April · month 4 of 12
What to do in the garden in April
Every job worth doing in April, built from the real care schedules of the plants gardeners grow — with the exact plants that need each one.
Plant in April
Plant bare root or container plants in spring or early fall.
Prune in April
Cut back all stems to 6-12 inches from the ground in late winter or early spring.
Spring Cleanup in April
Cut back last year's stems to the ground in late winter or early spring.
Divide in April
Divide large, mature clumps every 3-5 years in early spring.
Fertilize in April
Apply a light, balanced fertilizer in early spring if soil is poor.
Deadhead in April
Remove spent flowers regularly to encourage continuous blooming
Mulch in April
Apply a light layer of mulch in spring to conserve moisture
Check for Pests in April
Inspect for iris borers; look for chewed leaf edges or soft rhizomes.
Stake in April
Guide new growth onto the trellis or support structure.
Pinch Tips in April
Pinch back leggy stems to maintain a compact, bushy shape
Propagate in April
Take basal cuttings from new growth in early spring to maintain cultivar traits.
Harvest in April
Pick outer leaves when usable size; avoid cutting the central growing point
Spray Treatment in April
Apply dormant oil in late winter; treat for scab/pests during bloom
What's blooming in April
In flower around now.
Frost dates and bloom windows are typical ranges, not guarantees — your microclimate moves them by weeks. Sow uses your real local forecast instead.
April questions
What should I do in the garden in April?
The jobs that matter most this month are plant, prune, spring cleanup, divide. Each section above lists the specific plants that need that job in April — drawn from the care schedules of the plants gardeners actually grow.
Does this calendar change by hardiness zone?
The tasks are the same, but which plants you can grow is not. Pick your zone below to see this month's jobs filtered to plants that survive your winters.
What's blooming in April?
May Night Sage, Walker's Low Catmint, Prairie Phlox, Dwarf Wild Indigo, Coral Honeysuckle and others are in flower around now. The full list is above.
Keep exploring
Get April's tasks for your own plants
Sow builds this checklist from the plants actually in your yard — and adjusts it to your real forecast, so a wet week skips the watering and a frost warning reaches you first.