April in the Garden
Here we go! We’re dipping into warmer weather and prime time for planting all the goods for spring and summer. There’s plenty to do and enjoy in the garden — the days are longer (finally) and you can likely find out outside in the yard with a cold beer in hand, why not grow some shit while we’re at it?!
Although definitely not known for its consistency, Central Texas should have had its last hard freeze for the season (fingers crossed) which opens the door for your spring/summer planting plans. Now is the time to plant your warm season seeds and transplants. That said, always keep an eye on your weather apps because we’ve seen freezes as late as Easter in the past.
What to Plant
Asparagus**
Beans, snap, lima, bush, pole*
Cantaloupe
Chard, swiss
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant**
Edamame
Fennel
Greens, warm season
Okra
Peas, southern*
Peppers
Potato, sweet (slips)
Pumpkin
Squash, summer
Squash, winter
Tomatoes
Watermelon
*Seed directly only
**Transplant only
This is the season of diligence - keep an eye on your newly established seedlings and transplants in case you need to amend or intervene otherwise. Soil imbalances, pests, too little/much sun, harsh weather, etc. can all stress young plants out. These things can be fixed, but only if you catch them in time.
With warmer temperatures also comes pests, so check the nooks and crannies of your plants for things like aphids, caterpillars, vine borers, leaffooted bugs, mites, rollie pollies, and others. Consider utilizing Integrated Pest Management as a preventative method.
Water your plants and especially your transplants about once a week with liquid seaweed to stimulate root development, strengthen resilience to heat and pests, and prevent root shock.
If you’ve spent any time in Central Texas in the springtime, you’ll likely have literally run into the little green caterpillars that like to dangle from oak trees. You might also have encountered another kind of little green caterpillar all over the underside of your greens, or even my least favorite of all - tomato hornworms. BT is the most effective and organic solution to any and all caterpillar problems, while leaving other beneficial insects unharmed. But still be careful! It will also attack beneficial caterpillars like the ones that become butterflies, so avoid spraying around flowers or in your pollinator garden.
Tomato hornworm, you want to kill them as soon as you see them. Image credit: A cook and her Books.
A few last to-do’s
Establish/fine tune your watering system or schedule. April showers will hopefully do a lot of the work for you, but you still want to be prepared in case they don’t.
Harvest the last of your winter plants to make room for summer ones.
Fertilize tomatoes with a water-soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks to encourage vigorous growth.
Topdress your gardens with compost or use a liquid soil activator to promote microbial activity.
Hit us up if you have comments or questions - that’s what we’re here for. Otherwise, happy spring and happy gardening! Let’s grow some shit!
- Hunter & Chelsea
