April was a busy month. You should have the garden planted and the flower gardens blooming. The larkspur are beautiful and the bluebonnets are already bloomed out. They must dry and throw their seed for next year’s blooms. Don’t mow until the plants have completely dried. This is a very ugly part of the season. If you want more wildflowers next year, begin planting in September and October. Pray for rains during winter and early spring.

KBB donated and planted another Monterry Oak in early April. We planted it near the seating area at the theater. The City had to remove a very large hackberry tree several years ago. We want to provide shade in the area again.

Virginia Kloster donated shelving and paint for the house we purchased for storage.

We are blessed with an unlimited number of weeds this year. To rid the garden of weeds, use a tiller or hoe and pull up by the roots or spray with a weed killer. A good organic spray is one gallon of white vinegar, two tablespoons of orange oil, and a squirt of dishwashing detergent. The weeds may need to be sprayed more than once. The mixture will kill any plant it touches.

Re-pot plants from last year into a pot one size larger. Feed, water, and move them outside into the proper sun or shade.

Spray roses and crape myrtles with a fungicide, such as Neem oil or Benomyl, to control black spot or downy mildew. It usually means they are not getting the proper air circulation or they are in too much shade. You may need to prune some of the inside branches to open up the plant.

Prune climbing roses when they have finished blooming.

We have heavy infestations of fleas and other insects this year. Use Beneficial Nematodes in the yard for fleas and grubs. If the nematodes are added to the soil early in the spring, they will help with the thrips and ticks while the insects are still in the soil. Check with your favorite nursery; they should be able to explain about the nematodes.

Begin seeding cantaloupe, okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and watermelon.

Garlic is beginning to bloom. When the flowers open and the leaves turn brown and fall down, it is ready to dig out or pull up. Hang them in a dry, cool place until you are ready to use them.

Continue to deadhead your blooming flowers. This will help keep the flowers blooming longer. Continue to water and feed them on a regular basis.

Keep the gnats and mosquitos away from your patio area by using Dr. T powder. This is garlic based. You can help out by making your own garlic spray. Use the blender, strainer, and spray bottle.

If you want to collect seed from the wildflowers, remove the seed before they fall and place them in a paper sack. Place them in a dry place and as they dry the seeds will fall into the bag. Keep them tagged and in a dry area until time to plant.