Prescott Garden keeping - April edition

Spring in the high country is nothing if not confusing.  Right?

My tulips are still going strong and everything else is starting to leaf out now.  That gorgeous, pristine green and bronze is just so magical.  

One day it's definitely spring, and then we wake up to 2 inches of snow and blowing, cold wind the next morning.  But hang in there.  The good news is that my April list isn't as crazy long as the March list was.  That's assuming you ticked everything off for March!  

My big advise for April is essentially the same as March -- resist!  Resist the urge to plant out tender annuals or young perennials that aren't cool season growers until we are past our last frost date.  And for some it's hard to believe that is actually not until May (Mothers Day).
​

​We don't do garden maintenance at The Whiskey Porch, but I wanted to put together a series of garden keeping checklists to help keep you on track.  Whether you are going to do it all yourself, or bring in a maintenance crew to do much of it for you, these monthly guides should be useful to you if you live in and around Prescott, AZ.

All of these checklists are very specific to the micro-climate that I am in here in downtown Prescott.  So, there will be slight variations for you depending on your specific location, as well as what you grow.  Generally speaking, these lists will relate to USDA Zone 7b.  

Each year can bring a slightly different cycle to the seasons.  Sometimes we have our first hard freeze in late October, but most often not until early December.  Keep this in mind when planning your monthly tasks.

These checklists apply generally to a landscape garden which includes primarily perennials, as well as veggies and herbs.  

​Let's get to it.

​​PLANTS & PLANTING  🌱

• If you've already got any tender annuals or young perennials in the ground, be sure to protect them from overnight frosts depending on the weather.  Better yet -- resist the urge!  The warm sunny days can be so tempting, but since our average last frost date is around May 10th (or Mother's Day) it's really best to wait to plant out your young tenders until then.
  
• The same applies if you happen to have fruit trees, which can begin budding now and need to be protected from late frosts - be prepared with a plan or to possibly go without fruit this season
  
• Continue starting tender plants indoors or in green houses - we are about 4 - 6 weeks out from the last frost so you've still got time to get a head start.
  
• It's about time to pot up your tomatoes and other fast growing seedlings now.
  
• April is a good time to sow annual veggies directly in garden beds like:  lettuce, chard, carrots, peas, radish, late cabbage
  
• If you are planning to add larger trees or shrubs to your landscape, it's probably ideal to try to do so by the end of this month.  When we start getting into May and June the temps ramp up and we typically get very little rain (until the monsoon comes in July).  So this can be a really tough time to get these larger items established.  It's not impossible, but more challenging.

​WATER  💦 

• Power back up your drip system (be sure to allow time to check for leaks and repair) - set the schedule to run at 50% of full season level but manage it carefully. 
  
• If we have a period of cooler, cloudy days maybe consider hand watering those newer plants that need extra water for now rather than running your system more than necessary.

​CRITTERS 🦌

• Re-apply Deer Repellent to succulents and around bird feeder🦌.  I also apply repellents around all my roses especially those that have few thorns.  For the most part, everything else I grow is either deer and rabbit resistant, or inside the walled kitchen garden where it's safe!
  
• Begin watching for aphids and thrip and white flies.  Those little guys can appear suddenly and it's easy to manage them with a hose sprayer or some insecticidal soap if you jump on it right away.  Be vigilant!
• Keep refilling those bird feeders and keep those hummingbird feeders clean and full.  I usually back off on the hummer feeders when all my flowering plants get going because ... well, they've got lots to fuel them then.
  

​MAINTENANCE  ✂️

• Fertilize with an organic, well balanced product in entire garden (if you didn't already do this in  late March)
  
• Fertilize roses with slow release rose-specific food  (I use one that also protects against some diseases and pests)
  
• Watch for weeds - pull as much as possible, or spray if needed.  Don't let them them go to seed, and you'll get ahead of it over time.

​OTHER  📝

• Check your winter garden plans to see if there are any remaining items to order now that stocks are pretty full and everyone is shipping.  Check your local retailers first to see if they carry what you are looking for, but if your like me and have your eye on more unusual plants or cultivars, don't be too quick to compromise and just pickup whatever is available locally.  Don't wait too much longer because many growers begin to sell out (if they haven't already) on the more popular or unusual items.  Plus, having young plant stock shipped when it's getting hotter out isn't a great way to ensure healthy arrivals.

​GARDEN KEEPING JOURNAL ☑️

You can find all the other monthly checklists (as they are published each month this first year) here:

Monthly Checklists

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can't get enough of this?  want more?

You can find lots more good stuff and inspiration on our Garden Resources page if you'd like to start dreaming about this warmer season!

Cottage Garden Resources

Well thanks for following along.  I've gotten so many nice notes from readers on these checklists, and that really makes my day.  It's wonderful to be able to share a little info and help add a bit of structure to your garden-quest.

Let me know if there's anything else for April that I should have included.  I'd love to hear.

Peace & Contentment,
~Miriam