Spring Gardening Checklist for Minnesota: April Planting Guide

April is when spring truly hits Minnesota. It’s still pretty chilly outside, and you can expect snow, but it’s nothing like the winter months. This means that it’s the perfect time to get out into the garden and make sure that it’s ready for late spring and summer.

If you’re not yet properly equipped, don’t worry. Just make sure to head over to Otten Bros for all the advice and plants you need, including low-maintenance plants, which are perfect for beginner gardeners or people who want a nice backyard without as much effort.

Here’s a checklist to help Minnesotans know what to do during April, as well as a few tips on what not to do.

Preventing Oak Wilt

April is a great time to start pruning, with the exception of your oak trees. Pruning oaks between April and October can risk spreading the fungus that causes oak wilt. So, leave your oak trees alone until this fungus is less common.

Tidying Up

The first step should be to tidy up your garden so it’s easier to get everything else done. Remove any tree wraps or covers from your plants, as they should be able to handle the spring. Use this time to remove any debris from your garden.

Dealing With Perennials

Perennials are fantastic for low-maintenance yard design because they can stay alive for at least a couple of years as long as you keep them going. But this doesn’t mean you can just ignore them.

During April, you’ll want to cut back and remove any dead tops of perennials. If you have any overgrown perennials, you can divide them and replant them for even more plants. Or, if you’re the generous sort, you can pot them and give them to friends, family, and neighbors.

Pruning in April

April is also the ideal time to start pruning flowering and fruiting shrubs and trees. This encourages more blooms each year, keeps your trees and shrubs under control, and leads to a more stunning garden. 

The best time to prune plants depends on when they flower. Summer flowering shrubs, trees, and hedges should be pruned before any new growth starts, so early on. Spring-flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, should be pruned after they finish flowering.

There are different ways to prune each plant. For example, lilacs only flower on 3-year-old wood, so it’s best to use the rule of thirds to make sure you have flowers every year. If your lilac has a lot of large stems, remove a third of them in the first year, half of the remaining stems the next year, and the rest of them in the third year. 

If you have raspberries, prune dead canes to about 5 canes per row. This will prevent overcrowding and keep your raspberries nice and healthy. If you’re not sure, Otten Bros can help you determine when to prune which plants, and can also provide tools to help you prune more easily.

Soil Preparation and Fertilizing

Fertilization helps your plants to grow healthily and to survive harsher conditions. You should fertilize your trees and shrubs to give them a good boost at the start of the year, as well as your spring-flowering bulbs as they emerge from the ground.

You can prepare your soil when it’s relatively dry and no longer frozen by mixing in compost, manure, and other media like rice hulls or peat moss to keep it healthy. Add fresh mulch once your planting beds are ready to prevent weeds and water loss.

Lawn Care

April is the perfect time to keep your lawn looking nice by seeding new areas and repairing bald spots. The cooler temperatures will allow the seed to take root more easily. If you have an established lawn, a crabgrass preventer is a good way to stop unwelcome crabgrass from taking hold.

What to Plant in April

You can plant a lot in April. If you haven’t already, you still have time to plant warm-season vegetables and flowers. 

You should use this time to plant:

• Pansies
• Summer-flowering bulbs
• Perennial veggies (asparagus and rhubarb)
• Cold crop vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli)
• Root vegetables (potatoes, onions)

These are all hardy enough to survive even the colder April temperatures and snowfall. If in doubt, get in touch with garden designers in Minnesota who know exactly what plants you can sow and when.

Caring For Birds

If you love to see birds in your backyard, this is the perfect time to clean out any bird houses in your garden and to start adding food, water, nesting material, and shelter for any birds that might be coming home after winter.