Typically, we think of April as the month landscapes turn green and burst with color. But with the early spring and having so far escaped a late hard freeze, it feels like the beauty of April arrived in March this year.

Even with the early start, there is still more green and color to come in April.

Fescue will continue to deepen in color. Bermuda will turn a little greener every day and be fully green by the end of the month.

Every day you will discover another perennial, shrub, or tree is adding splashes of color.

April is a big month for your lawn and landscape. It is the transition month between cool weather and warm weather and so many important tasks need our attention.

What a spring for tulips! The colors have been spectacular and without extreme cold or hot weather they just keep going and going and going.

April is the month Fescue lawns make a big statement. If you have fescue it is time to start mowing every 5-7 days.

There are many varieties of Viburnum that grace the landscapes in April.

Henbit is a winter annual broadleaf weed know for purple flowers. If you want a clean lawn in April, don’t skip the two fall pre-emergent weed control applications.

April is the month Flowering Crab Apples shine!

Turf Fertilizer – Both fescue and Bermuda lawns will benefit from a fertilizer application this month. If you subscribe to the Hall | Stewart 7-Step Lawn Care Program your lawn will receive fertilizer. If you subscribe to our 4-Step Weed Control Only Program, apply fertilizer to your lawn this month. Look for a fertilizer with 25-30% nitrogen and a small amount of phosphorus and potassium.

It is hard to beat the deep green color of fescue in April.

Snowball bushes are stunning in the landscape this month.

Turf Weed Control – Beginning in mid-March and continuing through April, it is important to apply the second spring pre-emergent to lawns. Pre-emergent applications gradually breakdown overtime. The second pre-emergent extends weed prevention through the summer months. April is a good time to get control of broadleaf weeds in Fescue, but while Bermuda is coming out of dormancy you must be careful with herbicide applications to not cause damage. Good turf development now is the key to a healthy lawn all summer and you don’t want to cause any harm while warm season turf is coming out of dormancy.

Our promise to you is to take all the steps we can to remedy weed issues in a way that is safe for your lawn and the environment.

Our request is that you always let us know how your lawn is doing 10-14 days after an application.

If the lawn needs to be retreated, results will be better if it occurs within 2-3 weeks of the initial application.

Poa Annua, annual bluegrass, is a winter annual that weed that is easier to prevent with fall pre-emergent herbicides than it is in the spring.

With soil temperatures in the mid 50’s, bermuda lawns are starting to green up. As soil temperatures reach into the 60’s, they will begin to actively grow.

In the right location, a place with dappled or morning sun with acidic, well drained soil, Dogwoods add a splash of brightness to the landscape this month.

Lawn Maintenance – If you have a Fescue lawn, April is the month that you will need to start mowing regularly. Remember the rule of 1/3 – never cut more than 1/3 of the turf off in a single mowing. Anytime you cut more than 1/3 of the leaf blade off you are keeping your lawn from looking its absolute best. Start mowing the Fescue taller in April. It needs to have as much leaf space as possible going into the summer months.

If you have a warm season lawn (Bermuda) and have not already cut the lawn short for the spring, do so as soon as possible. Once the lawn starts growing it will need to be mowed every 10-14 days during a typical April. Try to keep your Bermuda lawns cut short early in the season by mowing often enough that you never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf when mowing.

Perennials come to life in April. As Creeping Phlox begins to fade Dianthus starts to add color. A good perennial planting plan ads color to the landscape from season to season.

Plant Insect and Disease – Unhealthy trees and shrubs, those that are under stress, are more susceptible to insect and disease problems. Put your plants on your calendar for a frequent inspection. Be ready to treat problems as they arise.

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape follows an integrated pest management approach, which starts with inspecting trees and shrubs and treating as needed.

If you would like to subscribe to our 4-Step Tree & Shrub Care program, please give us a call, (405)367-3873, or respond to this email.

The great color of Japanese Maples is setting landscapes on fire.

Creeping Phlox, one of the first perennials to bloom, are putting on a show.

Deciduous (plants that drop their leaves in the winter) shrubs, such as abelia are coming to life.

April is full of fun surprises. One of my favorites, Peonies, close out the month.

Flowering Quince will continue to add splashes of reds to the landscape in early April.

Irrigation – As the weather warms in April, your lawn and landscape will start needing more routine watering. If we go more than a week without a ½” rainfall, you need to start watering. Remember to follow the odd/even watering restrictions. If you have a rain sensor, it will interrupt the cycle when we receive rain. If you don’t, please remember to turn your system off when we get a good rainfall.

If you don’t have a rain sensor, consider having one installed.

A sensor will pay for itself in water savings very quickly.

Tree & Shrub Fertilizer – Spring is a good time to fertilize trees and shrubs. Plants use stored nutrients in the spring to force new buds and they need to be replaced. Look for a balanced fertilizer, such as 16-4-8, 12-6-6 or 12-4-8. The amount of fertilizer needed is based on the root area. The goal is to give the plants 2 pounds of nitrogen this spring. Always follow label directions for the product you are using.

Shrub Pruning – April is the last chance to do early season pruning on crape myrtles, hollies and ornamental grasses. On crape myrtles, remove any crossing or rubbing branches, cut off last year’s left-over seed heads, and any branches off that are smaller than a pencil. Overgrown hollies can still be reduced in size if you do it soon. The goal is to do any major pruning before the first heavy growth flush of the year. On ornamental grasses, cut them down to about 1’ before new growth begins to shoot up from the grass clump.

April = Tulips! Take a stroll through the Myriad Gardens this week.

Seasonal Color – We all have the tendency to get a little antsy and want to plant annuals a little too early. Who can blame you? With all the colorful plants already in the garden centers, it is hard to resist. But, wait until after the danger of the last frost passes in mid-April. Start with annuals that tolerate a few cool nights, such as begonia and impatient, and wait until May to plant heat loving annuals, such as periwinkle, lantana, and penta. Planting pansies and bulbs in the fall will give you color this time of year and allow you to wait until the best time to plant summer color.