Gardening in April: Seeds to sow and what to grow

Welcome to Spring - an exciting time for your garden, with lots of new growth and bursts of colour starting to come through.

April can also be interesting when it comes to the weather, with rain, bitter wind, sunshine and warmth all a possibility. Nights can still be fairly cold, so care must be taken to protect vulnerable young seedlings.

Here we take a look at gardening jobs for April, including seeds to sow and lawncare tips to help get your outdoor space in great shape for the season.

Sowing and growing

Start your seeds off on a nice sunny windowsill, or in a greenhouse if you have one available. This will help protect them as they germinate, avoiding the risk of any nasty cold snaps that may make a surprise appearance.

Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Cosmos and Petunias will all work well at this time of year.

Outdoors, you can try wildflowers, such as cornflowers and stocks, scattered where you want them to come through. Native wildflowers make a beautiful addition to any space, attracting insects and bees to your London garden.

April is also the month you can start off Dahlia tubers, so that they're ready to bed out as the summer arrives. When you see the shoots sprouting, you'll want to pinch the tip to the main stem, down to the first pair of leaves. Remove any straggly shoots, to ensure you're left with a strong flowering plant.

Prepare your borders

April is the month to get your borders in the best shape possible. You can do this by applying manure or compost, enriching the soil and preparing it for new growth. Click here to find out about our spring special offer.

Lawncare

When it comes to lawncare, now is a good time to get the mower out. Mow on a dry day, starting with the blades high and reducing this gradually as the grass becomes stronger. You may also want to consider scarifying, to remove thatch and moss from the lawn.

You can then aerate the lawn, allowing oxygen and nutrients to better reach the roots. Once aerated, it'll be time to top dress and resow any bald patches you see. If you need a little help, you can book your full lawncare treatment with our experienced team.