'I'm a gardening expert - here's 1 job you can't miss before the end of April'

If you have hydrangeas in your garden , you need to make sure that a certain very important job is done in the next few days. At this time of year, there’s a range of essential tasks to ensure plants thrive through the warmer months. One of the most important gardening jobs this month is pruning hydrangeas - if you haven’t yet given your hydrangeas the attention they need, now is most definitely the time.

Pruning these beautiful shrubs involves cutting back the old stems to a healthy shoot lower down the plant. This vital step ensures that your hydrangeas produce healthy blooms in the coming season, says BBC Gardener's World. Pruning hydrangeas at the right time is crucial for their growth.



If you leave them too long, old, dead stems can prevent new shoots from emerging - as a result, the plant’s overall health may suffer. By cutting the old stems back to a healthy bud or shoot, you encourage the plant to direct its energy towards producing fresh, vibrant flowers. This also helps the hydrangea maintain a tidy appearance, preventing it from becoming unruly.

For many hydrangea varieties, pruning should be done in late spring or early summer, but April is the perfect time to get ahead of the game. But, this isn’t the only job that needs to be done in your garden before the end of April. One key job is preparing your soil, as the weather warms, the soil will begin to dry out, so it's a good idea to add a layer of mulch around your plants to help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay.

Another tip is to make sure you don't forget to check on your perennials. Many plants benefit from some early spring care, such as removing any dead or damaged growth, and giving them a light feeding to promote strong, healthy growth. By tackling these tasks now, you'll set your garden up for a successful, flourishing summer.

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