April is a tricky month for gardeners. One day it's hot; the next day it's not. There are things we should be doing and some things that we shouldn't.
As shrubs break dormancy, go ahead and prune as necessary. Never cut back spring bloomers until after they finish flowering.
Prune roses as necessary. Shrub roses need little or no pruning; just remove dead canes. Hybrid tea roses and landscape roses, such as 'Knockout,' are generally pruned hard to encourage bushy new growth. Some people prefer to wait until May to prune roses but if they've already broken dormancy, there's no way to force them to go dormant again. So go ahead and prune!
Harvest asparagus as new shoots emerge. They're most tender if you cut them when they're just six to eight inches long. If a hard freeze is forecast, harvest the asparagus or cover the patch with a frost cloth or sheet.
Start fertilizing your container plants, especially pansies and violas. A bloom booster fertilizer will promote heavy flowering. Keep the plants dead-headed so they don't divert their resources into seed production.
Most cool-season bulbs and flowers are pretty well impervious to a drop in temperatures. Some, however, can't take a frost. This includes Martha Washington geraniums, sweet-smelling stock and cinerarias. Cover them or haul them inside if a freeze is forecast.
Another trick is to temporarily "plant" Martha Washington geraniums in their pots so they can be lifted and whisked inside. Over-turned buckets and wastebaskets also come in handy to cover plants to prevent freezing or breaking from the weight of snow.
