April showers bring May flowers! Yes, Cape Cod gardening in the spring comes with its own climate challenges, but all the more reason to be prepared. April is the ideal time to begin planting and gardening, so here at Agway we have created an April gardening checklist to help get your garden growing in the right direction!
Check Your Patience
The first thing to cultivate … is patience. The unpredictable weather on the Cape makes it a painstaking process to know when the soil and temperatures are just right for planting. With patience comes understanding of the entire gardening process. Learn as much as you can from trusted resources like The Farmer’s Almanac, friends, neighbors, and from your own ventures. This can help ensure a healthy attitude and successful garden.
Cultivate Your Soil
Next on the checklist is to test your soil. A good foundation is essential for any garden, so you want to make sure the soil is soft enough to work with and that the pH balance is suitable for the plants you’re trying to grow. If you’re unsure of how to properly test your soil, stop at any Agway Garden Center for expert advice. You can bring a sample of your soil to Cape Cod Cooperative Extension’s NEW location at 1358 Route 28, South Yarmouth.
Wake Up Those Roses
April is the perfect time to wake your roses up from their winter hibernation. Clear away any foliage surrounding the crown of the rose as soon as you see leaves popping out. We suggest feeding them monthly from April to September with an organic fertilizer with bio-tone such as Espoma Rose-tone for beautiful and vibrant blooms.
Tend To Trees, Shrubs and Flower Bulbs
Pruning and preparing your trees and shrubs are important tasks that should be done as early as possible, so get to work! Deadhead any spring bulbs, but avoid cutting away any green foliage. Applying fertilizer to your trees and shrubs will also help them thrive throughout the season.
Start Planting!
Now is the perfect time to start planting your vegetables and flowers! Root crops such as onions, potatoes, parsnips, and carrots, are great to get in the ground at this time. If you want to get an early start on your tomatoes, nurture the seeds indoors and then you’ll be ready to plant them outside next month. Hydrangeas, roses, rhododendrons, and azaleas are also a great addition to a Cape Cod garden. Stop in to Agway to find your favorites!
Remember to savor the sunshine and bask in the glorious spring weather of Cape Cod! We look forward to seeing you soon at Agway this season.
Click here to see what’s new in our Garden Center this week!