Now is the time to plant cool-season crops, fertilize trees and shrubs, prune spring bloomers after flowering, and keep an eye out for early pests as the growing season kicks into full gear. Read on for more timely gardening tips!

Plant Doctor Quips

Nick Macaluso, Plant Doctor at our Pyramid Way store, explains, “April is a great time to reseed your lawn. The key to starting a lawn from seed is patience and a good base. I would suggest rototilling the ground and mixing in some of G&B’s Planting Mix to add some nutrients. Make sure to pick a grass seed that fits the growing conditions you have in your yard. If your yard gets sun all day long it is important to get seed that can handle that amount of sun, the same goes for a densely shaded yard. The next step is to evenly spread your grass seed in the desired area, to ensure your new lawn looks uniform. After the seed has been sown, a thin layer of soil should be thrown onto the seed to prevent drying out. The seed should be watered daily, this will trigger the seeds to germinate. It is important to make sure the seed stays wet without keeping the area soggy. Water it for 5 minutes twice a day for the first week or two. After two weeks you can cut back the watering to every other day and eventually ween it off to your normal watering days. If you have any questions about seeding a lawn come in and see us.“

Steve Packer, Plant Doctor at our S. Virginia store, says, “Tomato cages are a useful garden tool not just for supporting tomatoes but for other garden vegetables or flowers. When planting peas, pole beans or cucumbers put a tomato cage down first and plant seeds around outside of cage, then direct the new growth up and around cage. When Peonies start coming out of the ground, place a tomato cage over the top of the new growth to support the future top, heavy flowers.”

Jeni Ware, Plant Doctor at our S. Virginia store, says, “April is a great time to plant new fruit trees. Peaches, apricots, and nectarines will self-pollinate. If you are interested in apple, pear or cherries, make sure to get with one of our sales team to confirm that you’ll have the right pollinator set for your fruiting orchard. We do carry ‘combo’ trees in apple and cherry which are one tree that has typically 4 different kinds of apple or cherry grafted on to pollinate each other. Espalier pear and apple trees will produce for you and are grown horizontally for easy pruning and maintenance/insect care.“

Emily Middleton, Plant Doctor at our Moana Lane store, explains, “You may have been noticing your peonies starting to awaken for the spring; they can be easily spotted by their new red shoots coming up from the ground. To give them the best blooms, choose a high phosphorus fertilizer that will prioritize root development and flower production. Peonies are a garden staple that can provide showstopping blooms and make a great cut flower as well! If you notice ants in your peony blossoms, there is no need to worry as these two species have a mutualistic relationship. The nectar made by peonies is very high in sugar content to attract ants to its blossoms, and in turn for this sweet reward the ants will protect the flowers from pests such as thrips and aphids. Peonies do not require ants to open their blossoms: this is a common gardening myth. However, life is better for the peonies when ants are around, and the ants in turn get a springtime treat! Just make sure you check your flowers before you bring them inside if you wish to make an arrangement with them… there could be ants tucked in between layers of petals!“

Josh Cruz, Plant Doctor at our Pyramid Way store, explains, “April is the ideal time for pruning roses, “right after tax day” as they say! Pruning roses is essential for optimizing their appearance and maintaining the health of the more pest/disease prone varieties. The desired shape depends on the type of rose; hybrid teas can be pruned leaving fewer but larger canes, shrub roses can be lightly pruned to keep their shape without reducing height, and climbing roses can be pruned to shorten lateral shoots allowing the main canes to be trained horizontally instead. Focus on cutting back black/brown canes to portions with healthy white and green pith. Make your cuts about a quarter inch above outward facing buds to prevent inward growth. Use sharp, clean bypass pruners and long cuffed gloves to protect from thorns. Remember to only prune off up to a third of the plant’s size each year and you’ll have healthier, more attractive roses!“

Jacob Burgess, from our Moana Lane location explains, “April is a wonderful time in the garden. The temperature is starting to warm, allowing early spring blooms to start popping up. This warmth will also increase insect activity within the garden. Most insects that you are going to be seeing are beneficial such as bees, hawkmoths, butterflies, and lady beetles. Along with the beneficial insects, you may also see invaders of pest species. Insects such as aphids, scales, and leafrollers are going to start slowly invading your garden. It’s imperative to try and take some time looking through your plants for these insects. If you do find some of these pest species in your garden, we carry a variety of products to combat them. Use Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew, to combat mites and pest caterpillars. I also recommend using insecticidal soap on any plants that may have aphids. We have many different products geared towards a variety of insect issues you may face in your garden. If you need help determining the right product, bring in some pictures or a sample in a closed container and we will make sure to show you what you can use to combat those pests.“

Bird Nerd, Annemarie Tillotson explains, “It’s breeding season for many visiting and local birds. Yellow Rumped Warblers, Northern Flickers, and Mountain Chickadees are all at the beginning of their breeding seasons. Raptors, which began their nesting journey far earlier, will begin to appear with young soon. To protect these baby birds and give them the best chance of reaching adulthood, offer loose food (Bark Butter, seeds, or mealworms) within sight of a dense tree or shrub. Young birds are especially susceptible to being caught by birds of prey, so offering easy to grab food or planting trees/shrubs around the yard is a great way to offer them protection at their most vulnerable.“

April
Moana Nursery High Desert Gardening
Timely Tips

  • Turn on your irrigation system and inspect for leaks, broken/clogged heads, coverage, and other problems. 
  • Release beneficial nematodes when nighttime temperatures are above 45 degrees for control of soil dwelling pests such as root weevils. Ladybugs, praying mantids & lacewings can be released at the same time to control a wide range of garden pests.
  • Start a new lawn from seed or repair an existing lawn; cover seed with G&B Organics Planting Mix and use Bird B Gone Flash Tape to protect from birds. Moana recommends Jonathan Green Black Beauty Grass Seed.
  • Core aerate manually with a Coring Aerator, then fertilize your lawn if you haven’t yet done so. Use G&B Organics Lawn Fertilizer. If you have weed problems, use Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper.
  • Install Mason Bee tubesin a morning sun location to help with pollination of fruit trees.
  • Moana recommends Bonide Weed Beater Ultra for superior performance in cool weather on broadleaf weeds – i.e., dandelions, wild mustard and more.
  • Prepare planting beds by cleaning up debris and incorporating three inches of organic matter, like G&B Organics Soil Building Conditioner or G&B Organics Purely Compost into the soil. Mulch existing plantings with 2-4” of compost as well.
  • Continue watering trees, shrubs, lawns, perennials, and containers.
  • Moana recommends Barenburg White Clover as an excellent ground cover for gardens and lawns, as it helps improve soil health by fixing nitrogen. When planting white clover seeds, make sure to sow them in early spring or fall for optimal germination. Lightly rake the soil to create a fine seedbed, then sprinkle the seeds evenly over the area. For best results, lightly press the seeds into the soil by walking over the area or using a roller. White clover thrives in well-drained soil and moderate sun, but it can tolerate some shade. Water the seeds regularly, but avoid soaking them too much, as they prefer a slightly drier environment once established. 
  • Continue planting fruit trees – pear, apple, peach, cherry, nectarine, apricot & plum.
  • Use Codling Moth Traps, according to directions, to determine when and how often to treat pear and apple trees with Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew. 
  • Feed fruit trees with a balanced fertilizer like G&B Organics Fruit, Citrus & Berry Fertilizer.
  • Feed trees and shrubs that have been planted more than a year with G&B Organics Paradise Fertilizer, a time-release pelletized toss & go fertilizer with beneficial mycorrhizae.
  • Moana recommends Fertilome Tree & Shrub Drench if insects have been a problem in the past. Please always follow all label directions when using pesticides.
  • Inspect trees and shrubs for insect and disease problems; treat immediately with appropriate products.
  • Prune spring flowering trees and shrubs immediately after they have bloomed.
  • Continue planting dormant roses.
  • Remove tree stakes and ties from trees & shrubs planted a year ago or longer. 
  • Water is the best way to attract birds and wildlife to your yard and increase the chances of spotting an unusual migrant visitor at your feeder station. Consider adding a birdbath to your garden. 
  • Continue to supply fresh water and change it every 5 days to keep it clean. To prevent the chance of disease, clean birdbath weekly with a weak bleach solution and rinse well.
  • If you have a water feature, turn it on as soon as the weather permits.
  • Reduce window strikes and potentially harmful territorial behavior of birds at windows with UV window decals.
  • April is a nest building month; place nesting materials out for them now and consider a Wild Birds Unlimited birdhouse for wrens, bluebirds, or woodpeckers if they are visiting your yard.
  • Nesting boxes can supply shelter for some nesting birds; doves and robins are quite likely to use a fabricated nesting shelf.
  • Help celebrate Earth Day by installing an eco-friendly bird feeder or nest box made from recycled milk jugs.
  • Install a customized Wild Birds Unlimited bird feeding station where you can easily watch the birds it attracts. To make your station especially attractive, plant bird-friendly flowers and shrubs nearby.
  • Provide Mealworms to attract nesting birds to your yard and for the feeding of new nestlings.
  • Offer WBU Nesting SuperBlend®, Mealworms, WBU Bark Butter Bits®, Bugs & Bits®, Peanut Butter n’Jelly® Suet Dough or WBU Bark Butter® to provide the extra calcium needed during nesting season. Bark Butter® products are popular with parent birds and nestlings alike!
  • Consider adding Bugberry Blend to your feeders as an attractive treat for fruit and insect eating birds.
  • Hummingbirds are HERE! Get those hummingbird feeders out in order to take care of new visitors. Change nectar at least weekly until they begin feeding regularly when you’ll frequently have to refill! Orioles will follow soon – be ready with oranges, grape jelly and sugar water
  • Our Seasonal Color Team can help you with custom containers, annual planting beds or a simple refresh of your existing garden. Schedule a free consultation today!
  • Need help with your indoor plants? Contact our Interior Plant Services team. They can help you design, install, and maintain your indoor plants! Want a WOW plant presentation? Ask about installing a LIVING PLANT WALL! Examples of plant walls are available to see at both our Moana Lane and Pyramid Way locations.
  • Our expert Plant Doctors can help you with your high desert gardening;
    • Diagnose disease & insect problems on trees, shrubs & lawns;
    • Identify existing plants in your landscape and how to care for them;
    • Provide plant placement for DIY customers;
    • Provide a yard in review assessment of your landscape;
    • Stop by any location to ask questions or email plantdoctor@moananursery.com.