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April Rain Song Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head
With silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
With its pitty-pat.
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.
The rain makes running pools in the gutter.
The rain plays a little sleep tune
On our roof at night,
And I love the rain. 1921 Poem by Langston Hughes |
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Celebrate Earth Day by making your own beautiful crafts from recycled plastic water bottles. For adults and older teens only! Sharp tools and materials will be used. *Donations of empty, clean, and dry clear water and pop bottles are welcome! |
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It's April! New additions are being added weekly! Check back often for best selection of new arrivals. In early April, you still have time to start tomato seeds, but they need to be started indoors now so they will be ready to plant outdoors in late May. Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) and greens like lettuce and kale also need to be started now to be ready to plant in the cool spring days of mid to late April. You can also direct sow greens like lettuce, kale, mustard, arugula, collards, calendula, and cilantro as soon as the soil warms enough to be worked. Usually that is mid-April. Our seed starting handout outlining what seeds to start when is available at the seed library. The LTPL Seed Library is open for business all year long with seasonally appropriate seeds added on an ongoing basis. The mission of the seed library is to promote gardening and encourage sustainability through seed saving. The seeds are available at no cost to you. Although it is not required, we hope that you will attempt to save seeds from your crops and return them to the seed library to help keep it self-sustaining. To use the seed library, simply make your selections and log your initials and number of packets taken on the clipboard. The clipboard and instructions are on top of the Seed Library cabinet.
Gardening handouts are available at the Seed Library and also on the LTPL Grows Webpage, along with informative videos! |
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In April: - Start seeds indoors for tomatoes, cauliflower, basil, Brussels sprouts, zinnias, cosmos.
- Mid-month, weather permitting, you may begin transplanting hardy vegetable, herb, and flower plants outdoors: Broccoli, cabbage, onions, leeks, calendula, parsley, celery, lettuce, kale, mustard, snapdragons, pansies and violas. Make sure to harden off the plants beginning early April by gradually exposing them to the outdoor weather or putting them in a cold frame.
- As soon as the soil can be worked, direct sow seeds for peas, scallions, larkspur, Bells of Ireland, sweet peas, cilantro, radish, turnips, kohlrabi, spinach, kale, broccoli raab, lettuce, chard, and other hardy greens. Plant potatoes and onion sets.
- Mid-month you may direct-sow root crops: carrots, beets, scallions, and parsnips.
- Plant bare-root perennials, shrubs, and trees.
- Divide or relocate summer and fall-blooming perennials
- Fertilize houseplants as the days grow longer
- Pray fruit trees with dormant oil to kill overwintering pests
- Clean out birdhouses by removing all contents (nesting material, feces, wasp nests, insects) and disinfecting it with a birdhouse cleaner or 10% bleach solution.
- Information and online resources for starting and saving seed can be found on the LTPL Website.
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This book profiles 20 abundant gardens from across the USA, and ideas and projects that gardeners can do themselves. |
Learn about unusual edible plants that you might have overlooked, as well as new versions of old favorites. |
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Michigan Gardener Magazine no longer publishes a print magazine. You can still visit the Michigan Gardener website for occasional new articles and the calendar, and browse through digital back issues of the print magazine and newsletters. |
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Find more information on LTPL Grows and other resources! |
Visit and "like" for gardening news, tips and upcoming events. |
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