The Almanac
Average temperature: High 83, Low 60
Rainfall: 2.42 inches
1. Moon phases
First quarter: April 4
Full moon: April 12
Last quarter: April 20
New moon: April 27
2. Moon sign planting dates
Above-ground crops: 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 27, 28
Below-ground crops: 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 28,23, 24
Control weeds: 2, 3, 21, 22, 29, 30
Prune trees and shrubs: 6, 7, 16, 17, 25, 26
Time to plant
3. Vegetables: Calabaza, cantaloupe, cassava, chayote, cherry tomato, cucumber, dasheen, eggplant, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, lima bean, malabar spinach, malanga, New Zealand spinach, okra, pepper, roselle, Seminole pumpkin, snap beans, squash, Southern pea, sweet potato, tamarillo, yam and yard-long bean.
4. Flowers: African daisy, ageratum, aster, bacopa, balsam, begonia, black-eyed Susan, blue daze, browallia, bush daisy, cat’s whiskers, celosia, cleome, coleus, coreopsis, cosmos, crossandra, dahlberg daisy, diascia, gazania, gaillardia, gerbera, goldenrod, impatiens, Joseph’s coat, lantana, licorice plant, lisianthus, marigold, melampodium, Mexican sunflower, million bells, moon flower, nicotiana, nierembergia, pentas, periwinkle, porterweed, portulaca, purslane, salvia, sunflower, torenia and zinnia.
5. Bulbs: Asiatic lilies, achimenes, African iris, agapanthus, amaryllis, Amazon lily, blackberry lily, blood lily, bulbine, caladium, canna, crinum, dahlia, eucharis lily, gingers, gladioli, gloriosa lily, society garlic, tuberous begonias and rain lily.
6. Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, cardamom, chives, coriander, dill, borage, edible ginger, lemon balm, oregano, Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, sweet marjoram and thyme.
Lawn care
7. Most lawns are making good growth; complete feeding of all lawns.
8. Previously fertilized but yellow lawns can often be regreened with an iron only application.
9. Obtain weed control with liquids or weed-and-feed products labeled for your lawn type.
10. Check the soil acidity of all home lawns; adjust the pH if needed.
11. Mow zoysia lawns to the desired 2- to 3-inch height.
12. Rake out the declining leaf blades left from winter as needed.
13. Spring is a good time to install and repair lawns.
14. Don’t fight the shade; consider another ground cover for these problem spots.
15. Remove weeds, adjust the pH and till the ground before installing a new lawn.
16. Starter fertilizers can be used with new lawns to supply some phosphorus for root growth.
17. Crabgrass got an early start; dig out and resod these areas.
18. Chinch bug controls are often needed at this time for St. Augustine lawns.
19. Remove excessive quantities of tree leaves from home lawns before mowing.
20. Spring is often dry; water when the lawn begins to show moisture stress.
21. Train your lawn to no more than once or twice a week watering.
22. Adjust sprinklers to avoid sidewalks and roadways and water only the turf.
23. Apply up to three-quarters of an inch of water at each irrigation.
24. Change the oil and service air filters of gas-powered equipment.
25. Sharpen mower blades when the cutting edges begin to dull.
26. Edge lawns growing along sidewalks.
27. Aerate lawns and remove thatch if needed.
Landscape chores
28. Many plants were not affected by cold; do needed pruning to control size and shape.
29. Prune dead from declining plants several inches into healthy wood.
30. Prune spring flowering trees and shrubs after the blossoms fade.
31. Keep palms healthy; only remove the brown fronds plus fruiting stems as needed.
32. Rake and use leaves as mulch or compost them for later use in the gardens.
33. Plant a tree, shrub or vine for Earth Day and National Arbor Day.
34. Replant with a majority of cold hardy and drought tolerant shrubs and perennials.
35. Remove declining cool season annuals and add a spring warm weather selection.
36. Make sure the root balls of all plant are moist at planting time.
37. Build berms at the edge of root balls of new trees and shrubs to direct water to the roots.
38. Give all poinsettias a spring trimming; repot new ones or add them to the landscape.
39. Most established trees and shrubs are drought tolerant; water when they show signs of stress.
40. Maintain 2- to 3-inch mulch layers with trees and shrubs; 1 inch in flower beds.
41. Water annuals and perennials when the soil begins to dry or they show signs of wilting.
42. Use slow-release fertilizers that can feed landscape plants for months.
43. Palms need special feedings; use fertilizers made for palms every three to four months.
44. Weed landscape plantings to reduce competition for water and nutrients.
45. Inspect older trees and trim as needed before the hurricane season begins.
46. Check sagos for white cycad scale and control as needed.
47. Trim old flower stalks from amaryllis, amazon lilies and other spring flowering plants.
48. Water new plantings as needed to keep the soil moist.
49. Divide perennials before the really hot weather arrives.
50. Train vines to a trellis or arbor.
51. Add a water feature to the landscape; clean established ones.
52. Transplant and feed water lilies and bog plants.
Fruit and vegetable plantings
53. Hurry to plant tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in the garden.
54. Select larger transplants for this time of the year.
55. Remove cool season crops completing their harvests and add the seeded crops.
56. Many bananas were damaged by the cooler weather; remove declining portions.
57. Trim tropicals unaffected by cold as needed to keep them in bounds.
58. Citrus greening is still a major problem; remove affected trees.
59. Control citrus psyllids at each flush of growth; use sprays or soil treatments as instructed.
60. Apply minor nutrient sprays to citrus trees at each flush of growth.
61. Finish granular spring feedings of all fruit trees.
62. Start sweet potatoes to have transplants for May.
63. Plant tropical vegetables that won’t mind the summer heat and humidity.
64. Complete herb plantings before hot weather arrives; many grow best in containers.
65. Feed vegetable plantings lightly every three to four weeks or use a slow-release fertilizer as labeled.
66. Help maintain a moist soil with a 2- to 3-inch mulch layer with all but citrus.
67. Add edible fruit bearing trees, shrubs and vines to the landscape.
68. Blueberries need a very acidic soil; have the soil pH checked before planting.
69. Grow blueberries in pine bark fines or add them to help acidify soils.
70. Transplant papaya seedlings to the landscape, keep moist and feed monthly
Foliage and indoor plants
71. Groom to reshape and remove declining portions of foliage plants indoors and outside.
72. Trim overgrown stems of foliage plants to make cuttings.
73. Declining indoor foliage plants would love a filtered sun location outdoors to recover.
74. Add a saucer to plants on patios to capture and conserve water for use.
75. Save money growing more foliage plants by division or cuttings.
76. Exchange extra foliage plants with friends to increase collections.
77. Repot foliage plants that have outgrown their containers.
78. Trim Christmas and holiday cactus if needed to keep compact; root the cuttings.
79. Give foliage plants a spring feeding with a slow release fertilizer.
80. Move orchids & bromeliads outdoors to a shady location.
81. Repot orchids & bromeliads when they begin spring growth as needed and begin feedings.
82. Consider using foliage plants for shady landscape sites.
83. Transplant amaryllis that flowered during the winter to the garden or grow in containers.
84. Wash away dust and insects from leaves and stems.
85. Insects like scale, mealy bugs and thrips may need an insecticidal soap or oil spray for control.
Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.
