Jobs to do in the Garden in April

– Continue weeding to keep on top of them before they really start to take hold. This will really benefit you later down the line and save time in future months. If you have weeds growing in paving and between patio slabs or driveways, apply a root killing weed killer to eradicate them.

– Feed roses with a balanced fertiliser – they are a greedy plant and will really benefit from continued feeding.

– Keep feeding raspberry canes and fruit bushes and trees with a high nitrogen feed such as fish blood and bone or chicken manure – fork in gently around their base, being careful not to touch the trunks or branches.

– To discourage a cabbage root fly egg infestation, place cabbage and brassica collars around the stems of growing brassicas.

– Sow early peas, summer lettuce and cauliflower directly outside but cover with frost fleece until the weather has warmed up sufficiently.

– If you have patio plants, make sure that during any dry spells of warmer weather, they aren’t drying out. If you are potting up any new patio plants, add some perlite or water retaining crystals to your compost to improve water retention.

– Top dress any existing patio plants with a layer of fresh compost and a slow-release fertiliser.

– Start planting up your hanging baskets with bedding plants ready for summer now but keep indoors until after the last frost.

– Place summer bedding and tender vegetable plants grown indoors outside on dry, mild still days to harden off but bring inside at night and keep inside if the weather is unkind.

– If a late frost is forecast, ensure you have a sufficient amount of frost fleece to protect any young plants.

– Thoroughly clean your greenhouse with hot soapy water to get rid of any over wintering pests or diseases as well as letting in more light.

– Climbing plants like honeysuckle, climbing roses and clematis will be putting on new growth now so will need tying in and training against supports.

– Check tree supports, stakes and ties to make sure they aren’t too tight or cutting into the trunk. Loosen off if required.

– Resume feeding houseplants once a week with a specific liquid houseplant fertiliser, right through until autumn.

– Repair any bald patches in your lawn with grass repair seed, or if sowing new lawn seed, this can be done now provided the soil has been prepared in advance. Choose a dry, warm and still day to sow, cover with a thin layer of top soil and then peg frost fleece on top to help provide the seeds protection from wind, insects, pests and bird damage whilst allowing rainfall and light to pass through.

– If your lawn is full of weeds or moss, apply a specialist lawn weed killer on a still day when the weeds are actively growing and the soil is moist. Ideally choose a day where rain isn’t expected to fall within 24 hours.

– Start mowing your lawn more often and do your first cut if this was not done in March – provided the ground isn’t frozen or soft under foot. Towards the end of the month as temperatures and the weather tends to improve, you should also be able to lower your blades slightly.