Did you know that April is National Garden Month?
The official proclamation, declared by then-Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack in 2015, “celebrates the great American tradition of gardening at home, at school and in the community.”
And, if you haven’t already, April is a great time to start prepping your garden.
Here are 10 tasks to complete in April for a bountiful garden in the summer and fall:
1. Clean up your garden. Remove last year’s dead plants and rake back last year’s mulch. You can shred and/or compost everything except diseased plants.
2. Complete the pruning of your trees and shrubs in and around your garden. Wait to prune your roses until after buds begin to swell to avoid late frost damaging new growth.
3. Test your soil for its pH balance to help you understand the nutrients present within and the type and amount of fertilizer to apply. Your Archuleta County CSU Extension office has soil sampling instructions through the CSU Spur Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
4. Loosen the soil with a broad fork, pitchfork or shovel to improve drainage and aeration, making it easier for plants to grow. This is also a good time to add worms to your soil.
5. Worm castings (worm poop) make excellent manure for your garden. They are neutral in pH and contain plant nutrients that are generally released over the course of several months. Castings can be harvested every three months from a vermicompost bin. Your Archuleta County CSU Extension is offering a vermicomposting class on June 28 where you will learn about the importance of worms in our soils and gardens and will make a worm compost bin to take home. Call (970) 264-5931 to register.
6. While your garden may appear weed-free at the beginning of April, hundreds of weed seeds are likely just waiting for the right conditions to emerge. Adding a fresh layer of mulch to your garden will help keep these seeds from germinating and help smother them if they do germinate. Mulch also conserves moisture, prevents soil splash and reduces soil-borne diseases.
7. The warm spring weather will encourage seeds to germinate and you will want to begin weeding as soon as the plants begin to emerge. It is much easier to remove smaller plants than their larger counterparts.
8. Design and plan your garden layout. Plan your pathways to improve your garden space and efficiency. There are various ways to design your garden, and a well-designed garden can bring you years of beauty and enjoyment.
9. Purchase or prepare your garden journal. Journals are helpful to document your plants’ progress, successes and failures. They can also be used to schedule upcoming tasks and seasonal reminders. There are many journals online that you can purchase, or you can simply buy a notebook and document your observations.
10. Order your Colorado certified and non-GM seed potatoes from your Archuleta County CSU Extension Office. Five varieties of potatoes are available. Visit https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu or call (970) 264-5931to learn more and place your order today.
When you have questions, Colorado State University Extension has research-based answers. Contact your Archuleta CSU Extension Office to learn more about gardening in the southwest at https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu.
Resources: Yablonski, B. “11 Gardening Tasks To Do in April For a Bountiful Spring Garden.” Epic Gardening, 11 April 2024, www.epicgardening.com/april-gardening-tasks/Bogardus, F. “Year Round Gardening: April Garden Calendar.” Colorado State University Extension, 30 March 2019, sam.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/44/2019/04/march-30-2019-April-Gardent-Calendar.pdf.
Email list
Do you want to be added to our email distribution list to learn about upcoming programs and the latest resources? Email cindi.galabota@colostate.edu to be added to our list.
Or, to learn more about the many programs, resources and services offered by Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, visit https://extension.colostate.edu.
Seed potatoes for sale
Place your order today for Colorado certified and non-GMO seed potatoes. Five varieties of potatoes are available.
Order by April 30 and pick up your potatoes May 13, 14 and 15 at the CSU Extension Office. Visit https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu or call (970) 264-5931to learn more and place your order today.
Be prepared for an emergency
A “Be Prepared for an Emergency” workshop with Cindi Galabota, CSU extension director, and Lacy Capre, Archuleta County Public Health outreach specialist, is set for 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the CSU Extension Building at 344 U.S. 84. This free workshop will cover the best practices for preparing for and recovery from an emergency.
Field to Freezer Course
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be holding its Field to Freezer Course on May 16 and 17 at the CSU Extension building located at 344 U.S. 84.
Trained professionals will teach you how to responsibly care for and process the meat from any big game ungulate in Colorado. Participants must be at least 16 years old. Visit https://forms.gle/owfhB5R8PTpYYHGGA to register.
There are limited spots available. Applications are due by May 9.
Vermiculture workshop
Join Galabota for a fun, hands-on and engaging Vermiculture Workshop. Learn all about the vital role worms play in healthy soils and build your own worm composting bin.
It is set for 10 a.m. on June 28 at the CSU Extension Building at 344 U.S. 84. There is a $20 materials fee. RSVP at (970) 264-5931 or https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu/.
CPR and first aid classes
CPR and first aid certification classes are offered every other month at the CSU Extension office, generally on the third Monday and Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m. The cost for the classes is $80 for combined CPR/first aid and $55 for CPR, first aid or recertification. Call the Extension office at (970) 264-5931 to register.
Check out the online option on our website, https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu/.
