Ten Tips for the April Gardener

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• Prune old, leggy growth from heather (which flowers on new growth in late summer) but prune heath (which sets its flower buds in late spring) just enough to shape it in the early spring.
• Start dahlia tubers in pots indoors in a cool spot. Pinch back tips when they reach 6” and transplant outdoors when the ground temperature reaches 60°F.
• Inspect houseplants for pests and use low-toxicity insecticidal controls as needed.
• Place seedlings in cold frames around April 25 or later to harden off.
• Continue to directly sow​ ​peas, ​carrots, ​radishes, ​lettuces, ​and​ ​spinach every two weeks through mid-May for staggered harvests.
• Spread​ ​fertilizer​ ​under​ ​apple​ ​trees​ ​and​ ​small​ ​fruits​ ​except​ ​strawberries​ ​which​ ​are​ ​fertilized​ ​in late​ ​August.
• Apply pre-emergent crabgrass weed control when the forsythia bloom.
• Early spring is a great time to spot spray or hand-dig dandelions. If spraying, choose a product that won’t kill grass. If digging, wait until after a rain, when soil is soft.
• Celebrate​ ​Arbor​ ​Day​ ​on​ ​April​ ​26th​ ​by​ ​planting​ ​a​ ​tree. Choose planting sites based on exposure to sun, shade, wind and distance from water source.
• Check for raised mole tunnels in the yard and plan to put down a grub control product as necessary (the presence of moles does not mean there is a grub problem) between mid-June and mid-July.

For more information contact the UConn Home and Garden Education Center.