April chores – Part two 

April is probably the busiest month for the average Southern gardener. There are so many tasks to get to (and we rarely get to them all). Following are some tasks worth considering during this sublime gardening month.  

If you have canna lilies, be aware of a common problem affecting leaves that do not unfurl as they should in the spring. When examined closely, it is often found that the edges of the leaves have been woven together by silver webbing. When the leaf is unrolled, very often a white grub is found deep inside the leaf-the canna leaf roller. This grub is the larvae of the moth that laid its eggs on the leaves as they sprang from the soil in early spring. Control is best achieved by frequent examination and removal of these caterpillars. Also, remember to remove and destroy all canna lily stalks and foliage in November. The leaf roller moths overwinter in the dead leaves of the canna and, by removing their habitat, their life cycle is disrupted.

Remove faded flowers and seed pods of daffodils before they go to seed. Leave the green stems to carry on photosynthesis. This serves to bolster energy by storing food in the bulbs for next year’s blossoms.

Tomatoes can do quite well in large containers at least ten gallons in volume. Larger pots are better. Choose a determinate tomato variety for best results. Determinate tomatoes grow shorter than their indeterminate counterparts and produce most of their fruit at once, while indeterminates keep growing and producing fruit throughout the season. Use a porous commercial potting mix for best results. Add a tablespoon of lime per gallon of volume to provide calcium to assist in the prevention of the dreaded blossom end rot. 

Put your pot in a sunny location with at least six hours of sun per day. A little afternoon shade is desirable. Water only when the soil feels dry to the touch a couple of inches down, then water generously-enough so that a little excess water drains from the bottom of the pot each time you water.  

For container plantings and in the garden, fertilize your prized tomatoes well early on, adding a complete fertilizer with minor elements every couple of weeks. Do this until the first tomatoes appear, then reduce the nitrogen level by about one half (change to a fertilizer with less nitrogen or apply the same fertilizer half as often). This will help ensure plentiful blossoms and fruit rather than excessive stems and leaves at the expense of fruit production. 

Perennials are a favorite in Georgia gardens. April is a good time to divide and replant them. If you haven’t yet fertilized your perennials, apply a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 granular at a rate of one pound per 100 square feet of bed space. Fertilizing three times a year (April, June, and August) is sufficient.

Hybrid tea roses are always a challenge, and if you want large flowers, you can encourage their formation by disbudding individual stems. Select a stem that has a small but healthy-looking bud at the tip. Carefully cut off any side buds beneath it. This directs the plant’s energy toward producing one large bloom on that stem instead of several smaller ones.

Pests are always a challenge in the flower garden. Aphids are a major challenge. Often found in the soft, tender tips of plants, they suck sap from stems and leaves, weakening the plant, and can disfigure the plants’ growing tips. Suspect aphids if you see ants on a particular plant. Examine the undersides of leaves at the tips of the branches. Aphids may be green, yellow, black, or other colors, and they are quite visible with the naked eye. They have six legs and are pear-shaped. If you find aphids, try blasting them off the plant with a strong stream of water from a hand-held pump-up sprayer or water hose nozzle. 

Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association Certified Plant Professional, gardening writer, and former Perry High School horticulture instructor. He can be reached at (478) 954-1507 or timlewis1@windstream.net.