CHORES FOR APRIL
APRIL
This is a good time to get that soil tested. Then there will be time to amend it before the season gets into full swing!
Start up your lawn mower so you know it doesn't need a trip to the repair shop before grass cutting time. Also be sure the blades are SHARP.
Sharpen your other tools while you are at it!
Avoid working in the garden unless the soil breaks up in your
hand if you squeeze a lump of it.
Instead, turn your compost (assuming it is no longer frozen!)
Hummingbirds begin to appear this month in some places. Clean
the feeders and hang them for the "early birds"
Sow peas in the ground as soon as the frost is gone
Continue with the tree pruning. Get rid of dead and diseased limbs
As soon as your shrubs are done blooming, prune them as well.
You can prune your berry bushes-check a reference or
ask me
This is a good time to pull out weed trees and old bramble branches. They tend to yank out easily because the soil is still soft and moist.
Remove mulch from strawberries
Pansies can now be planted outside
It is the time to divide and plant perennials as well.
If you have any bare root plants going into the garden, soak them overnight before planting. also be sure to trim off any super long or broken roots.
If you winter mulch your garden beds, begin to remove mulch when forsythia and daffodils bloom.
posted by North Country Maturing Gardener @ 4/02/2008
3 comments
3 Comments:
Reguardless of the type of feeder you choose to use, it is important to make sure the feeder is easy to take apart and clean, because it should be washed frequently. You can even clean the hummingbird feeder by running it through the dishwasher. Since you will be needing to clean the feeder frequently, the fill hole should be large enough for you to reach in while cleaning.
The best way to feed hummingbirds is by using a nectar feeder. There are several things to keep in mind when using nectar feeders. The feeder should not be located in direct sun, as this causes the sugar solution to spoil rapidly. The feeder must be placed high enough on a branch so that squirrels and other predators cannot feed from it. A mixture of sugar and water is the best way to attract humming birds. This blend is as close as you can come to flower nectars. Honey, molasses or any other artificial sweeteners should NEVER be used to feed hummingbirds. Though they eat small insects for protein, hummingbirds also rely heavily on flower and prepared nectar for their energy needs.
It is important to hang your humming bird feeder shortly before spring. If a hummingbird is drawn to the feeder at this time, it will likely return throughout the season, well into fall.
It is important that the hummingbird feeder be clean or the hummingbirds will not feed from your feeder. The feeder should be colorful, preferably red and orange, and it can have red ribbons trailing off the feeder so it can be easily spotted by the humming bird.
Hummingbird feeders come in many different styles and shapes. Each type of hummingbird feeder has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to consider these things when choosing the feeder that best meets your specific needs. You will also want to select a feeder that is easy to clean since you will need to do this frequently. Regardless of the type of hummingbird feeder you select, having one will help attract these birds to your yard and can provide you with many hours of bird watching enjoyment due to the increased number of hummingbirds that will likely be drawn to your yard.
If you would like much more information abouthummingbirds, please click the link below. The site contains many articles about hummingbirds, video clips about hummingbirds, an informative tips booklet on hummingbirds, and much more.
Click Here To Visit About Hummingbirds
Zoe Ann Hinds
Re: Removing Mulch
One might consider not removing mulch under certain circumstances.I garden in raised beds and just let my mulch decompose and return to the soil. My fall planted garlic beds, for example, are heavily mulched with straw which I just plant through after harvesting. After a few years of this approach, one need not even till the soil when planting as it is so friable. Mulch is too valuable a commodity to not use to its fullest.Weed preventer, water conserving, AND soil enhancement.
You are absolutely right!
I don't remove mulch either. This however, says WINTER mulch. If you have piled on mulch to keep those plants protected, it needs to be brought down to a reasonable depth. If I seemed to indicate anything else, I sure didn't mean it. But you thought I did, so others must have seen it that way as well.
Mulch should not be so thick as to smother plants. Take off the excess and dump it into the compost where it can be used another day. Leave the rest, right where it is!
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