7 April Garden To Do List items in Zone 5
Table of Contents
This is the continuation of a monthly to do list. For April this time. Hopefully it’s sunny wherever you are and it feels like the sowing time is approaching.
You can check this March to do list, since it has more of the things you can still do in April that don’t depend on the season as much.
7 items to do in April in zone 5
1. Pruning Last Chance!
Don’t take my word for it. Check if buds haven’t opened yet, and if they haven’t, this is your last chance to prune whatever you didn’t get to in March.
After all, it depends on the temperatures and whether the sap has started flowing, not on the calendar day.
2. Rake
As I mentioned in my March to do list, it’s best to wait a little with raking until the bugs have a chance to wake up and leave their nests in those grasses and leaves. Once it’s warm enough and insects are flying around – time to rake.
3. Cut Back Grasses & Perennials
Left ornamental grasses, like Miscanthus sinensis, for winter? Didn’t have time to cut them in March? Do it now before new growth starts.
Same goes for any perennials you didn’t tidy up earlier—just check that new shoots aren’t already pushing through.
4. Prepare Beds
Loosen the top layer of soil if needed, but don’t overdo it.
Add compost if you didn’t already in March.
5. Plant or Replant Trees
Mid-to-late April is a great time to do that. Frost doesn’t happen every day, and the ground has thawed enough to get a spade in. Replant trees before they leaf out.
Water well and mulch.
6. Divide Perennials
If something is too big, too crowded, or just not doing well—divide it now.
Spring division works well for many plants and gives them time to establish before summer.
7. Plant Hardy Greens
Sometime in mid-to-late April is usually fine to start planting some of your greens and veggies: arugula, lettuce, spinach, radish.
See you in May!