April in the Garden

With flowers, plants and trees beginning to bloom, there is plenty of work to do in April to keep a garden looking its best, say experts at Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of premium soil products.

Continued care for roses: Make sure to fertilize after each round of blooming and keep your roses well watered.

Pinch and prune: Pinch back new growth on chrysanthemums and fuchsias (pictured) to keep the plants bushy. Bougainvilleas also benefit from pruning to shape and restrain growth.

Color for summer: Summer-blooming bedding plants should be planted in April. Annuals that bloom all summer include alyssum, bedding dahlia, gloriosa daisy, marigold, petunia, verbena and zinnia. Summer shade plants include begonia, forget-me-nots and impatiens.

Plant your vegetables: Now is the time to plant most all vegetables. Don't forget peppers. They are easy to grow, get fewer diseases than other vegetables, produce with less warmth and bear into fall.

For more planting and gardening tips, go to http://www.agromin.com/.