April Planting Tips

Our Florida Prince Peach Planted 10/12/1997

Dear Folks,

Maybe??!!! our up/down weather could be getting behind us.  In which case you need to be observant and prepare for a traditional warm up into mid-to late spring.

See note below about this Peach tree picture.

That does mean you still need to be prepared to protect tender seedlings, not so much from frost but from the possibility of hail. As the soil warms up and if the air temperatures get cool, and you add in some moisture and wind - you get hail.

The other factor to be aware of, moving forward into really warm weather is getting tender seedlings transplanted after the best "safe" times.  The soil surface can heat up fast and a transplant in the middle of bare ground is ripe for major stress -- trying to establish roots while dealing heat.  I suggest my "flower mulching" technique

FLOWER "MULCHING:  Soil canopy (shade) is necessary to protect young plants, BUT not shading the plants - they need the sun.  Purchase 6 pack of flowers, surround transplanted herb or veggie with 3-5 flower plants - "think" 12 inch diameter circle.  Why? This cools the soil surface and shades the sides of the primary transplant, without encouraging pests near tender stems.

Peach Tree.  Our initial planting of fruit trees was done in 1997 and 1998.  This Florida Prince Peach is one of the last of the original trees and the old gal just keeps, keeping on.  If you look at the base, over the years one branch/trunk died back and Deane cut it off.  The last several years we figured she was not going to make it, but here she is almost 24 years later with fruit on the tree, this trunk looks reasonable healthy.  Deane will be thinning the fruit shortly to keep weight off and get bigger fruit.  This is also the last of the peaches we really like.

Apple Trees.  These two small apple trees, I started from seed.  It is interesting to watch them grow.  One is in the ground. My experiment to see if our soil would stress the tree.  I purchased Wild Land Race Montana seed in April 2018.  I sowed them in small pots and transplanted to a couple of different locations.  One is in a pot on the southwest corner of my cinder block bed and the other in the east garden - in ground.  Over the last 2 years the eastern one dutifully lost its leaves when it should, then put out new leaves in the last 2 weeks, or so. That tree is the top one, showing new leaves. 

The cinder block tree still has leaves on it and may not lose them until April, then new leaves come on later.

One of our Apricot trees started to bloom a week or so ago.  Just such pretty flowers and delicious fruit (May).  We have two apricot trees and this one is the Gold Kiss and has the most wonderful flavor.

My dill came in so nicely.  I harvested some to dry in the frig for use later. When I cut greens and herbs for my salads and soups, dill is one of the mix :)

And finally, we have a zig-zag fence in the garden that the doves just love to sit on.  Here they are just waiting for us to put out seed. In the cold weather they will line up shoulder to shoulder even "staking" on top of each other like cord wood.

APRIL PLANTING:

Artichoke, Jerusalem
Bean, Snap
Beans, Soy
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Cucumbers       
Garlic, Green
Jicama
Melons, Musk
Okra
Onion, Green
Peanuts
Peas, Sugar
Peas, Black Eyed
Peppers
Radishes

EDIBLE FLOWERS TO PLANT:

Impatients Wallarana
Marigolds, including Tangerine Scented (Tagetes Lemonii), Citrus Scented (Tagetes Nelsonii)
Portulaca
Purslane
Roselle
Scented Geraniums
Sunflower
Sweet Alyssum
Zinnia




GARDEN TIPS for April
    Prune spring-flowering shrub fruit trees before flowering starts (April - May for shrubs like Pineapple Guava).
    If you planted your potatoes January 1st you can start checking the end of this month for usable size — just insert your fingers gently into soil. (See the file "Planting Potatoes")
    Get the children involved in gardening by helping them grow a Tee Pee or Sunflower House.
    Described in Linda Lovejoy’s fabulous book “Sunflower Houses,” either of these ‘hideaways’ will delight your budding gardener.
        a)  Create Tee Pees using 8-foot garden bamboo poles bundled and tied tightly 1 foot from the top.  Prepare the ground for the garden. Spread the legs of the Tee Pee — and anchor in the ground.  Plant pea, cucumber, or other edible vines at the base of each pole, and allow them to grow and cover the teepee.
        b) Sunflower Houses are created using the growing sunflowers for the poles of the house.  Prepare the planting area and decide how wide and long you want the house to be — ex. 4 x 6 — and draw the dimensions in the soil, leaving an opening for the ‘door.’  Mammoth sunflowers (those that grow over 6 feet) are best for this.  Plant the sunflower seeds 2 or 3 to a hole, about 1 foot apart all along the ‘walls’ of the house.  In between the sunflower seeds, sow edible vines like peas or cucumbers.  Given the water requirements, creating a trench for the walls will allow flood watering for the growing plants. These houses can be as elaborate as you and your children wish. Plant flower or strawberry beds along the outside walls;  herb and flower ground covers inside for a ‘carpet’ are limited only to the imagination. The vines grow up the sunflowers and if they are enthusiastic enough, will even grow over the top of a narrow room creating a ceiling.
        c) do teach the children about bees, leaving them alone and avoiding them when they are "working" the flowers.

I hope your garden is growing well.

Stay safe, be patient with your garden, yourself and each other.

Have a best day,

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

 

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