. This is the best month in which to divide perennials as the soil

temperature is optimum for new root growth. If hostas are divided as

the "pips" emerge from the ground, the hosta will respond as if it has

never been divided and look great for the entire growing season. Try to

preserve as much root as possible. Plant crown one to two inches

below the soil level. Water well.

. To prepare a new "hole" for a perennial, when the soil is dry enough

to be worked, dig the area to a depth of 12", incorporating 4-6 inches of

organic matter. Dig the hole twice as wide as the soil ball and as deep. If

the plant is growing in artificial soil, shake some of this off and add it to

the soil going back into the planting hole. Remember, your perennial

might live in this home for a long time. It will have a better chance of

survival and send out roots with greater ease in a loose, friable

environment. After planting, thoroughly soak the soil around the plant to

settle it.

. While the crowns of hostas benefit from being planted an inch or

two below the soil level, some perennials' crowns will rot if planted in

this manner. Penstemons are such plants. Plant so that their crowns are

almost exposed, making sure that mulch is kept away from the crown.

These plants also do not like rich soil. If fertilizing your perennials was

not done earlier, you can fertilize now. Use l pound of 10-10-10 per 100

square feet. A 1 pound coffee can holds about 2 pounds of fertilizer.

. When the forsythia have finished blooming, it is a sign to do three

things. Apply a preemergent herbicide such as Preen (if desired) to

garden beds as the soil temperature is now conducive to weed growth.

Around your roses, rake back mulch and discard, Prune your roses (this

is the time to do any major pruning) and dig in a balanced fertilizer. To

your grass, apply a crabgrass preventer if you have had a problem last

year.

. Vegetables: The first asparagus and rhubarb can be picked now as

they are young and tender. Remove any flowers from the stalks of

rhubarb. In early April, sow eggplants, peppers and tomatoes under

lights. In the middle of the month, sew muskmelons, pumpkins, squash

and water melons in peat pots under lights. (These do not transplant

well, so you need a container that can be planted in the ground so the

roots will not be disturbed.) At the end of April, sew radishes, carrots,

Swiss chard, beets, lettuce, and the first sweet corn directly in the

ground. Plant onion and potato seed pieces. A friend of mine cut up

some old potatoes that were sprouting, buried them in a pile of

compost (mostly leaves). Later that summer he had the most beautiful

potatoes'...and so easy to "dig". Plant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,

lettuce, endive, spinach and parsley plants that you started earlier. When

planting your vegetable plants, add a transplant starter (these are high

in soluble phosphorus). Use a 10-30-10 or a 20-20-20 according to

label directions.

. Start your tuberous begonias and dahlias in pots now, but keep in a

warm garage or in the basement. Fertilize spring bulbs as they finish

blooming in your garden. Deadhead tulips, daffodils and other larger

flowered bulbs as their flowers fade. This will direct the plant's energy to

rebuilding the bulbs and not making seeds. Do not remove the foliage.

The foliage is the factory that produces the carbohydrates for the bulbs.

A fence is the only reliable prevention to protect your tulips if you have a

rabbit problem. Rabbits and deer do not like daffodils.

. April 15 marks the date of good soil temperature for grass seed

germination in our 5B zone. If you have applied crab grass killer, it will

interfere with seed germination.

. Prune forsythia and lilacs after they have finished blooming. While a

forsythia can be sheared, a lilac is pruned more minimally. Perform

rejuvenation pruning on a lilac by removing an old thick stem all the

way down to the base of a plant. Dig out any suckers and replant to

another area. A dwarf lilac, such as Miss Kim, sometimes grows bigger

than what was assumed a dwarf size. This can be cut back all around to

maintain it's size for the space.

. The end of the month, divide chrysanthemums and asters. These

plants need to be divided every 1 or 2 years for best performance.

Prune type 2 and 3 clematis now. Type 2 includes Henry I, The

President, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Nellie Moser, etc. These do not

need to be cut back too heavily, unless the vine is tangled and messy

looking. Type 3 clematis are the viticellas such as Madame Julie

Correvon and Polish Spirit. Cut these back to the ground. As these will

get "bare legs" later in the summer, it is best to plant another perennial

in front of them. Cut Sweet Autumn Clematis back to the ground. Type 1

clematis include the montanas. They will be the first to bloom. Only

prune enough after they bloom to control in size.

. Cut epimedium down to the ground so that the tiny flowers can be

enjoyed. Cut back pachysandra severely, and in three or four weeks you

will have a thickened groundcover. Cotoneasters benefit from a heavy

pruning, as does Russian sage. The end of the month, remove the

mulch from the strawberries. Divide overgrown pond plants.

- Nancy Crawford, Master Gardener