Plant clinics

Clinics are Mondays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the courthouse in Port Angeles. Bring your questions. Master Gardeners will be there with answers.

Call the Plant Clinic Helpline at 417-2514.

Seminars

Brown Bag Seminars are held on the second and fourth Thursdays, noon-1 p.m., Clallam County Courthouse (commissioners meeting room), 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

April 9: New Plants from Cuttings (R. Preble)

April 23: History of Garden Design (C. Rome, WSU Extension Director)

In the garden

General: Clean and sharpen tools and mower blades. Check irrigation systems. Water newly planted shrubs and trees and set up summer watering system. Plants need extra water for 2-3 years until established. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days. Pull weeds. Patrol for insects and other pests.

Bulbs: Remove faded blossoms from bulbs and retain foliage. Fertilize bulbs once after bloom. Plant summer-blooming bulbs, rhizomes and tubers such as gladiolus, lilies, begonias and cannas late in the month.

Flowers: Finish pruning established roses. Fertilize established roses every 4-6 weeks through July; do not fertilize newly planted roses. Do not use pre-emergent weed killer near roses because it damages their roots. Plant seed annuals such as cosmos, marigolds and zinnias. Move fuchsias and geraniums outdoors; cover if frost returns.

Shrubs: Fertilize rhododendrons with ammonium sulfate shortly before blooming and once after. Transplant shrubs before the end April. Prune spring-blooming shrubs after they bloom.

Trees: Still time in April to plant trees before summer weather arrives; do not fertilize newly planted trees. Fertilize established trees only if they show signs of nutrient deficiency.

Fruit trees and small fruits: If you have had problems with scab or mildew, spray apple trees with lime-sulfur or a multi-purpose fungicide spray registered for use on these diseases; follow product instructions carefully. Remove dead canes from raspberries (i.e., last year’s fruiting canes). Fertilize raspberries, blackberries and blueberries as buds swell with 5:10:10 fertilizer. Plant strawberries now to get fruit this summer.

Vegetables: Harden off vegetables; transplant starts after last hard frost. Sow beets, chard, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, carrots and parsnips. Start tomatoes, squash and basil indoors. Use row covers now to protect spinach, chard and beets from leaf miners. Check cabbage family crops for caterpillars.

Thin direct-seeded crops as they sprout. Late in the month, plant squash, zucchini, pumpkins and cucumber seeds indoors in large peat pots.

Lawns: Fertilize grass in late April with 3:1:2 slow-release or organic formulations unless you plan to let it go dormant in the summer. Water a new lawn regularly until it is three inches tall. Mow regularly.

Contributions to this article were made by Washington State University-certified, Clallam County Master Gardeners.