GARDENS 

April is the month for planting annuals for summer color. If you are planning on digging new flower beds this year, the key to good plant growth is to add lots of organic matter to the soil. In addition to Natures Helper or Clay Buster, add lots of composted manure or mushroom compost and blend it in well to a depth of at least 8 inches.  If you are planting in existing beds, it is always a good idea to add more composted material to your planting beds every spring and fall.

When you are ready to plant your flowers, be sure and pinch or snip the blooms. This will result in rapid multiple branching and lots more flowers, earlier in the season. Before planting, gently loosen some of the roots at the bottom of the root ball. This will stimulate the roots to spread out into the surrounding soil rather than in a circle.

To achieve a greater color impact, plant the transplants closer together than recommended and in large groupings.  

MULCHING TIP: After planting the transplants, cover each plant with a 16-oz. plastic or paper cup. Spread mulch over the entire bed to about 2 to 3 inches deep. Then lift the cups off your plant.  Make sure that you water the new plants regularly after setting them out.  This is especially important during the first month.

A weed preventer may be applied at planting time. This will help prevent weed seeds from germinating and reduce the amount of weed pulling required during the growing season. Follow package instructions to determine how much to use and how to apply. (Preen is the brand that comes to mind)

Fertilize the transplants lightly at planting time with a slow-release fertilizer that has a high middle number. This application will feed the

plants over several months.  If you don't use the slow-release variety of fertilizer, use a timed release granular fertilizer or a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks.  

LAWNS 

If you are not using a lawn service for fertilization applications, wait a couple of weeks after your bermuda grass greens up and apply a good fertilizer such as 29-3-4 or 27-3-4 that will feed over several months.

Timed-release fertilizers are less likely to burn grass or have their nutrients washed away in heavy rains. Using a broadcast spreader will spread the fertilizer more evenly than a drop spreader and help eliminate the two tone green stripes that sometimes appear as a result of uneven fertilization. 

Now is the time to freshen up the mulch around your foundation plantings.  Pull out existing weeds and grass before applying the new mulch.