Gardening – What to do in April

Our trusty friends at Starke Ayres, West Coast Village have a couple of gardening tips to look out for in April.

• Easter symbolizes rebirth and hope, so having blooming plants indoors or giving them as gifts echoes the spirit of the season. Our indoor plant areas boasts with a wide selection from Anthuriums, Chrysanthemums, Bromeliads, Curcuma, Phalaenopsis and the ever poplular African Violet.

• Plant winter bulbs from April to May for a spring show. From the fragrant Freesias to the ever showy Dafodils, Ranunculus, Dutch Iris and Anemone. Bulbs are available now.

• Winter flowering seedlings that can delight all gardens are Dwarf Dahlias, Fragrant Stocks, taller delicate Queen Anne’s Lace and for the shade colourful Cineraria or Primulas.

• Ants are very busy now and can be controlled by a sprinkle of Ant bait or using an Efekto Antrap where they take the bait into their nest or for ease of use the Kombat Ants RTU ( Ready to use) refillable hand applicator which you can apply around window or door frames to keep them out or onto their trails to reduce their numbers.

• Feed citrus trees with Magnesium Sulphate and a healthy dose of Talborne 3:1:5. Signs of the leaves turning yellow is normally diagnosed as a lack of Micro-elements. Apply Trelmix either as a foliar feed or soil drench to plants to correct the imbalance.

• It’s a great time to refresh your hanging baskets to cheer up your winter patio by planting your favourite Pansy or Viola. Apply Starke Ayres Plantfood 3 :1:6 (46) monthly to ensure maximum blooms. Succulent enthusiasts can also experiment by planting up waterwise hanging baskets.

• Keep feeding container plants with Nutrifeed, Nitrosol or Sea Secret to give them a boost before winter. Feed non owering indoor plants with Starke Ayres Nutrisol to promote healthy leaf growth.

• Start reviving your lawn by removing all dead leaves and applying a thin layer of Lawn Dressing. Plan for those moments when we get that occasional rain and have your organic 2:3:2 ready. Feeding before winter will strengthen the roots and will promote root growth during autumn.

• How about planting some winter veggies like broccoli, broad beans, peas, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, onions and turnips.

• Feed azaleas, camellias, bushes and indigenous plants with Starke Ayres 3:1:5 . Add some Acid mix to the soil to keep the soil slightly acidic and to help retain moisture and keep the roots cool.

• April is normally the start of the onslaught of snails. Snails love the youngest, tender leaves on your new plantings, so remember to scatter some Organic Ferramol Snail pellets around your vegetable seedlings.

• Make sure that birds return to your garden by developing a specific area within the garden as a
 feeding station. Be consistent – replace your feeders regularly. Birds get to know your routine and will visit in the
early morning or afternoon to enjoy their favourite snack or nectar treat.