April Gardening in Falls County
It’s April and gardeners of Falls County can focus on planting warm-season vegetables, watering, managing pests, and applying mulch.
But first, what or who is a gardener? The Oxford dictionary describes a gardener as a person who tends and cultivates a garden as a pastime or for a living. What is most delightful is that a gardener can be of any size, gender, and age! Young persons and older folk, and every age in between, can enjoy “digging in the soil.”
Gardening is “nature therapy,” helping people breathe fresh air and reduce anxiety. It promotes mindfulness in a calming, peaceful, and healing environment.
There is immense satisfaction in planting a seed and watching it grow. This fosters a sense of pride and accomplishment, as the process teaches patience, faith, and hope.
Gardeners can bask amongst the vibrant colors, varied textures, and pleasant aromas of plants. Gardening acts as a creative outlet, allowing for personal expression in design and plant selection.
There is joy in supporting biodiversity, that is, attracting pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds, and caring for creatures like birds and frogs. Gardening results are tangible. Workixng with the soil makes one feel grounded. Seeing a blooming flower or a harvested vegetable is delightfully rewarding.
It’s April and in Falls County, beans (bush/pole), cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, okra, southern peas, squash, and watermelon can all be sown directly in the soil. Transplant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.
Take time to plant herbs. Plant basil, lemon grass, and dill grow very well in containers.
In sowing vegetable seeds, use succession planting. Sow new seeds every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest.
April is a perfect time to plant seeds for zinnias, marigolds, salvia, and sunflowers, too!
Feed perennials and roses with fertilizer in April.
April will mean increased maintenance & care. Mulch garden beds. Apply 2–3 inches of mulch (like shredded hardwood) to beds to keep roots cool and conserve moisture.. Prune springblooming shrubs, such as azaleas, forsythia, after their flowers fade. Cutting the old and fading blooms encourages the production of new ones. This can be a muchloved task for many gardeners. There is something about taking out the old and bringing in the new that is especially satisfying.
In Falls County the windy and dry days mean monitoring water needs closely, especially for new plants. Water, usually around 1 inch of water per week, in the early morning (sunrise to 10:00 AM) to reduce evaporation and prevent fungal diseases. Newly planted/transplants require more frequent, daily watering for the first two weeks to establish roots. Raised beds or containers often need more frequent watering than ground gardens, potentially daily in hot weather. Avoid evening watering. It can lead to excessive moisture on leaves, encouraging diseases.
And then there is pest control. Look for aphids, squash bugs, and cucumber beetles, tomato hornworms, tiny aphids and spider mites. More on this next week.
In April, regular mowing and fertilizing of warm-season lawns begins. Be certain to mow before any weeds have a chance to go to seed. This is also a great time to lay sod for warm-season grasses. Sod laid in April will have time to establish good roots before the summer heat.
April is also a good time to fertilize your lawn. The grass, which is actively growing now, is able to take up the fertilizer. Granular fertilizers tend to be more economical than liquid ones, with less risk of burning the grass.
In April, indoor gardeners in Falls County, TX, can start additional warm-season seeds like tomatoes, peppers, okra, and eggplant under grow lights to prepare for late spring planting Also, take time to fertilize container plants, clean houseplants, manage pests, and bring blooming shrubs indoors for decoration.
Next week: Pest control in your garden. Until then, share seeds and seedlings with your fellow gardeners! While putting in your garden this month, why not ask your friends what they are planting this year? Share notes, along with seeds and plants. Maybe leave some space in your garden for experimental new plants that fellow gardeners may give. Don’t have any friends who garden? Look to a local garden club or school horticulture class and meet other gardeners. Gardeners love to share!