APRIL
GARDENING TIPS
Kickstart Your Garden for the Season!
Spring has arrived, and with it comes the excitement of a new gardening season! April is the perfect time to prep your yard, nourish your soil, and start planting for a lush and vibrant summer. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting, here are some essential tips to get your garden in top shape!
Viburnum burkwoodii photo by keith kurman
In the greenhouse photo by andrew wiley
Chiondoxa photo by karen blackerby logan
Garden Clean-Up
Before diving into planting, clear away the remnants of fall and winter; dead leaves, broken branches, and debris that can harbor pests and diseases. We have a variety of gardening tools at the nursery to make clean-up easier!
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Soil Care
Healthy soil = healthy plants! Give your soil a boost by adding nutrient-rich compost and manure. We carry Coast of Maine compost and manure as well as Fafard products. Not sure what your soil needs? Use a soil testing kit (available at our nursery) to check its composition and adjust accordingly.
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Spring Annuals
Brighten up your garden beds and containers with spring annuals! Pansies are now available, and Sweet Alyssum will be ready soon. Plus, we’re excited to introduce a new selection of fall-sown Hardy Annuals, grown from seed by Andrew Wiley. Look for poppies, bachelor buttons (Centaurea cyanus), Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi majus Select White), and more! Want to learn how to extend your blooms? Check out our blog post on Hardy Annuals.
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Edibles: Time to Plant!
April is the season to plant cool-weather vegetables, small fruits, and fruit trees. Whether you’re dreaming of homegrown lettuce, berries, or apples, we have everything you need to get started.
COMPOSTING: Incorporate any green manure crops from fall plantings, along with compost or composted cow manure, by tilling them into the soil. A soil test for pH and nutrients will indicate whether lime or fertilizer is needed, which can be applied at the same time as these amendments and then tilled or dug in together. Compost options available at Vineyard Gardens.
PEAS & ONIONS can be planted now once the cold snap ends.
GARLIC: If you planted garlic last fall a side dress of fertilizer will get them growing again.
SEEDS: You can get a head start today by planting seeds of all the cool weather lovers like lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, leeks, inside to be planted out in 3 or so weeks. Fedco and Botanical Interest seeds are available at Vineyard Gardens. We also have all the supplies to start your own seeds, including seed starting soil mixes, jiffy pots and legume inoculant for your peas.
Growing: Many seeds need light to germinate so it is best to plant them right on the surface. General planting depth rule is plant 2x the thickness of the seed. The tiny seeds go right on top of the soil. Keep slightly moist at all time until the germinate
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Trees & Shrubs
Now is an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs! The rain that normally comes in April helps with the watering. The cool weather promotes underground root growth. Adding them to your landscape provides beauty, shade, and long-term benefits for the ecosystem.
Shrubs that bloom on the new growth can be pruned in early spring. Examples would be the panicle hydrangeas and caryopteris or blue mist shrub.
It is especially important to fertilize newer plantings, trees and shrubs that were planted in the last year or two. Fertilizing now will allow the rain to dissolve the fertilizer and get it into the root zone for the push of spring growth.
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Pruning
Spring is the time to prune any diseased or dead wood from your trees and deciduous shrubs. This keeps them healthy and encourages strong new growth.
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Lawn Edging
A crisp lawn edge isn’t just for looks it also keeps mulch, rocks, and soil neatly separated from your grass. We carry heavy-duty black plastic edging in 10-foot sections to help define your garden beds.
Winter and early spring are great times to clean and sharpen tools.
Tool Maintenance: Sharpen & Clean
Before tackling your garden projects, take a moment to clean, sharpen, and oil your tools. This makes your work easier and extends the life of your equipment.
Tool Care Essentials:
A good pair of gloves, bypass pruner, lopper, disinfectant spray, and anti-bacterial wipes will make a big difference.
Need help sharpening your pruners, loppers, hedge shears, or pruning saws? Bring them to Vineyard Gardens, and Jeremiah Brown will sharpen them for you! (Fee applies.)
Don’t forget your spades and shovels. Keeping them sharp ensures smoother digging.
Pro Tip: Store your tools in a 5-gallon bucket filled with sand and old motor oil to clean and prevent rust.
Lawn Care: April is Prime Time!
April is the best month to fertilize and reseed your lawn. Grass thrives in cool weather, making spring the perfect time for new growth.
Fertilization Basics:
Grass needs a balance of macronutrients (N-P-K: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and micronutrients.
We carry organic fertilizers that release nutrients slowly and inorganic options with higher N-P-K concentrations.
If you skipped liming your lawn in the fall, now is the time! Lime lowers soil acidity, but it takes months to take effect.
Weed Control & Seeding:
Apply pre-emergent weed control before Forsythia blooms.
Looking for an organic option? Try Corn Gluten, which prevents weed seeds from sprouting while adding nutrients.
For best results when seeding, add a layer of rich soil under the seed and keep it moist.
**Important Fertilization Law on Martha’s Vineyard**
Reminder: Fertilizers cannot be applied until April 15. This law helps protect local water sources by ensuring nutrients go into the growing grass instead of leaching into the groundwater.
April is a month full of gardening possibilities; clean up, plant, and prep for a beautiful season ahead. Stop by the nursery for all your gardening needs, and let’s grow something amazing together!
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