AprilEdition

April Garden Tips
By: Howard Galin / Happy Gardening
As April arrives, we now see our gardens
growing “full-time” producing an
abundance of leaves and flowers. We will
also observe the first stages of fruit and vegetable developing
in preparation for an abundant harvest later this year!
Keep in mind when planting any fruits and vegetables,
that they must have a location that provides at least 6-8
hours of daily sunlight for your harvest to mature and ripen.
So, plan before you plant!
April is ideal to add new additions to your garden since temperatures
are moderate and the sun is not intense. This permits plants to develop
strong growing systems needed to survive the hotter months ahead.
Ensure that your soil is properly aerated so that oxygen reaches the
roots and there is good water drainage. Check that you drip emitters
are strategically placed and functioning.
Set your irrigation schedules properly having your morning sessions
begin at 7:00 am so that water does not remain on your plantings
during the hottest time of the day. Droplets magnify the sun’s rays
causing leaf and flower burns!
Evening irrigation should take place at dusk to prevent surface
water from remaining on the ground at night. This will inhibit insect,
root rot, and fungus damage.
Fertilize your plants bi-weekly through mid-June. This will
encourage strong roots and leaf growth. It will also replenish soil
nutrients used up during plant growth.
Flowers, fruits and vegetables should be treated with a
high phosphorous level fertilizer, while green bushes should
be treated with high nitrogen level. Roses will also benefit
from treatments of Epsom Salt solutions (magnesium
sulfate) to encourage abundant flowering.
In addition, several treatments of bone meal will increase the
calcium levels in the soil helping cactus, yucca and agaves to grow.
Postpone fertilizing palms until mid-May since their roots do not
absorb nutrients until the temperature of soil reaches 70 F or above.
Excluding palms, stop fertilizing your landscape from Mid-June
until Labor Day. This will restrict new growth that can be sun/heat
damaged during the hottest summer months.
Have any questions? Contact me at: Theplantwhisperer28@gmail.
com
Howard Galin, a/k/a: “The Plant Whisperer” is a retired NYC
school administrator, transplanted in Las Vegas who devotes his
time to communicating with and lecturing about our native
plants.
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April 2022