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STREET ADDRESS Durham County 721 Foster St Durham, NC 27701 (919) 560-0525 Phone (919) 560-0530 Fax Map & Mailing Information 
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Gardening Guide for AprilMaster Gardener Office, 919-560-0528Our last frost usually comes around mid-April, though sometimes we have late frosts in May. Stay out of the garden when the soil is wet! Working in or walking on wet clay soil compacts the soil, decreasing the pore spaces available to hold oxygen. Neither gardeners nor their plants can survive without oxygen. In addition, working around wet plants (including turfgrass) is a good way to spread fungal diseases. Take a handful of soil from 4-5" below the surface and squeeze it in your fist. If it crumbles, the soil is workable. If it holds its shape, it needs to dry out for a few more days. LAWN CARE Save your grass clippings. Clippings can composted (they're a great nitrogen source), or sprinkled onto flower beds as long as they're not allowed to mat together. Or, simply leave them on the lawn and save 25% on your fertilizer needs for the year. TREES & SHRUBS Don't overfeed azaleas and camellias. These shallow-rooted plants are not heavy feeders, and can even be damaged by over-fertilizing. Usually they can obtain sufficient nutrients from a decaying layer of mulch. If fertilizer is indicated, use a slow-release balanced fertilizer immediately after blooming. Apply it around the drip line of the shrub, according to label directions. Special fertilizers for 'acid-loving plants' are not necessary; our soils are sufficiently acid naturally. Watch for black spot and powdery mildew on roses, common problems in our humid climate. Although these diseases make the foliage look bad, the plants generally do well anyway. With determination, it is possible to control these diseases: apply a fungicide spray every 7-10 days from the onset of new growth until frost. Watch for lace bugs on azaleas. Lace bugs are the most common insect pest on azaleas. Look for whitish, stippled leaves with shiny dark flecks on the undersides of the leaves. Lace bugs can be controlled by several means, but the most effective control is a systemic insecticide. Whichever method you choose, follow the instructions on the label, and be sure that the spray reaches all parts of the leaves and stems, including the undersides of leaves. Repeated applications may be necessary. Control fireblight on apple and pear trees (including ornamental varieties). Affected branches look like they've been burned with a blowtorch. Control this bacterial disease by pruning diseased limbs back to healthy wood. Be careful not to let infected foliage touch healthy foliage (yes, it's that contagious), and disinfect tools between cuts to avoid spreading the disease. ORNAMENTALS Let spring bulbs die down naturally. Remove flower heads after the petals fade, and allow the foliage to die down naturally. Do not fold, twist or braid foliage. Once the foliage falls over, it can be removed or tucked under other foliage. Leafy companion plants can hide yellowing bulb foliage. Tender bulbs such as ranunculus and anemone can be dug and stored when their foliage begins to yellow. Prepare new flower beds by loosening and amending the soil. All plants perform better when their roots can spread in loose, organic soil. Till the soil and incorporate organic matter, lime and fertilizer. "Crown" the finished bed so that excess water will drain off. Plant perennials now so they can become established before hot weather sets in. LANDSCAPE IDEA Consider alternatives to the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), which is lovely and fragrant, but prefers cooler climes than ours, and dislikes our sticky acid soil. Instead, try the Persian lilac (Syringa × persica), Korean or Manchurian lilac (Syringa patula, previously S.velutina, 'Miss Kim'), or the Cut-leaf Lilac (Syringa laciniata). HOUSEPLANTS Gradually introduce houseplants to the out-of-doors for their summer "vacation." Give them partial shade at first; experiment to see which of them can handle sun. Even sun-lovers will need a few days in the shade, to get used to the intensity of sunlight, before going out onto a sunny patio. Remember to bring them back inside if a late frost threatens.
PUBLICATIONS FOR APRIL |
