April can be a funny month in the garden, one day it can be fine and sunny the next it can be freezing cold and snowing! Bearing this in mind we must always be prepared for the worst of temperatures, this can be done by keeping a roll of fleece handy. Use it to protect early fruit blossom in the garden and early seed sowings in the greenhouse.

Cover strawberry plants with fleece for early crops but, don’t forget to remove it during the day other wise pollinating insects wont be able to visit resulting in no strawberries!

Plant out second early potatoes, cover with fleece to protect from heavy frosts. In sheltered areas, free from frosts, sow dwarf French beans and sweet corn under a cloche or fleece, otherwise sow outside in May.
First early potatoes may be ready for earthing up, this stops the tubers turning green.  Top up potato bags with prepared top soil. Feed with a suitable fertiliser. 

Try Jerusalem artichokes for a nice structural plant and edible tubers, they are easy to grow and flavorsome to eat. Plant the tubers now or buy potted plants to plant at the end of April.
In the flower garden, make sure all dead perennial stems etc have been removed. Give the border a dressing with bone meal or slow release fertiliser.

Sow half hardy annuals such as Marigolds and Night Scented Stocks. Sweet peas can be sown but it is getting late to do so.
Start hoeing all the flower and Veg beds on a weekly basis, this will save time later and will also help to reduce the chance of pest and disease attack. Check for pests and disease on plants and spray with appropriate cures, if you are not sure which to use, come and ask.

Check roses for signs of pest and disease, spray with rose clear as a prevention and cure.