Northeast Garden Guide: Gardening To Do List For April

With the arrival of warmer temperatures, preparing the garden for spring planting can feel quite chaotic. From seeding to weeding, it is easy to lose focus on the tasks taking precedence over others. April in the Northeast marks planting time for many crops. With so many tasks to keep up with, a gardening to-do list is an excellent way to get ready for the corresponding season.

Northeast Garden Guide

While some April garden tasks are quick and easy, others may require more time and dedication.

April Gardening To-Do List

• Clean garden tools – Cleaning and preparing garden tools for the growing season is essential to beginning April garden tasks. Making sure that tools are clean and in proper working order makes it easier to care for plants and prevents the spread of disease in the garden. So, if you haven’t already done so, get those tools in tip-top shape. Once tools are ready to use, the real work starts as we prepare soil beds and maintain plantings.
• Prep garden beds – In addition to maintaining new plants, which go into the garden soon, you will need to focus on the preparation of garden beds. The removal of weeds from overgrown gardens not only helps keep things tidy but also makes it easier once the soil is ready to be worked. Clear, prepared beds allow us to better visualize and plan garden layouts too.
• Get your soil ready – Early spring soil tests can reveal important information about garden health, including which nutrients may or may not to be necessary. You can then amend the soil as needed.
• Plant cool season crops – Many Northeast garden guides note that April is an ideal time to plant cool-season crops like carrots and lettuce. And if you’ve not already done so, make sure tender crops like tomatoes, beans, or peppers are started indoors, as they’ll be ready to go out within another month or so.
• Get last minute pruning done – April garden tasks also involve the completion of any remaining pruning chores that may have been overlooked. This includes the removal of tree branches to maintain size and taking out any dead stems from flowering shrubs or perennials.
• Give plants a spring feeding – Fertilization can also take place at this time, as the plants begin to burst into life for the coming growing season.
• Be observant – Last, but certainly not least, gardeners will need to begin honing in those observation skills. Though, technically, not a task on the gardening to-do list, April marks a period of change in the garden. You should become vigilant of changes such as insect presence, disease, and other issues.

Proactive growers can better prevent common garden issues that may negatively impact their crops.