Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

April gardening plans

March 28, 2009

So far this spring, we have had pretty good weather and it should be here to stay. Just incase you are looking for an excuse to be outdoors here are some ideas for things to do.

  • If you fertilized your lawn last month great but, if not, fertilize now.
  • Don’t overwater your lawn just because it is warm out. Let your St. Augustine lawn tell you when it’s time to water. When a section of the lawn has folded leaf blades and a bluish-green color then its time to apply ¾ of an inch of water.
  • Seed, plug, or sod to fill in the bare areas of the lawn.
  • If you haven’t done so already, sharpen your mower blades because you’re going to be using them a lot in the months ahead.
  • Remember, start mowing weekly once the grass starts growing fast.
  • Prune azaleas and gardenias (if needed) after they have stopped blooming. Do not prune after June or this will result in the removal of flower buds for next spring.
  • If you are growing hybrid roses and have to battle black spot try something different this year. Instead of spraying a fungicide every week, why not try a foliar spray of liquid seaweed. Fungicides only suppress the fungus whereas liquid seaweed provides all of the minor elements plus growth hormones and can help your plants stay healthy.
  • The continual removal of the faded blooms of annual plants, called dead heading, will improve their appearance, encourage more blooms, and lengthen the life of the plant. Examples of annuals which benefit from deadheading include red salvia, zinnias, coleus, lisianthus, marigolds, celosia and gomphrena.
  • Finish your spring fertilization of fruit trees.
  • Vegetables that can be planted in April include beans (bush, pole & lima), cantaloupes, okra, sweet potatoes, Southern peas, calabaza, chayote, yard-long beans and other tropical crops.
  • Okra and southern peas can be started from seed now and planted in the garden in May.
  • f you’re interested in adding some flowers to your landscape here are some plants that can handle full sun through the summer: floss flower (Ageratum), amaranth, asters, wax begonia, vinca (or periwinkle), celosia, coleus, cosmos, dahlia, dahlberg daisy, lisianthus, gallardia, gazania, gerber daisy, kalanchoe, sunflowers, gomphrena, melampodium, lobelia, portulaca, blue salvia, red salvia, dusty miller, marigolds, and zinnias.
  • If you want to plant some flowers in shady areas here are some to choose from: non-stop and tuberous begonias, caladium, coleus, firecracker flower (Crossandra), impatiens, and geraniums.
  • Spring is a wonderful time to plant new trees and shrubs. Just remember a few pointers: don’t dig the hole deeper then the root ball, plant so that the top of the root ball is at the same level as the surrounding soil, do not add fertilizer to the planting hole and water the newly planted tree or shrub daily (if the soil is well-draining) until the plant begins new growth.
  • In the herb garden you can plant basil, chives, garlic chives, dill, borage, pineapple sage, Mexican oregano, fennel, Mexican tarragon, oregano, mint, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram and thyme.
  • Add new mulch to areas where it has thinned out. Aim for it to be three to four inches thick around all plants - including citrus! Just make sure to keep the mulch at least six inches away from the trunk of citrus trees!
  • Here is a list of some of the fresh produce that could be available at produce stands or Farmer’s Markets in April: blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, endive/escarole, grapefruit, honeydew, kumquat, mamey sapote, oranges, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, tangerines & tangelos, tomatoes and watermelon.