April is a pivotal month within the Arizona backyard, with heat days and funky nights offering ideally suited circumstances for progress. Nevertheless, with rising temperatures forward, now could be the time to finish key gardening duties to arrange for a profitable season. This information covers all the pieces you want to do in an Arizona backyard in April, together with vegetable and herb care, flower and rose upkeep, fruit tree pruning, container gardening, panorama maintenance, watering methods, and pest management.
The low desert of Arizona consists of areas under 3,500 ft in elevation, such because the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. Gardening in these areas comes with distinctive challenges, however by taking the appropriate steps now, your backyard will likely be higher ready for the warmth forward.
Whether or not you’re thinning fruit, fertilizing vegetation, or refreshing backyard beds, taking motion now will assist your Arizona backyard in April thrive. For a month-by-month information to retaining your backyard productive all 12 months, go to my Arizona Month-to-month Backyard Guides.
In search of what to plant this month? Take a look at my companion submit, What to Plant in April.
Click on on the title to leap to that part and be taught extra about what to do throughout April:
April YouTube Movies
Vegetable Gardening Duties for April
Filter out remaining cool-season greens to create space for upcoming warm-season crops.
Put together backyard beds by pulling again the mulch and including a thick layer of compost on prime of your soil. Add a beneficiant sprinkle of worm castings. Water in properly.
Skinny seedlings and transplants. Give every plant sufficient room to develop.
Fertilize strawberries, onions and garlic this month. I like to recommend this fertilizer—nice for robust progress.
Feed newly planted grapes in April. I like to recommend this fertilizer for grapes. (Established grapes must be fertilized in February and Could.)
Present help for tomatoes. Correct help will encourage robust vegetation and better yields. I simply began utilizing these tomato cages from Backyard in Minutes, and they’re superior. It’s designed to suit inside the watering grids and is tremendous tall, so even indeterminate tomatoes have sufficient help.
Be careful for blossom finish rot, particularly on the primary tomatoes of the season. Stop it by watering evenly and constantly.
Hand-pollinate early squash blossoms within the morning. The primary squash fruits typically need assistance setting fruit. Gently switch pollen from male to feminine flowers (those with a tiny squash on the base) take away the male blossom or use a small paintbrush or cotton swab.
Set up shade material when temperatures constantly attain above 90°F (32°C). This will cool the air by about 10 levels and provide you with extra time for crops to provide earlier than it will get sizzling.
Add a thick layer of mulch (about 3-4 inches) round your greens to maintain moisture in and soil temperatures steady.
Learn my Mulching Information for further suggestions and advantages of including mulch to your Arizona backyard in April.
Get my April Backyard Journals in GITG Academy
Twice a month, I ship my private backyard journal to members of “Rising within the Backyard Academy.” From the primary seedling to the final harvest, you may observe my gardening adventures in Arizona’s distinctive low desert. Entry the previous three years of backyard journals and month-to-month lessons as a member.
Backyard Pests in April
AphidsAphids are particularly lively this month. I desire letting helpful bugs—like ladybugs and lacewings—deal with the issue quite than stepping in straight away. Encouraging useful bugs by permitting cilantro and dill to bolt (flower) and planting nectar-rich flowers reminiscent of alyssum goes a great distance in retaining aphids beneath management. Be taught extra methods to draw helpful bugs on this information.
Ladybugs are a gardener’s finest buddy in opposition to aphids. Be taught to acknowledge each stage of their life cycle—from larva to grownup—so you may defend them and allow them to work their magic in your backyard! Be taught extra on this information.
Potato Bugs (Roly-Polies)These curious little crustaceans can develop into a nuisance in spring. For recommendations on managing them organically, try my Potato Bug Administration Submit.
Genista Broom Moth LarvaeYou may spot these on Texas Mountain Laurel. Some leaf harm is regular and normally doesn’t hurt the plant long-term. If the infestation turns into extreme, you should use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to assist management them.
Container Gardening Duties
Wrap Up Small ContainersAs small containers end producing, I typically repurpose their soil by including it to my backyard beds, utilizing it as mulch round bushes, or mixing it into my compost. Then, I clear and retailer these small containers till cooler climate returns.
Preserve Rising in Massive ContainersContainers of 20 gallons or extra can face up to Arizona’s intense summer time warmth extra successfully. For those who plan on planting summer time crops in these bigger containers, refresh the potting combine first. Learn the way in my Potting Soil Refresh Information.
A Notice About Oyas in Containers
Oyas are small, porous clay pots you bury within the soil. They launch water slowly because the soil dries, offering regular moisture proper the place roots want it. This reduces how typically you want to water and helps vegetation survive sizzling, dry climate.
Click on right here to buy Oyas and see in the event that they’re proper in your container backyard.
Flower Gardening Duties
Accumulate SeedsHarvest seeds from spring wildflowers and different cool-season annuals you sowed in October and November. Save and reseed your favorites subsequent season!
As soon as winter-growing flowers and different annuals have completed blooming, take away them. Conserving worn-out vegetation invitations pests, so clearing them out helps preserve a more healthy backyard.
Give younger summer time flowers sufficient area to develop by scaling down any overcrowded seedlings.
Pinch again basil, zinnias, dahlias & marigolds to encourage branching.
Arizona’s warmth arrives quick, so skip planting new cool-season annuals this month. Their window to thrive is just too quick. Focus as an alternative on warm-season blooms.
Want concepts? Take a look at my Favourite Warmth-Loving Flowers for blooms that may deal with our intense summer time days.
Plant SunflowersSunflowers may be planted via July. They will present welcome afternoon shade. I like planting them on the west facet of my backyard beds to assist defend different vegetation from the most popular solar. For extra particulars, go to my Learn how to Develop Sunflowers Information.
The Perpetual Annual Flower Planting Calendar, accessible in my store, helps you be taught when to plant flowers within the low desert of Arizona and whether or not to plant seeds or transplants.
Caring for Roses Throughout April
April is an exquisite month for roses—typically, their peak bloom within the low desert.
Fertilizing:
Established Roses: To encourage continuous blooming, think about using a water-soluble fertilizer twice this month quite than a single utility of granular fertilizer. This regular provide of vitamins encourages considerable blooms.
New Roses (within the floor lower than one 12 months): At all times use a water-soluble fertilizer solely. This gentler method helps new vegetation set up robust, wholesome root techniques with out burning the roots.
Personal-Root Roses: I like planting own-root roses from Heirloom Roses in my backyard. You’ll be able to see my favorites right here. Use code GROWINGAZ20 to save lots of all 12 months lengthy.
For extra detailed recommendations on rose care in your Arizona backyard in April, try my Rose Rising Information.
Herb Gardening
Let dill bloom! Its flowers appeal to pollinators and helpful bugs, making it an excellent companion for a lot of greens. Be taught extra in my Learn how to Develop Dill information.
As soon as it flowers, gather the seeds (referred to as coriander) to replant or use in your kitchen. Want particulars? Take a look at my Learn how to Develop Cilantro submit.
Maintain off on pruning woody herbs like lavender, rosemary, sage, or thyme till fall. It’s nice to trim summer time herbs—basil, lemongrass, and mint—this time of 12 months.
Take into account planting basil beside every tomato plant. The bees—and your tomatoes—will thanks. Be taught extra in my Learn how to Develop Basil information.
Preserve basil pinched again to encourage branching till vegetation develop massive and bushy.
For extra recommendations on pairing herbs with summer time greens, see my Heat-Season Companion Plant Information. And for those who’re in search of methods to maintain herbs thriving year-round, don’t miss my Learn how to Develop Herbs in a Sizzling Local weather information.
Fruit Timber, Berries, and Citrus
Verify Tree TagsTrees develop rapidly and may outgrow their tags, which could girdle branches if left unattended. Transfer or reattach tags to smaller branches.
Wrap Citrus BarkNewly uncovered bark is weak to sunburn. Use tree wrap or a 50/50 mixture of water-based paint and water. Keep away from over-pruning—decrease branches assist shade the trunk.
Gentle Citrus PruningRemove lifeless, broken, or crossing branches, and look ahead to water sprouts on lemon bushes. See my Information to Citrus Suckers and Sprouts for particulars.
Skinny Fruit on Deciduous TreesThin fruit earlier than it’s about an inch in diameter (normally inside a month of full bloom). Depart 4–6 inches between fruit.
Fertilizing & Feeding
Harvesting
Grapefruit (Rio Crimson): Harvest from December via summer time. Juice extras—my Citrus Juicing Suggestions might help.
Early Peaches (Earligrande): May be prepared now—decide earlier than birds do! See my Peach Tree Information.
Prepare or Prune
By thinning, fertilizing, and pruning your fruit bushes and citrus correctly this month, you’ll set them up for a powerful rising season and considerable harvest!
Panorama Plant Duties Throughout April
Clear Up & Refresh
Take away any lifeless or struggling vegetation. Scratch the bark to test for inexperienced tissue (life) earlier than deciding to switch.
Apply a 2–3 inch layer of mulch round shrubs and bushes to maintain soil cooler.
Prune
Lower out lifeless or broken branches for higher airflow.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs after they end blooming; water properly afterward.
Trim frost-damaged vegetation like hibiscus and lantana.
Keep away from pruning or fertilizing newly planted bushes and shrubs—allow them to settle in.
Weed Management
Pull weeds earlier than they go to seed.
Take away stinknet (an invasive weed) promptly, and bag it—don’t compost.
Planting
April is nice for many bushes, shrubs, and perennials, together with frost-tender varieties.
Give new vegetation sufficient area to develop.
Plant early to assist them set up earlier than the warmth arrives.
Fertilizing
Fertilize solely established bushes and shrubs if wanted. Native vegetation typically don’t require further feeding.
Think about using Nutrient +, compost or worm castings for an natural enhance.
Skip fertilizing new plantings till they’re established.
Watering Your Backyard and Panorama
Verify Your Irrigation SystemRun your system, search for leaks, and guarantee correct protection.
I take advantage of Backyard Grids from Backyard in Minutes in my raised beds for even watering and straightforward adjustment. Use code Angela10 to save lots of $10 off $100, or GITG5 to save lots of 5% on any measurement order.
Deep Water Panorama PlantsGive established shrubs and bushes an intensive soaking to flush out salts and put together for summer time’s warmth.
Watering Frequency
Annuals: Water to about 12 inches deep, then let the highest inch of soil dry earlier than watering once more.
Containers: Verify moisture with a meter or by feeling the soil; they dry out quicker than in-ground beds.
Citrus Timber: Water established bushes each 2–3 weeks.
Fruit Timber: Water established bushes as soon as each 7–10 days.
Preserve & PlanFor pointers on environment friendly watering, go to WaterUseItWisely.com or try my Watering and Water Conservation Sources. Constant, deep watering now units the stage for robust, resilient vegetation all summer time lengthy.
