GARDENING
Jack Hardy
April is the month when the weather warms up considerably and is therefore the last month for many vegetable crops. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, garden peas and such cannot take our warm spring weather. Others such as sweet and hot peppers, Italian and cherry tomatoes, eggplant and cabbage will produce for another few months.
Winter is over so it is time to fertilize citrus and fruit trees. Some people wait until the seasonal rains begin, but sometimes they do not arrive until June. Make sure the ground is thoroughly soaked before feeding your citrus or the fertilizer will be washed through too quickly. Apply most of the fertilizer around the drip line and don’t forget the minor nutrient spray which will keep your citrus in tip top condition. If the leaves are not of good colour you may need to apply Sequestrene, a form of chelated iron which works on limestone soils.
Even coconut trees need feeding now and then. In addition to regular fertilizer salts of Manganese and Magnesium should be added. Epsom salts helps out here. Shrubs which produce flowers all year round need to be fertilized now so they will be particularly showy during the summer months.