APRIL GARDENING CALENDAR

Refurbish window boxes and planters with fresh soil if they are low, replace those boxes that have served you well but are falling apart. Add Plantone organic slow release fertilizer along with a twenty percent mixture of organic material such as compost, humus and cow manure to revitalize the planting soil and make ready for spring planting. Thoroughly mix all ingredients to create an even mixture. Chelsea has designed a line of teak window boxes & planters that are built to last a lifetime while at the same time costing little more than Cedar and Redwood planters currently on the market. We are very proud of this product introduction and the value it will bring to you our customers(teak planter link on website). Please contact either Nursery for sizes and pricing.

As temperatures warm and before buds break, last call to spray dormant oil on trees and shrubs to prevent insects and disease that may have over-wintered from becoming a full-blown problem later on. Night temperatures must stay above freezing and daytime temperatures should be above forty-five degrees. This spraying is an excellent way to tackle insects and disease before they become a factor and a nuisance during the growing season.

With warming day and night time temperatures, and hints of spring in the air, now is the time to purchase and plant nursery stock. Deciduous trees and shrubs are still dormant (leafless), our roses have just arrived, flowering vines and perennials are ready for a new home. Make sure to choose the proper plant for the location you have in mind, take into account sun & shade, exposed windy conditions, surrounding plantings, desired height of your new selection. Make sure to incorporate at least a twenty percent mixture of organic material to the planting mix. Use compost, humus, and cow manure to bring the soil to life. Make sure to plant new shrubs and trees at the level they were growing in the nursery container, do not bury any deeper.

Finish all cleanup work, make sure to remove all debris from planter boxes and beds to prevent over wintering insect eggs from hatching to combat the spread of disease.

Now is not only the time to plant roses, it's the time to start feeding them, our recommendation is Rosetone organic fertilizer, roses are heavy feeders and this slow release organic mixture will be an excellent way for them to start off the spring, remember roses want a minimum of four to six hours of sun, the more the merrier. If you had a problem with black spot last year, now is an excellent time to start applying a combination fungicide insecticide to your plants, Chelsea has a large selection of products to choose from.

Now is the time to cutback and divide overgrown perennials, fertilize with slow release organic fertilizer such as Plantone. Plant new perennials, make sure you choose the right plant for that sunny or shady spot; consult catalog and your favorite Chelsea nurseryman.

Last call to clean up all garden debris, fertilize shrubs with Plantone, fertilize evergreens with slow release organic Hollytone. For trees, use Jobes tree spikes which will slowly dissolve during the spring and feed the trees slowly and evenly, they can be knocked into the ground with gentle hammer taps at the drip line of the tree, each spike is about five inches long and comes with a plastic cap to facilitate the process. Follow directions on the box for quantities of spikes needed based on caliper and size of the trees.

With the advent of longer days, inspect all houseplants to see if they are pot bound, the clearest indicator is a root surfacing in the top of the pot or sticking out of the bottom drainage holes. Always go one pot size bigger, from a six inch to an eight-inch pot, unless the plant is very top-heavy and needs more stability. Start to fertilize with any of our standard houseplant fertilizers and use at half the recommended amount until newly potted plants have acclimated to their new homes, generally a wait of one month, then begin full strength applications.