10 Ways to Celebrate National Gardening Month

April is National Gardening Month, and while we don’t mark too many of these big days, weeks and months (hard pass on Squirrel Appreciation Day), this one is worth noting. For northern gardeners, who can finally see the growing season heading our way, April is always a month to celebrate.

Here are 10 ways to enjoy gardening during its special month.

1) Plant some seeds! Even if you don’t have an indoor seed starting system, plant some quick growing crops in yogurt cups placed in a window sill or use the winter sowing method to grow cool-season crops like lettuce or radishes outside in clear milk jugs. Watching a tiny seed germinate, sprout and grow its first set of true leaves can’t help but inspire some garden enthusiasm.

2) Plan a bigger garden. Many foundation beds around houses are too small, so stretch yours out by adding 6 inches or 2 feet. You can use the lasagna method to kill the lawn or try these methods for removing grass. Then add annuals, perennials or anything else you’d like.

3) Buy a friend or family member a hort society membership. Or, join yourself! A society membership means receiving every issue of Northern Gardener, discounts at local nurseries and garden centers, free tickets to the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show, plus discounts on MSHS classes and merchandise.  We’re having a special during National Gardening Month as part of our One New in 22 campaign. Get $5 off a gift or new membership with the code 1NEW22.

4) Check out Bachman’s Spring Botanicals Ideas and Inspiration! This special event is open through Sunday, April 10, and it’s wonderful! Filled with great ideas for decorating your front porch, patio or other outdoor space to embrace spring and gardening.

5) Fertilize your houseplants. Most houseplant people know that you do not want to over water or fertilize during winter when light is at a minimum. However, come April, you can begin fertilizing your houseplants to give them a boost going into the sunny months. Try a half-dose of fertilizer more frequently to help plants grow steadily.

6) Buy a pansy bowl. OK, maybe it’s a touch too early right now, but by mid to late April, pansies will thrive outside even in Minnesota. Many nurseries and garden centers off preplanted pansy bowls, which are just the thing to brighten your front porch and help you celebrate National Gardening Month

7) Take a class! There are so many great opportunities for garden education, online or in-person. Whether you want to learn how to have a more productive garden or how to create bonsai, you’ll find a class. Check out the hort society classes or ones offered at local garden centers.

8) Sharpen your tools. You cleaned and sharpened your tools for the season last fall, right? Right?? Well, if you forgot, now is a good time to give all your tools a thorough cleaning and sharpen any pruners or loppers that need it. Check out this post on basic tool maintenance with a video on how to sharpen your tools.

9) Inspect for bulb foliage. This is a fun April activity. Where are the little green tips of bulbs popping up? Which ones are up first? I’m always pleasantly surprised and a little excited when the first crocus bloom shows up in my front yard.  (True story: after writing that sentence, I decided to check if any crocus were up yet and spotted the first bloom!)

10) Eat up your root cellar and canned goods. If you preserve your harvests, you may have some stray jars of jam, relish or pickles to eat up before you start harvesting more goodies. Many canned goods can last well over a year, but it’s good to eat them up before the new season starts.

Happy April!

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