length of time it takes the plant to mature – between 13 and 22 weeks (3 to 5 months), and does not refer to the time when you have to plant them.
Sow in heat (Greenhouse or windowsill)
Aubergine
Celery
Outdoor cucumbers
Tomatoes
Sweetcorn
A good tip on a windowsill is to stick some cooking foil onto cardboard and place on the inside to reflect light back on to the seedlings. This will prevent them being drawn
Top Tip
Chitting. Large seeds, like Broad, French and Runner beans, sweetcorn etc., can be ‘chitted’ by placing them in a tub between two layers of toilet or kitchen paper, which is kept moist daily, or sealed in with a lid. Germination will begin to take place within days. The individual seeds can then be put in pots.
Sweetcorn should be put in individual pots (‘pot noodle’ tubs are great, as they are deeper than standard 3” plant pots, and you are also re-cycling, reducing your carbon emissions and saving the planet to boot!. I am sure you know somebody who likes ‘pot noodles’?). Don’t forget to put drain holes in them, though. When the plant is pencil thick and about 6 inches high, it is ready to be transferred to the open ground. Thinner, weaker plants should be held back, as there is a weavil that bores into the tenderer young stems, causing mayhem. Only plant out when there is no further risk of frosts.
With smaller seeds (like Brassica’s) you should three quarters fill a small seed tray with compost then lay on the toilet paper, wet it, then add the seed in neat rows. Put on the top sheet and dampen. Keep moistening and when you see the seeds beginning to send down roots, carefully add soil to the seed tray. Keep moistening daily, and add more soil if necessary. Brassica’s, in particular, are not too happy on windowsills as they can be ‘drawn’. As soon as they produce their seed leaves, transfer to a frost free greenhouse.
Gardener’s Pests
Slugs and snails are probably the worst, and it is now they are coming out of hibernation, so take steps to protect your young seedlings before you lose them to these little beasties voracious appetites.
It is a well known fact that slugs and snails find copper poisonous. They will not pass over it. However, copper strips are expensive, as a deterrent, but I am sure one our enterprising plotholders might wish to experiment with this idea.
About Companion Planting
Creating plant communities for mutual benefit is an old gardening tradition. By combining plants carefully, plants can help each other in terms of providing nutrients to the soil, offering protection from wind or sun and also by attracting beneficial insects, or acting as a decoy for harmful ones.
Plant combinations
Ten Plants to try
I don’t know about you, but I find early spring exhilarating, and exhausting.
Good gardening, and good luck
Joan
Harvest
We’re in the ‘Hungry Gap’ between the last of the winter crops and start of the early crops but there are still a few things available, late sprouting chards for example plus you may have some early salad crops from the greenhouse border.
Do re-check your stored crops. On a fine day, empty out the potato sacks and check for any rotten potatoes. If you’ve strung onions, watch out for the odd rotten one and remove it before it spreads. Another good way of storing onions is in a stack of ‘bread trays’ in a frost free place, but check them regularly, and they can keep up till early summer with some care.
General gardening tip
If you have any horticultural fleece, you can put that onto the ground a week or so before you plant. The small rise in temperature of the soil can make a big difference.
Sowing, Planting and Cultivating
There’s quite a list to sow and plant outside, especially if March has not been suitable.
Do remember the weeds are springing into action, so keep the hoe going. Don’t forget, a sharp hoe is the best friend a gardener can have. Hoeing is also good in the event of drought as the disturbed soil surface stops the water being sucked to the surface by capillary action and evaporating in dry winds.
Things to Sow
Beetroot Broad Beans Broccoli Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage Cauliflower Chard Carrots
Kale Kohl Rabi Lettuce Leeks
Peas Rocket Radish Spinach
Sweetcorn
Plant Outdoors
Globe and Jerusalem Artichokes
Onion and Shallot sets
Asparagus
Potatoes
Easter is the traditional potato planting time. There are a dizzying number of varieties (just Google ‘potatoes’ and you will see what I mean). Some are best for mashing (the ‘floury’ varieties), some best for chipping or roasting (the ‘waxy) varieties, and some for boiling as salad potatoes (check out : Pink Fir Apple and Anya)
Consider what you want in a Spud, and go for what suits you best. Grow a small number of three or four varieties, rather than a huge crop of an ‘all rounder’ – in other words - experiment!
Most of all, go for flavour. There are some really oddly shaped and coloured potatoes that have a far superior flavour, but you have to go to a specialist dealer to buy them – as you will never see them on the garden centre or supermarket shelves.
One other thing about potatoes. ‘First Earlies’, ‘Second Earlies’, ‘Early Maincrop’ and ‘Late Maincrop’ refer to the length of time it takes the plant to mature – between 13 and 22 weeks (3 to 5 months), and does not refer to the time when you have to plant them.
Sow in heat (Greenhouse or windowsill)
Aubergine
Celery
Outdoor cucumbers
Tomatoes
Sweetcorn
A good tip on a windowsill is to stick some cooking foil onto cardboard and place on the inside to reflect light back on to the seedlings. This will prevent them being drawn
Top Tip
Chitting. Large seeds, like Broad, French and Runner beans, sweetcorn etc., can be ‘chitted’ by placing them in a tub between two layers of toilet or kitchen paper, which is kept moist daily, or sealed in with a lid. Germination will begin to take place within days. The individual seeds can then be put in pots.
Sweetcorn should be put in individual pots (‘pot noodle’ tubs are great, as they are deeper than standard 3” plant pots, and you are also re-cycling, reducing your carbon emissions and saving the planet to boot!. I am sure you know somebody who likes ‘pot noodles’?). Don’t forget to put drain holes in them, though. When the plant is pencil thick and about 6 inches high, it is ready to be transferred to the open ground. Thinner, weaker plants should be held back, as there is a weavil that bores into the tenderer young stems, causing mayhem. Only plant out when there is no further risk of frosts.
With smaller seeds (like Brassica’s) you should three quarters fill a small seed tray with compost then lay on the toilet paper, wet it, then add the seed in neat rows. Put on the top sheet and dampen. Keep moistening and when you see the seeds beginning to send down roots, carefully add soil to the seed tray. Keep moistening daily, and add more soil if necessary. Brassica’s, in particular, are not too happy on windowsills as they can be ‘drawn’. As soon as they produce their seed leaves, transfer to a frost free greenhouse.
Gardener’s Pests
Slugs and snails are probably the worst, and it is now they are coming out of hibernation, so take steps to protect your young seedlings before you lose them to these little beasties voracious appetites.
It is a well known fact that slugs and snails find copper poisonous. They will not pass over it. However, copper strips are expensive, as a deterrent, but I am sure one our enterprising plotholders might wish to experiment with this idea.
About Companion Planting
Creating plant communities for mutual benefit is an old gardening tradition. By combining plants carefully, plants can help each other in terms of providing nutrients to the soil, offering protection from wind or sun and also by attracting beneficial insects, or acting as a decoy for harmful ones.
Plant combinations
- Grow French Marigolds amongst carrots. Marigolds emit a strong odour that masks the scent of the carrot, repelling the carrotfly.
- Grow Sage with carrots or plants in the brassica family to ward off pests. Both have strong scents that drive away each other’s pests.
- Plant Nasturtium with, or close to, brassica’s – they are a magnet to the cabbage white butterfly, which will then leave the cabbages alone.
- Garlic wards off aphids.
- Plant carrots and leeks together to protect against a number of pests. Leeks repel carrotfly and carrots repel onion and leek moth.
Ten Plants to try
- Asparagus – prevents microscopic nematodes from attacking the roots of tomatoes.
- Chervil - keeps aphids off lettuce.
- Chives – onion scent wards off aphids from chrysanthemums, sunflowers and tomatoes.
- Coriander – helps to repel aphids.
- Dill – attracts aphid eating beneficial insects, like hoverflies and predatory wasps.
- Garlic – deters aphids and is particularly good planted with roses.
- Tansy – Strongly scented plants which deter ants.
- Legumes – (members of the pea family) benefit the soil by taking nitrogen from the air and storing it in their roots.
- Yarrow – this boosts vigour in other plants and accumulates phosphorous, calcium and silica, which can benefit homemade compost when plants are added to the heap. It attracts many beneficial insects like hoverflies and ladybirds.
I don’t know about you, but I find early spring exhilarating, and exhausting.
Good gardening, and good luck
Joan