April has arrived in our Zone 6A garden, bringing with it the perfect blend of showers and sunshine that signal the true beginning of the gardening season. After months of planning and dreaming, it's finally time to roll up our sleeves and tackle those essential spring tasks that set the stage for a beautiful growing season ahead.

Today, we're sharing our April garden checklist—five key tasks we recently completed that make a tremendous difference in our garden's health and appearance. From dividing overgrown ornamental grasses to starting seeds for summer bloomers, these projects will give your garden the jumpstart it needs.

Task 1: Dividing Ornamental Grasses

Our North Wind switchgrass (Panicum virgatum 'Northwind') had become a magnificent specimen, reaching nearly eight feet tall with its plumes by season's end. As beautiful as it was, we noticed a telltale sign that division was overdue—a dead spot forming in the center of the clump.

Why Divide Grasses?

Ornamental grasses grow outward in a circular pattern, with new growth emerging around the outer edges. Over time (usually every 3-5 years), the center becomes so dense that it dies off, creating what gardeners often call a "doughnut effect." Division rejuvenates the plant and gives you additional specimens to use elsewhere in your garden.

Our Approach:

After putting this task off for nearly two years (these grasses are notoriously difficult to divide!), we finally tackled it by:

1. Focusing on the naturally weaker points in the clump
2. Removing the dead center section completely
3. Cutting away the back portion to create more breathing room
4. Maintaining the healthy front section in its original location
5. Transplanting the divisions to our garden berm without any special preparation

While ornamental grass division can be challenging, the results are worth it—reinvigorated plants and free additions to other garden areas. If you're facing a similar project, consider enlisting help or renting tools if the grass is particularly large or established.

Task 2: Pruning Climbing Roses

Spring rose pruning is essential for maintaining healthy plants and encouraging abundant blooms. We tackled two David Austin climbing roses on our garden structures: 'Teasing Georgia' on a Jardin tower obelisk and 'The Generous Gardener' on our Gothic arch.

Our Rose Pruning Method:

For 'Teasing Georgia,' we created a spiral framework of foundation canes around the obelisk, focusing on:

1. Removing dead, diseased, or damaged canes (we had significant rabbit damage this year)
2. Eliminating crossing branches to prevent rubbing
3. Creating better airflow by thinning congested areas
4. Cutting back lateral growth to encourage branching
5. Using our tapener tool to secure canes in a spiral pattern

For 'The Generous Gardener,' we focused on maintaining the arch shape while removing damaged canes and thinning for better airflow. We also pruned back the companion clematis 'Betty Corning' (a Type 3 variety) to about 18 inches from the ground just above healthy buds.

Pro Tip for Rabbit Damage:

When assessing rose canes damaged by rabbits, check to see if they've "girdled" the cane (chewed all the way around). If there's still some bark intact, the cane can often recover. Our heavy snowfall this winter created a "rabbit elevator" that allowed them to reach higher on the canes than usual!

Task 3: Cleaning Up Hellebores

Hellebores (Lenten roses) are among the first perennials to bloom in our garden, often pushing their flowers through snow or frozen ground. To showcase these beautiful early bloomers, we perform an essential spring task—removing last year's tattered foliage.

Why Clean Up Hellebore Foliage?

While evergreen, hellebore leaves often look weatherbeaten after winter. The old foliage can detract from the beautiful flowers and potentially harbor disease. Removing it allows the blooms to shine and encourages fresh, clean foliage to emerge.

Our Approach:

Using sharp pruners, we cut back all the old leaves at the base, being careful not to damage emerging flower stems. This simple task made an immediate difference in the appearance of our hellebore patch under the pollarded willow, revealing the subtle beauty of varieties ranging from deep red to soft pink and white.

Our hellebores originally came from Trader Joe's, which we've found to be an excellent source for reasonably priced, healthy specimens. If you purchase hellebores when the ground is still frozen, keep them in your garage until planting conditions improve.

Task 4: Adding Drip Irrigation

Proper watering is crucial for plant health, especially for moisture-loving plants like hydrangeas. We expanded our existing drip irrigation system to better support our Invincible Spirit II arborescens hydrangea hedge.

Our Irrigation Enhancement:

While our hydrangeas already had a central drip line, we wanted to ensure more comprehensive coverage for these shallow-rooted shrubs. We added additional lines both in front of and behind the hedge using:

1. Half-inch supply tubing with emitters every 18 inches
2. Connection to existing drip lines via proper couplers
3. Landscape staples to secure the lines in place

This supplemental watering will be particularly beneficial since these hydrangeas are in a full southern exposure—slightly more sun than ideal for arborescens varieties in our zone. The additional moisture will help them thrive despite the challenging location.

Irrigation Tip:

When it comes to drip irrigation equipment, investing in quality components makes installation significantly easier. As we discovered, trying to connect couplers to cheaper tubing often leads to frustration (and colorful language!).

Task 5: Starting Seeds Indoors

With approximately six weeks until our last frost date, April is the perfect time to start many of our summer annuals, perennials, and vegetables indoors. This gives them a head start so they're ready to thrive when planting time arrives.

Our Seed Starting Process:

1. Prepare clean containers: We used a combination of standard seed starting trays and XL seed cells for larger plants like tomatoes and squash
2. Use quality seed starting mix: Coast of Maine Sprout Island potting mix provides excellent moisture retention and drainage
3. Moisten soil thoroughly: The right moisture level should hold together when squeezed but still crumble slightly
4. Plant at proper depth: Follow package directions for each variety (larger seeds like castor beans need deeper planting)
5. Add vermiculite topping: A light layer helps maintain consistent moisture
6. Cover with humidity domes: These maintain the high humidity needed for germination
7. Organize and label: Proper labeling is essential—we use an Excel spreadsheet to track planting dates

Seeds We Started:

• Vegetables: 'Rebel Starfighter Prime' tomatoes and delicata squash
• Ornamentals: Castor beans (Impala and purple varieties)
• Flowers: Gomphrena 'Salmon Pastel', hollyhocks 'Majorette Double Champagne', Verbena bonariensis, celosia 'Rose Gold', zinnias, and dahlias

We carefully timed our seed starting to align with our last frost date, focusing on varieties that need 4-6 weeks of growth before transplanting. Some seeds, like the castor beans, will require "potting up" into larger containers before their final garden placement.

Seed Starting Safety:

We take extra precautions with toxic seeds like castor beans, using gloves and keeping them on high shelves in an enclosed tent away from our cats. Our basement setup provides a safe environment for both our seedlings and our curious pets.

Final Thoughts: The Satisfaction of Checking Tasks Off Your List

There's something deeply satisfying about completing these essential spring tasks. Not only do they improve the immediate appearance of your garden, but they also set the stage for a successful growing season ahead. By dividing, pruning, cleaning, watering, and starting seeds, we've given our garden the attention it needs to thrive in the months to come.

What's on your April garden checklist? Are you tackling similar tasks, or does your climate call for different priorities this time of year? We'd love to hear about your spring garden adventures!

Thanks for growing with us!