Checklist for April gardening

April signals warmer air and soil temperatures- ideal conditions for planting summer vegetables and flowers, according to experts at Agromin, a Camarillobased manufacturer of premium soil products.

+Plant summer annuals, bulbs and vegetables: Plant cucumber, melon and zucchini seeds. Transplant potted tomatoes and peppers into the garden. Summer bulbs such as gladiolus and lilies can be planted now.

+Avoid the temptation to cut back frost damaged plants: Plants that were hit hard by winter freezes may look dead, but may be very much alive. Watch for new growth on limbs over the next month. It could be that very little pruning needs to be done.

+Prune spring blooms: Spring blooms typically have short life spans. Once flowering stops, trim back these plants. Flowers in this category include acacia, forsythia, philadelphus, lilac and viburnum.

+Reseed the lawn: Now is the time to reseed thin or bare patches or the whole lawn. Make sure the lawn is mowed closely. Then apply grass seed and cover with a thin layer of topper mix. Water twice a day for two weeks. New growth will begin in about three weeks.

+Mulch plants to reduce water usage: One way to reduce water use during spring and summer months is to use mulch around plants to keep roots cool and moist. Spring is the time to replace last year's mulch with new mulch. Turn the old mulch into the soil. After planting, put about three inches of mulch around the plants. Mulch also keeps weeds down.

For more planting and gardening tips, visit www.agromin.com.