Garden Chores – Early April – Zone 4-5

1. Continue to inventory. In particular soil, garden tools, pots. Pest traps and deterrents. Also mulch and wood chips for your trees and perennials. Do you have the fertilizers you need?
   
   ~
   
2. Continue to collect kitchen scraps for composting. In particular, coffee grounds and egg shells.
   
   ~
   
3. Do you need a soil test? Now the ground is thawed, might be a good time to collect some soil and send it off, if you haven’t already. I use MySoil kits.
   
   https://www.mysoiltesting.com/
   
   ~
   
4. Yard clean up! I still have snow on the ground and frozen pots, yet the forecast says I can get out there this weekend. Sweeping off the patio. Bringing the larger pots into the garage.
   
   ~
   
5. Prep your outdoor spaces for hardening off. If you have critters, create an area that discourages them. Screens over tubs to keep out birds and squirrels, tubs placed higher so bunnies stay out. My outdoor greenhouse needs a bit of TLC, just clearing out the shelves so they are clear.
   
   ~
   
6. Fertilize fruit trees and perennials, using the recommended schedule provided by the vendor of the plant. I found an informative website about fruit trees, how to grow, fight pests, fertilize, graft and onward.
   
   https://growingfruit.org/
   
   ~
   
7. Start seeds for tomatoes, tomatillos, more ground cherry, dahlias (godspeed), flowers. For USDA Zone 4/5 gardeners.
   
   ~
   
8. Rake all the plant detritus and fall mulch away from the beds I intend to refresh.
   
   ~
   
9. Set out the sticky traps to monitor for fungus gnats in your seedlings.
   
   ~
   
10. Get the camera ready and get some lovely photos of the emerging crocus, hyacinth and garlic shoots.
    
    ~
    
11. Tune up the mower. New oil, perhaps a blade. Wipe it down and fill with fresh fuel.
    
    ~
    
12. Inspect your garden tools. Are they rusted? Serviceable? Need sharpening? Need new storage and protection?
    
    ~
    

And finally, follow my youtube channel for garden content, which you can view at the link below. I’d be honored if you liked my videos (if you did) and subscribe too (if you wish to see more). Thank you so much!

The End