April Landscape Tips

Do you hate those pesky yellow jacket wasps that ruin you summer bbqs and picnics? Now is the absolute best time to prevent them. Even though you hardly see them now, in late March through April, the only yellow jackets that are active are the females. They will soon begin building nests, laying eggs, and multiplying by the hundreds this summer. If you eliminate the females now, you can reduce future summer annoyances by her offspring.  

Set out the yellow non chemical traps found at home stores that allow them to fly in but not get out. You can use the bait that comes with it (contains a hormone attractant), but I would add a bit of hamburger or other meat that will turn rancid in the sun. They need the protein and will be attracted to the smell.  It sounds gross, I know, but it works. To help reduce water usage and out compete weeds, raise your mowing height to 3.5” or so. If you have warm season grass like bermuda or st. Augustine, dethatch if necessary.  

Another water saving tip is to mulch your planter beds if you haven’t done so already. The mulch will keep the soil moist and as an added benefit will reduce weeds. While you are working in your planting beds, it is not too late to plant spring annual flowers like alyssum, calendula, impatiens, or snapdragons nor is it too early to plant heat loving summer annuals like cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, petunias, begonias, etc. April is a great time to make all your flowers explode with color by applying a balanced fertilizer such as 15-15-15 or 9-9-9 plus iron. If you have a California friendly or native garden, apply the fertilizer at 1/3 to ½ the rate listed on the bag, they do not need as much food.  

Home vegetable gardeners it is time to plant all the yummy summer crops. This includes tomatoes, squash, peppers, corn, melons, and cucumbers.  It may be time to increase our turf watering to 4-5 days a week, 5-9 minutes per day. If we get a hot and dry week, add a day, if it rains, turn the system off for a few days.  Your irrigation system must be working as efficiently as possible now through the end of summer, so take some time to inspect the system again. 

Bonus tip: Watch out for powdery mildew and aphids right now. They both love the cool damp weather and soft new shoots. Treat with a systemic product or soapy water.