Florist Christchurch New Zealand News

April Christchurch Florists

April's the month to get busy in the garden before the arrival of colder weather.

It is no wonder that people who choose to send bouquets from the Christchurch florist are people who enjoy gardening.

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."-- Abraham Lincoln

April Gardening

• Prune and tidy daylilies, Easter daisies, lavender, phlox and other perennials that have finished flowering.
• Take pre-chilled bulbs out of fridge eg. daffodil, tulip and hyacinth. Plant into pots or garden beds.
• Plant the rest of your spring-flowering bulbs.
• Sow Flanders poppies to commemorate Anzac Day.
• Select and plant trees for autumn colour while you can see them at their best.
• Feed established shrubs and trees with organic fertiliser.
• Mix some compost or old manure into the soil to get it ready for new roses. Test acidity of the soil.
• Feed lawns with a good quality lawn food. Water well to carry the fertiliser down to the roots.
• Plant trees and shrubs – April is one of the best months.
• Bulbs that have the best chance of success in warm climates are freesias, jonquils, ixias and babianas.
• Cut back geraniums with spotty, diseased leaves. Spray with fungicide.
• Spread Garden Lime over gardens or lawns, where soils are heavy or mix in organic matter.

Flowers to sow in April
Alyssum (pictured) is also called Sweet Alice because of the tiny, dainty bunches of flowers that smother the small mounds. Pure white Alyssum Carpet of Snow is the most popular, seed ranges also includes other mixes in pink, lavender (Lavender and Lace), purple and cream. Alyssum seed can be sown at almost any time of year but is a perfect choice for sprinkling over beds where bulbs have been planted. As the bulbs emerge their bases will be wreathed in clouds of tiny alyssum flowers. These will create a welcome distraction when the bulbs go through their ugly, dying-down phase.

Don't forget, too, that in most areas there's still plenty of time to sow sweet peas.

Vegies to sow in April
Rocket grows easily and readily from seed. It's aptly named because the plants are ready for picking in just a few weeks, but its name also reminds us that it needs to be grown as quickly as possible. The key is good watering and fertilising. Feed weekly with soluble fertiliser, and pick often. Don't despair, however, if some rocket plants start to flower. The yellow blooms are said to distract cabbage moths and butterflies and, of course, when plants develop seeds a new generation will sow themselves around the garden.

Try sowing coriander seeds in April, too. This is the time of year when you're most likely to achieve success with this tricky herb.

Prune in April
Harvest pumpkins and other cucurbits (pumpkin relatives) and cut back all the old plants. Mature pumpkins should be picked with an 8-10 cm length of stalk and be left in the sun to harden before storing.

Prune back long shoots on climbing roses and tie as much growth as possible into horizontal, flower-producing positions.

Feed in April
Fertilise evergreen fruit trees. Its combination of an organic base with fast- releasing nutrients (including those important trace elements) will keep plants in the peak of good health. They'll definitely have fruitful thoughts!

Pest watch in April
New autumn growth on fruit trees will be very attractive to sap sucking pests. Nature's Way Natrasoap will control most of these, but remember to spray both sides of the leaves. Natrasoap can only do its job by contacting and smothering the pests. Aphids on citrus; thrips, white fly and bugs on olives; and mites on many different fruits can be controlled with Natrasoap and, because of its low toxicity, there's no withholding period (you can pick, wash and eat straight away).