April

Work a good amount of compost into your garden soil. It will improve aeration in clay soils and increase water holding capacity in sandy soils. For facts about compost, click here. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Transplant well hardened off seedlings of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage to the garden by the end of the month.

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Reduce pesticide use by selecting disease resistant plants. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Start a compost pile.

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Hold off on watering established turf. Research has shown lawns on Long Island usually do not need supplemental irrigation until the last week of May. Watch the weather. If we have a dry, mild winter, irrigation may be necessary at an earlier date. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Be on the watch for the first appearance of cabbage maggot from mid-April to mid-May.

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Place paper collars around the stems of susceptible plants to avoid cutworm damage.

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Start control of lawn weeds now, pre-emergent crabgrass control being one of them. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Plant strawberries and mulch when planted. If you have patience remove the flower buds the first year to develop a strong root system. Plant some in planters for this year's crop.

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Start control of lawn weeds now. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Sow hardy annual seeds outdoors.

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Prune established roses and plant new roses. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Plant herbaceous perennials now and continue planting thru May 15th. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Transplant well hardened off seedlings of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage to the garden by the end of the month. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Start to "harden-off" indoor seedlings several days before transplanting. Plant them on a cloudy day to avoid sunburn. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

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Garden mums should be divided every 2 to 3 years. Dig and divide garden mums when the shoots are about four inches high. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic. 

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Do not cut the foliage off spring flowering bulbs. Pinch off the spent bloom if you must clean up. The foliage continues to photosynthesize which enables the bulb to store food for this dormant period. For more information, see our fact sheet on this topic.

Last updated February 14, 2017