Jobs to be Done in April

Pause to Admire the Tulips

It’s a really good year for tulips – the cool nights mean that they are lasting well – as long as you water those growing in containers regularly.

Pinch out Now for Bushy Cosmos

If you have grown cosmos from seed, or have bought plug plants, it’s time to pinch them out to encourage bushy, sturdy plants. Pinch them out above their second set of proper leaves and they will soon to send out side shoots and flower their socks off all summer long.

Step this Way

With the woodland area in the garden looking especially lovely right now, it seemed sensible to top up the bark on the paths that weave through it.  After the winter the existing bark had rotted down and weeds were starting to appear.  As luck would have it, the local council chose to cut back the bank on the other side of the road, including a few trees and blew the chippings back onto the bank.  I checked with them and they were more than happy for me to help myself – in fact they offered to blow some on to our driveway, but I had to say no because we were going away the next day.  Still, a few trips across the road with the wheelbarrow and the job is done.  Fresh chippings like this can only be used on paths – if it was used as a mulch on the borders it would rob the plants of nitrogen as it decomposes.