- Continue to apply horticultural oil sprays to control insect pests on fruit trees if temperature is over 40°F.
- Sow peas, carrots, radishes, lettuces, and spinach. Plant seedlings of cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli, weather permitting.
- For an instant spring show, fill containers with forced spring bulbs from supermarkets and garden centers.
- Prune back bedraggled looking ground covers and fertilize lightly after April 15.
- Check fruit trees for tent caterpillars; they emerge around the same time as leaves sprout. Blast nests with a strong spray of water to destroy them.
- Remove any remaining last year’s leaves from roses and spread a thin layer of new mulch underneath them to control diseases that may have over-wintered.
- Divide overcrowded summer or fall blooming perennials. Check for insects such as the iris borer and discard any pest or disease ridden plants.
- Place seedlings in cold frames around April 25 or later to harden off before transplanting.
- Prune ornamental grasses and sedums to a height between 6 and 12 inches before new growth starts.
- Sow cool-weather edible greens and lettuces in window boxes or shallow containers that can be brought inside if temperatures dip below freezing.
For more information please contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at ladybug@uconn.edu.