Meadow View Greenhouse & Garden Center

Everything Knoxville April 2010

Hallelujah! The daffodils are blooming, the forsythia is budding, the peepers are peeping, and this cold, wet, dismal winter is finally showing signs of giving in to spring. I have never been so glad to see the seasons change in my life!

I know that I am not the only one with spring fever, because we have lots of customers who are coming in ready to plant. Hold your horses folks, it isn’t time to plant annuals just yet. Average last frost is not until April 15. If you plant annuals before then, you very well may be planting them again. There are lots of things that can be done, however, so let’s get ready to play in the dirt!

*It is still a good time to plant trees and shrubs, before it starts getting hot. The longer the plant has to get its root system down before the stress of summer, the better off it will be.

*If you didn’t get your pruning done last month, this is still a good time to prune evergreens. Cut out all dead, diseased, and straggly growth, but don’t go down below the foliage to the bare wood. Plants need leaves (or needles) for photosynthesis.

*Prune spring flowering shrubs like forsythia and quince after they finish blooming and the petals have dropped. Forsythia can take a hard pruning if they are losing their shape.

*Prune semi-woody perennials like Artemisia, lavender, and careopteris.

*Roses arrive this month, and we have some gorgeous ones coming in from J&P this year. We bring in around 60 varieties, so there is sure to be a rose that will look terrific in your yard (if you have full sun and good drainage that is.) They come in fully leafed out and gorgeous, so shop early for the best selection.

*If you did not fertilize shrubs last month, get that done as soon as possible.

*Start watching for signs of insects. We do need to talk about this for a little bit first, however. There are some people who think there is no such thing as a good bug, and spray every bug they see. Not a good idea, folks. There are lots of little fellows out there that do good things. Our honeybees are struggling, and we need to be careful how we spray. In general, use the least toxic product first, spray at dusk, and use systemic products if the organics don’t fix your problem.

*You also need to begin watching for signs of fungus. Some plants, like roses and laurels, should be treated with a systemic fungicide on a monthly basis.

*April is a good time to plant berry plants. They do best if planted in full sun. Blueberries in particular need lots of “good stuff” added to their soil, as their fibrous roots will not penetrate the clay. Also remember that blueberries need two varieties for pollination. If you have questions on small fruit, come to our class on April 24th at 10AM.

*Get your flower beds ready for planting by adding manure, peat, compost, or topsoil.

*Don’t cut back the foliage of spring flowering bulbs like daffodils until after they die back. They are storing up food for next year’s flowering. It will help if you apply a fertilizer like Bulb Tone to the plant.

*If you direct seed flowers and vegetables in the garden, be sure to thin them out as plants emerge to avoid overcrowding. Please do not apply Preen or another pre-emergent to beds in which you are going to sow seeds! Preen doesn’t know a weed seed from a flower seed, and will keep any from germinating!

*Since I mentioned Preen, now is the time to put your pre-emergent on if you have not already done so. This will make your life much easier later on in the year. You need to get crabgrass preventer on your lawn now too.

*Before you Preen, you need to weed. Pop weed, chickweed, henbit, and green onions are attempting to take over the world, and must be stopped! Before you go crazy with the Roundup, read the directions. Make sure it is warm enough for it to work, and don’t spray it on a windy day unless you want to replace your neighbors shrubs. Also, don’t use Roundup or another herbicide in a sprayer and them use the same sprayer to apply fungicide or insecticides. There will be residual herbicide, and you will kill your plants.

*Harvest cool-season vegetables and herbs. You can continue to plant them for longer production.

*Stake tall perennials and cage peonies when they are still small. You can do it later, but it is harder after they get bushy.

*Houseplants will appreciate a little care this month. Clean off dust by placing small plants in the sink and spraying. Large plants can be put in the shower. If it is warm, you can set them outside during a light rain. Clean them up, re-pot if necessary, and fertilize.

Pinching off new growth will help leggy plants bush out more.

*This is the beginning of spring migration for birds, so keep your feeders full and they will have a fast-food stop on their way to their summer homes. Birdseed prices have fallen dramatically this year, so some of our bags are $1-3 less than last year.

*Birdbaths are also a welcome treat this time of year. Birds appreciate a drink and a splash while traveling.

*Don’t forget to check our website, Meadowviewgreenhouse.com for our calendar and more information. You can also become a fan on Facebook. If you would like to get our email alerts, just let us know your email address.

That is all I can think of for this month. If you have questions, please give us a call or stop by. If we don’t know the answer, we will find it.