Talking Plants

Jillian Patrie | University of Minnesota Yard and Garden Extension

Now that our early April snowfall has melted, and warmer temperatures are on the horizon we can start thinking about prepping our yards for spring.  Let’s look at a few yard and garden tasks we can check off our April to do lists.
If you have spring blooming shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia in your landscape, these should be pruned after they are finished blooming.  Many spring blooming shrubs set their blooms for the next year after blooming has finished for the current season.  Lilacs should be “deadheaded” or spent blooms trimmed off for better blooming the following spring.  To learn more about growing and maintaining lilacs visit extension.umn.edu/trees-and-shrubs/lilacs.
Once plants start peeking out of the soil in garden beds, push back mulch and leaves that were used as winter protection.  Some tender plants can be injured if temperatures drop lower than 20°.  Cover plants back up with mulch or leaves if lower temperatures are in the forecast.
Tackle tough lawn weeds early, once they become established and are larger in size, they are more difficult to control.  Crabgrass pre-emergent is a common early spring lawn task that can be done once soil temperatures are around 55° in the upper 1-2”.  To track the best time to apply pre-emergent check out the Turfgrass Decision Tool on the University of Minnesota Extension website (April 20th is around the start date for pre-emergent application in the FM area).
Cool season vegetables can be directly sown into garden beds towards the end of April, however, have a backup plan for protection in the event of temperatures dipping below 28° at night.  Cold frames, hot caps and small hoop houses are a few ways to protect cool season crops.  For more information on protective structures to extend the growing season check out https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/extending-growing-season.
Did you buy or receive forced bulbs?  If you have daffodil bulbs that were purchased in a pot as a houseplant and the flowers have finished blooming, you can plant them outdoors!  Keep the bulbs in the pot and place them outside once temperatures reach about 50° at night and continue to water them.  Once the leaves start to fade and dieback in early to mid-summer stop watering them, letting them dry a bit, then put them in a cool spot until planting them in your garden in the fall.  Not all forced bulbs can be transplanted outdoors, for more information about growing bulbs indoors visit https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/growing-bulbs-indoors.
To keep up to date with monthly yard and garden checklists check out the U of M Extension Yard and Garden News webpage at extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden.
For questions about this article or local assistance please contact Clay County Extension Educator, Jill Patrie at 218-299-7338 or by email at patri350@umn.edu.