April 2006

April showers bring May flowers. Now as we patiently wait for the warmer weather of spring to arrive, there are lots of garden tasks that we can work start.

April is a great time to have the soil in your garden tested. This is done to test the PH - its alkalinity or acidity. The soil in Connecticut tends to be more acid than alkaline and lime is added periodically to areas where you have planted or want to put plants that are not acid loving. A soil test will tell you how much nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and micro nutrients your soil contains and what need to be modified. You can do this by bringing or sending a soil sample in a zip lock plastic bag to the CT Experimental Station which is located at 123 Huntington Avenue, New Haven CT 06511.(Telephone 203-974-8500) This test is free. The Cooperative Extension Center in Haddam also tests soil for a fee. Kits are available from that office on Saybrook Road 860-345-4511. There are also DIY kits that you can purchase at better garden centers, like Running Brook here in Killingworth..

You should be continuing to weed as those nasty little weeds start to wake up. Remember....it is best never to throw your weeds in your compost pile ! You don't want those weed seeds in your compost. You can also continue pruning, but remember that for early flowering shrubs you may be sacrificing some of the blooms.

Get your birds feeders ready for the rush. You will be able to attract some interesting birds as they pass through on their migration north. You can even put out you humming bird feeders. Humming birds are spotted in Killingworth as early as April 15th!

If you have mulched for the winter pull the mulch away from the crowns of your emerging perennials and bulbs. But we still may have some cold weather, so leave the mulch or compost on your more tender plants. This year we had little snow accumulation in our town. Did you know that snow is good winter insulation and protects plants during severe cold weather? Remember to keep tender plants protected as we could still have some very cold weather.

If you haven't already, you should start your seeds indoors. Remember that in Killingworth we can still have a frost as last as May 15th so you will want to keep tender seedlings inside until then. (Unless you have cloches to cover them on cold nights.)

Any perennials that you did not cut back in the fall should now have all of last season's dead growth removed. You want to get this done before the new growth gets too far along. Beware that certain plants like clematis and hydrangea have several varieties. Some like to be cut all the way back and some just want the dead ends removed. For best results you should ascertain which kind you have before you cut!

As some of your early spring bulbs begin to finish (like snow drops and daffodils) this is a perfect time to start to divide and move them. With the foliage still there, it is easier to see where to place them and see how they will look next spring. You can even do this with them in full bloom. If you have had lots of foliage but no flowers on your daffodils, it may just be that they are too crowded and just need to be divided.

If you haven't been making lists all winter - now is the time to make you garden plant shopping list – and don't forget to mark your calendars for Saturday May 13th for the Killingworth Evergreen Garden Club's annual Plant Sale!

Happy Gardening