Gary Crispell NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County
So, I’m thinking that just maybe 7+ inches of rain in March could possibly be considered excessive. Maybe? Hopefully we haven’t borrowed too heavily from April’s showers. It would be a shame to miss the May flowers. The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) is, well…soggy. Lots of green leaves and shoots and some promising buds. The first flower prize goes to a Chinese forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amabile). She opened her dainty little petals in mid-March. These plants are amazing. They bloomed all summer last year, popping up rather randomly and frequently partially hidden by their larger neighbors. She will soon be joined by peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa x ‘Hybrid’) and sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus). After that? A garden full of surprises!
All images from the NC Plant Toolbox. From left to right: Cynoglossum amabile (Image credit: Forest and Kim Starr, CCBY, 2.0); Paeonia suffruticosa (Image credit: Jim Robbins, CCBY-NC 4.0); Dianthus barbatus (Image credit: MiFleur, CCBY-NC, 2.0)
Now let’s head for the garden to plant…cattails, joe-pye weed and river birch trees.
Lawn Care
This is the month to begin fertilizing warm season grasses (Bermuda, zoysia) with a slow release high nitrogen product. These grasses are just breaking dormancy and are they ever hungry. It’s been a long time since October when they went into “hibernation.” If you have a centipede grass lawn it is recommended that you wait mid to late May to give it its annual feeding. Centipede don’t eat much. The window for applying preemergent/crabgrass preventer (You know it prevents more than just crabgrass, right?) is rapidly closing. The window is between the time the forsythia (Forsythia sps.) blooms and the time the dogwood (Cornus florida) is in full bloom. With the climate warming those times have not only come earlier in the year, but they seem to have been compressed. Waiting too late will produce less effective control.
Fertilizing
In addition to what was advocated for lawns (See above) fertilizer can be applied to any shrubs that missed out last month.
Planting
So, since our ever-changing climate has made traditional last frost dates irrelevant, when you plant depends on whether your glass is half full or half empty (not necessarily on what is in it). Half full? Get on with your bad self and start planting. Just keep the crop covers handy in case the half empty people were right. As soon as the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees and is expected to stay that way for 3-5 days it is safe to plant melons, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and corn from seed. Wait on the okra until the last week of the month. Tomato and pepper plants can be transplanted into the garden. Plant more than you need so you can share. It is the most rewarding part of gardening. Warm season grasses can be planted in April. Most of them will need to be sprigged/plugged or sodded as seeding is an arduous and frustrating process where it is even possible. Check out the NCSU Turf Files website (https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/) for excellent and comprehensive grass information for North Carolina.
Pruning
Remove the last of the dead wood from trees and shrubs. Spring flowering shrubs, for example: azaleas (Rhododendron +cultivar name), forsythia (Forsythia sps.), spiraea (Spiraea sps.) and loropetalum (Loropetalum sps.) can be pruned as soon as the flowers fade and before the Fourth of July. Pruning berry-bearing shrubs such as hollies (Ilex sps.) and pyracantha (Pyracantha sps.) while in bloom allows control of the amount of fruiting in the fall. Prune redbuds (Cercis sps.) and flowering cherries (Prunus sps.) as needed for tree health and for aesthetic purposes.
Spraying
Let the battles commence. Lace bugs, leaf miners, scales, and spider mites (all the usual suspects) will begin their summer long assault on all your favorite plantings soon. Re ready. Consider these three things: Identify your enemy (the pest); Use the right pesticide (choose your weapon); Read the label and the manual before you lock and load. Treat iris beds for borers. Treat cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbages, brussels sprouts) for worms. Spray squash plants at the base weekly until June for squash vine borer. They are heart breakers. Spray apples (Malus sps.) and pear (Pyrus sps.) with streptomycin to combat fire blight. Spray once at bud opening (now) and again at full bloom. If rainy weather persists, a third application may be necessary. Begin a weekly spray program for fruit trees as soon as the blossoms begin to drop petals.
Mulch
THIS BLOG SHOULDN’T HAVE TO FIND YOU REASONS TO BE OUTSIDE NOW. However, if you insist. Let’s mulch. Mulch is our friend. Mulch keeps down weeds and helps the soil retain moisture. Mulch looks good. There are many options depending mostly on what fills your sails. There is pine bark in its many iterations. Shredded hardwood may be the most used in this area. Pine straw is attractive and less restrictive to water getting to the soil. Decorative stones are available is a variety of sizes and hues. Wheat straw is great for the vegetable garden.
Weeding
One can always weed. There are going to be weeds. Get over it. They are the third inevitability after death and taxes. Think of weeding as therapy. Let your mind wander. Just don’t pull up the prized
petunias.
Finally, let’s celebrate April in North Carolina. Go for a hike or a stroll through the neighborhood and marvel at the earth’s reawakening. It’s Spring! Creation is being recreated…again. Finish it off with a refreshing beverage (might be cold, might be hot—never can tell in April). Mostly just be joyful in Earth’s abundance.
Have a supremely satisfying Spring, Y’all!
Resources
NC Cooperative Extension. “Carolina Lawns: A Guide to Maintaining Quality Turf in the Landscape”. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/carolina-lawns
NC Cooperative Extension. “A Gardener’s Guide to Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/pdf/a-gardeners-guide-to-fertilizing/2014-09-29/a-gardeners-guide-to-fertilizing-trees-and-shrubs.pdf
NC Cooperative Extension “Weeds”. https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/weeds-in-turf/ This is a list of the most common weeds and it includes pictures and treatment.
NC Cooperative Extension. “General Pruning for Trees and Shrubs”. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/general-pruning-techniques
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