April 2026 In the Garden
April is upon us at last! Although it doesn’t currently look like it outside my window, spring is finally here. In a matter of days or weeks, when the snow melts away to reveal the sodden, green-ish grass beneath, it’ll be gardening time once again.
I always love April for the messy, slushy roads, the hint of warmth that emerges in the crisp air, and watching the world begin to turn green again. It’s a great time to get out and walk, ride a bike, or engage in other outdoor activity after the long, cold winter.
At Floral Acres, the flowers are in bloom, and we’re gearing up for another great season in the greenhouse. Our greenhouse benches will be open to the public as of Friday, April 17th for all of your early-season annuals, perennials, and vegetables.
Until the end of April, our daily hours remain 10am-6pm, but will switch to 9am-9pm for all of May and June.
Come out to see this year’s new additions to the greenhouse so you can plan your garden beds in advance. I don’t know about you, but one of my favourite things to do is to stroll the aisles and take in all of the fresh, vibrant plants at the start of the season.
Master Gardener Loyalty members - mark your calendars for a Floral Acres favourite. Early Access Begonia Toonie Tuesday will be back for seven days starting on April 28th at 10am. For our Floral Acres Master Gardener members, this event means an entire week of amazing deals on a wide variety of beautiful begonias in all forms and colours.
Tuesday, May 5th will mark general public access to begonia toonie tuesday—but if you want to get in on the good deals early, it’s easy to sign up as a Master Gardener. The membership offers a whole lot of perks at only $25 for the entire year.
Lastly, Floral Acres is celebrating its 90th anniversary throughout 2026, and to celebrate, we’ll be giving away a $90 gift card every month. Additional weekly draws in April, May, June, July, November, and December!
Subscribe to our newsletter on www.floralacres.ca for your chance to enter; a new winner will be selected on the last Wednesday of each month and notified by e-mail.
Not to mention, the newsletter always has information on our new weekly sales!
Although it isn’t time yet to put seedlings in the ground, there’s no shortage of tasks to be done outdoors during this time of the year.
If you’ve already started your seeds indoors, be sure to keep an eye on their growth. Now is a good time to start your tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. Rotate any leggy, reaching seedlings, remove secondary shoots from growth pods to encourage one strong plant, and make sure they get plenty of light. If the weather allows towards the end of the month, give your seedlings some time outside during the day to begin the process of hardening off.
Check out our How-To blog from February for more information and tips about growing your own plants from seed!
Outside in the garden, avoid working in muddy soil or on wet grass to prevent compaction or damage. Clean away debris or trash, and remove winter mulch from around your perennials to help the soil warm up. Once the snow is gone, apply a layer of compost or other organic fertilizer to your garden beds to restore your soil for the growth season ahead.
April is ideal to prepare your garden for the months coming up, and it’s always nice to catch some sun on those early, fresh spring days. This is a good time to prune your hydrangeas, spirea, or other flowering shrubs, as well as fruit trees, up to 20% of the plant’s total volume. Hold off on pruning birch or maple trees, and remember, elm pruning is banned in Saskatchewan from the start of April until the end of August.
Remove and dispose of any sign of black knot, back at least six inches on the branch to prevent spread. Always keep an eye on any signs of pests or infection, because catching potential issues early might spare the plant.
If weather allows for it, by the end of April you may be able to plant cold-hardy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, peas, and radishes—and if you didn’t plant bulbs in autumn, now is a good time to get onions and garlic in the ground. But keep an eye on the weather, and keep covers handy in the event of overnight frosts.
Sun-loving plants need warmer soil temperatures, so they’re best waiting until mid-May or in some cases, the start of June. As a rule of thumb, many treat May long weekend as the start of the outdoor planting season in Saskatchewan.
So keep an eye on the calendar, because the greenhouse will be open before you know it. And as always, our tropical and retail departments are open year round, online and in-store.
We look forward to seeing you. Until next time!