April gardening checklist

April brings shorter days but they are often still warm, so this month is ideal for tidying up and nourishing the garden ready for winter crops. While it still fairly mild, watch out for the transition to winter in the air.

Key gardening tips for April:

• Continue to plant winter vegetable crops.
• Sow seed and plant winter flowering annuals.
• Get spring flowering bulbs in the ground - early April is the last opportunity to do this. If it gets too late consider tulips as they can be planted as the weather cools.
• Landscape your garden. April is the perfect time for this as it’s not too hot or too cold and you can plant trees and shrubs.
• Prune existing hedges and plant new ones.
• Do a final clean-up in the garden before winter sets in.
• Maintain lawns and sow new ones before the weather gets to cold and wet.

What vegetables to plant in April in New Zealand

April is a good time to harvest the last of summer crops, as the weather and soil get colder during April, there won’t be much to harvest in the veggie garden during April. Remember to remove all finished vegetable plants from the garden and put them in the bin rather than digging into the soil.

Preparation for winter vegetables can be done during April. Here are some winter vegetables to plant in April:

• Beetroot
• Broccoli
• Broad Beans
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Onions
• Radish
• Spinach
• Silverbeet
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Leek
• Lettuce
• Spinach

Is It Too Late to Plant Tomatoes in April?

In New Zealand, April is too late to plant tomatoes outdoors, as the cooler autumn weather and shorter daylight hours slow growth and increase the risk of frost damage.

Tomatoes are a warm-season crop that thrive when planted in spring or early summer, giving them enough time to grow and fruit before winter. If you still wish to grow tomatoes in April, you could try planting them in a greenhouse, tunnel house, or under cloches to maintain warmth and extend the growing season.

What flowers to plant in April

In April, sow flower seeds for:

• Alyssum
• Calendula
• Primula
• Polyanthus
• Poppies
• Cineraria
• Cornflower
• Lobelia
• Lupin
• Nemesia

Transplant these flower seedlings to the garden as the weather warms and when they are showing at least two sets of true leaves.

In April, you can also plant flower seedlings for:

• Calendula
• Cineraria
• Nemesia
• Pansies
• Polyanthus
• Poppies
• Primula
• Snapdragon
• Wildflowers
• Sweet peas can also be planted now for winter colour. In warmer areas plant straight into the soil, in cooler regions start in pots or trays.

Best herbs to plant in April

In April, there are several herbs you can plant. Focus on herbs that are cold-tolerant and hardy herbs that can thrive throughout the cold weather. Herbs to plant in April include:

• Parsley: Flat leaf or curly parsley thrive in colder temperatures
• Coriander: Autumn planting helps prevent them from bolting too soon
• Chervil
• Mint
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Chives
• Rocket

What to sow in April for Winter harvest

Vegetables and greens you can sow in April for winter harvesting include:

• Leafy Greens: Spinach, Kale, Asian Greens, Lettuce
• Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts – these will need to be planted in early April.
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Onions
• Radish

Tips & maintaining your lawn & trees in April

• Plant new trees and shrubs as the soil should still be workable and dry enough.
• Prune any evergreen shrubs.
• Give hedges a final trim before winter.
• Continue weed control; don’t spray within five hours of rain though.
• Autumn is a great time to sow new lawn as there is still enough warmth in the sun and a bit of rain to help with the watering.
• Tidy up all dips, hollows and bare patches, re-seed if necessary.
• Apply a lawn fertiliser to all existing lawns, spread evenly and water in.
• Control broadleaf weeds in established lawns with the relevant weed control product.