Timely Tips

What to Do in April 2026
Weekly Gardening Timely Tips from
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County

April 5 to April 11

Perennials: Some established plants may be slow to emerge in the garden, so be careful not to disturb them when you dig nearby. Put supports in place for peonies and other tall perennials that may become floppy before the plants get too big to work with easily.

Flowers: Start bedding plants indoors now and transition them to the garden when the weather warms around Memorial Day. Take cuttings of houseplants that do double duty in the garden, such as begonia, coleus, geranium, and many varieties of spurflower (aka Swedish ivy, Cuban oregano).

Fruits and Vegetables:Continue to start seeds of slow-growing tender crops indoors and acclimate hardy cool season vegetables to outdoor conditions. You can also direct seed or plant successions of early crops, such as beets, carrots, collards and kale, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes, Swiss chard, turnips, and others when the soil is workable. Plant strawberries on a site where they and brambles, or tomato family plants have not previously grown. Prune apples and pears. After removing dead, diseased, or broken branches, take out crossing and competing growth, sucker and watersprouts (no more than 10 to 25 percent of the total growth). Retain fruiting spurs as much as possible. Wait until after flowering to prune peaches.

Trees and Shrubs: Examine shrubs for winter burn and other injuries, and prune dead or weakened wood. Prune tea roses as the new growth appears, removing stems that suffered winter damage. Wait to cut back climbing or rambling roses until after they flower.

Lawns: Crabgrass begins to germinate as forsythia leaves begin to emerge (the shrubs are gold and green) and Callery pears are in bloom. The best defense against crabgrass and other weeds is thick turf that shades the soil, which reduces weed germination and space for weeds to grow. Most lawn grasses need full sun (at least 6 hours a day) to develop a dense cover and grow well. If bare spots or thin turf need to be seeded, do this now (best when the soil is 50°F at a depth of 2 inches). Test soil pH and nutrients, and add amendments if warranted. Contact your local Cooperative Extension for advice.

Houseplants: Prune leggy plants. As you see new growth, fertilize according to label directions if needed.

General: Have you been wondering about robot mowers? Learn more in the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester 2026 Home Garden Lecture Series: Climate Anxiety: How to Help.

Wednesday, April. 15 from 10 to 11 am, remote on Zoom, $5. All lectures are remote on Zoom. A ticket to any single remote lecture is $5 and the tour is $20 (while there is space).

Speaker: Carl Schimentiis an Urban Environmental Scientist in the Turfgrass Science Research Unit at Cornell University. He has worked on reduced-risk turfgrass management of NY State Park golf courses through judicious use of pesticides, nutrients, and water,and now focuses on data-driven management to maximize ecosystem service value of urban green spaces.

Check out the brochure at https://www.canva.com/design/DAG37gykNic/RGq-kIdH95APY6-bKoGQYw/view?utm_content=DAG37gykNic&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hcc45ab7c29 For more information, please call CCE at 914-285-4640, 914-285-4620 or email westchester@cornell.edu

Last updated April 4, 2026