April is an important month for garden preparation, with temperatures moving in an upward direction and weed growth transitioning between winter and summer species; new growth will react to warmer weather and initiation of growth, foliage and bud formation. It is a good time to review the state of the garden while developing a plan of action to move forward with scheduled work.

Clearing the beds of weed growth will aid their uptake of moisture and nutrients while allowing the garden specimens to use these resources to their advantage. A Dutch hoe is in my opinion the best tool for weeding as it — if used correctly — skims through the soil surface, removing germinating and young weed growth, thus reducing the action of soil being turned over and bringing weed seed to the surface to germinate.

While weeding, check the stability of root systems that might have been “disturbed” during the winter months; where loose, gently heel in the soil around the exposed root and, if necessary, install a stake to secure in place.

When inspecting the plants, check for broken, twisted, diseased branches and prune back to an outward-facing bud, which will help develop a good branch structure through the summer months development. The “architectural outline” of a plant is controlled by pruning and species in general are either upright or spreading, and thus pruning will have a great influence on their branch structure. Prune back long branches to initiate growth in the nether regions of the stem but keep the cut and its future direction in conjunction with neighbouring branches to create an “open canopy” that will be open to light and thus encourage growth throughout the canopy.

Careful pruning negates the problem of “top-heavy” growth by spreading the mass over a wider area, that then creates a good framework of branches for future growth and pruning. I strongly recommend the use of secateurs and loppers when pruning as the cutting blades give a clean cut with little if any snagging — which if present should be pared to branch. This removes the chance of disease infecting the snagged cut. If a machete must be used, its best use is to cut down rough areas of growth; when used for pruning, the slashing effect of the blade results in long cuts on stems, which will die back to the nearest node.

Add interest to a flowerbed with annuals or by incorporating statuary or similar items that will break the line of focus from one area, thus enhancing the total impact of the bed. Annuals can be planted in drifts, as an underplanting to shrubs or as a carpet bedding effect.

Remove, chip and compost all prunings or remove from site if unable to burn; leaving foliage, etc, creates a potential risk of harbouring pest and disease problems for the upcoming growing season.

Lawns should be showing growth activity in both grass and weeds, which should be given due attention in controlling the latter while giving the grass room to be active. To revitalize growth, it is advisable to aerate or verticut the grass sward and remove the thatch; follow through with a starter fertiliser to give grass a boost into growth. If weeds are present, apply a chemical spray that will target the specific weed type and repeat after a couple of weeks if initial kill has not been successful.

From a visual aspect, clean edges around the lawn give a more finished look. This is best achieved with lawn-edging shears rather than the ubiquitous weed whacker/strimmer. If a lawn is uneven or depressions are left after removal of weeds, top-dress the area with an equal part mix of fine peat and silica sand and brush in and firm; this exercise is best done with a lawn drop spreader. When applying fertiliser, a broadcast spreader is recommended.

Keeping in mind the adage “what you create you have to maintain”. Future maintenance will be largely dictated by work carried out in the spring. Pruning in April should be to develop growth through the summer before additional pruning is required; keeping weed growth under control will reduce additional hoeing for a month or two, especially when the pruning exercise has opened growth to allow more light, encouraging the ground cover plantings to progress in their function of covering the soil and reducing weed growth.

• Malcolm D. Griffiths is a trained horticulturalist and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in Britain. He is also past president of the Bermuda Horticultural Society, the Bermuda Orchid Society and the Bermuda Botanical Society