Following are some garden activities that may be appropriate in Central North Carolina during the month of
April
Annual & Perennial Flowers
Plant Perennials
Dig and divide perennials that bloom in late summer or fall. Actually you can divide most perennials about anytime. But spring is an
ideal time for those late season bloomers.
Recovery is quicker if plants are well watered before planting. Water after planting to ensure good root-to-soil contact.
Watch as new growth begins, and water on an as-needed basis.
Plant summer annuals.
But wait until after the "last" frost.
(
Average Last Frost varies widely across the county and is affected by elevation, exposure, soil type, and other considerations.
Average date at the Siler City airport is April 26, plus or minus 12 days!) Your winter annuals may still look fine and could hold up
for another month. If so fine. If they look like they have seen their best days, pull them out and prepare for summer color. No rush
on this one. May is plenty early for most summer bedding plants.
Routine Chores
Walk around the lawn and gardens
at least weekly to monitor plants for problems during the growing seasons.
Regular monitoring allows you to develop a sense of how plants look. Then if there is a problem, you’re more likely to notice it early.
Early detection allows control before damage is severe and the plant unsightly. Take your favorite beverage in one hand, pruners in the other and unwind.
Mulch can help suppress weeds as well as reducing moisture loss.
Mulch helps reduce cold injury to shallow roots. It allows the soil to cool gradually in the fall, moderates extreme cold temperatures,
allows warming gradually in spring, and moderates extremes of heat in summer.
If you had mulch piled up around the crowns of tender plants such as roses or bananas, it's time now to rake it away as new growth begins.
Conserve water
Water conservation is good for plants. Extension Agents typically see more injury from excessive watering than from infrequent watering.
Recent plantings will need more frequent attention than established plants. But in all cases, hold off on watering until you have confirmed that the plant needs more water.
Soil testing can be done at any time of year.
Boxes and forms are available at your
County Extension Office. This is a busy season for the Agronomic Lab. Check their website for
Estimated Processing Time.
The turnaround time will probably be several weeks. Get samples in as soon as possible for timely reports.
For quickest action get them directly to Raleigh yourself rather than leaving them at any local collection point where they may sit for days or weeks.
You can mail them to the address on the form or deliver them to
the lab in Raleigh. From the State Fairgrounds, go north on
Blue Ridge Road. When you see the Art Museum on the right, turn left on Reedy Creek. The lab is about 1/2 mile down
Reedy Creek Rd. on the right.
Things to Watch For
Fire ants
With warmer weather fire ants will begin foraging again. Watch for mounds that look like they have been renovated with fresh soil. If
they are in areas likely to cause problems of people contact, drop a potato chip or piece of hot dog a foot or two from the mound in the afternoon.
If they are actively foraging, you'll find them feeding on the "bait" in less than an hour. If they are taking the bait, it's a good time to
bait them with an appropriate fire ant bait. Be sure to select a product suitable for use on the site. Read the directions and follow them
exactly. And be patient. Slow control is most long lasting. The strategy is more important than the product. Use baits on warm afternoons when
the ants are actively foraging. Avoid use under damp conditions. Keep the bait fresh and in an airtight container.
Watch for
Leaf gall of azalea and Camellia.
These galls consist of thick fleshy tissue that is pale compared to normal leaves. It is more alarming than serious. Pruning and removing
infected stems is generally the most effective control strategy. You may find more of it depending on the spring weather. But it's
not a serious threat to the plants.
Watch for
Fire blight
on any members of the rose family but especially on pears, apples, and crabapples. The fire blight bacterium is often introduced by
pollinating insects. Some years it's worse than others, somewhat affected by the weather during pollination. Affected shoots will first
appear water soaked followed by wilting. Eventually the leaves turn brown or black and remain on the stem. The bacterium continues to
grow down the stem if not removed. Prune at least a foot below any sign of injury. Sterilize pruners with a solution of 1 part household
bleach to 9 parts water between cuts. Continue to monitor the plant for further signs of disease and prune as needed. There is no product
that can cure these infected stems, which will get worse if left unattended.
Watch for
Aphids
These tiny insects (sometimes called plant lice) tend to congregate on the young new growth of plants in spring. The insects may be
white, green, pink, red, brown, or black. They move slowly or not at all, content to sit there sucking juices out of your plants.
Sometimes affected plant cells die causing plant parts to develop a
distorted appearance. Aphids ingest more plant sugars than they can process and their excretions, known as honey dew, serve as a
substrate for
sooty mold. This black coating interferes with photosynthesis but does not harm the plant otherwise. To control sooty mold requires
control of the aphid or other insect providing the substrate. Aphids have many natural enemies. If they are numerous, they can also
be controlled with a wide range of comparitively low hazard insecticides such as insecticidal soaps.
