Coastal Region- Brad Fowler
- Warmer weather may bring about the temptation to start watering and fertilizing the lawn but hold off until at least May.
- Portions of the lawn may be greening up while other areas remain dormant. Don’t panic. It will take some time and warmer temperatures before the grass is growing at its full potential.
- Consider planting a few annuals like impatiens, verbena, or portulaca in containers. Make sure to research each plant’s shade/sun requirements and be conscious of late cold snaps that could cause damage.
- Plant summer flowering bulbs like dahlia, gladioli, and lilies after the threat of frost has passed.
- If winter injury is suspected, wait until trees and shrubs have started putting on new growth to ensure that only damaged or dead portions are removed.
- Scout the landscape diligently to detect insects and disease problems early.
- Spring flowering shrubs like azaleas and forsythia can be pruned as soon as they are finished blooming.
- Warm-season vegetables like cucumber, squash, and peppers can be planted in the ground after the final frost.
Centipede grass coming out of dormancy. Wait to fertilize until spring green up is complete.
Brad Fowler, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Use containers to get an early splash of color in the landscape.
Brad Fowler, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Midlands Region- Jackie Jordan
The beginning of Spring is one of my favorite times of the year! Redbud trees, dogwoods, cherry trees and daffodils are in bloom!
- April is a great time to update your containers and hanging baskets. I usually decide on a color palette once inspiration strikes at the garden center. There are many colorful annuals that thrive in various light conditions. Just remember those new plants are not hardened off and can be damaged by cold temperatures. So, keep an eye on the weather and be ready to move indoors or cover if we receive a frost.
Landscape Beds
- Freshen landscape beds with organic matter to improve growing conditions and soil fertility. Then, top with a 3-inch layer of mulch to keep plant roots cool and prevent weeds.
- If you are looking to add some color to landscape beds, consider adding some pollinator-supporting perennials and annuals.
- There are some great shrubs that can also be added that pull double duty by also providing food and habitat for songbirds.
- For showy pops of color, plant dahlias, gladioli, lilies and other summer blooming bulbs after the danger of frost has passed.
Vegetable Garden
- Plant corn, summer squash, cantaloupe, cucumbers, beans, southern peas, winter squash like spaghetti, acorn, and butternut.
- Try growing popcorn this year for fun during summer family movie nights.
- Early April is still a great time to plant a heat-tolerant lettuce such as black seeded Simpson.
- A quick crop of radishes can also be planted in early April. Watermelon radishes offer a slightly sweet, mild, peppery flavor and are great roasted or pickled.
- Trim back sage, but remember to leave one pair of healthy leaves. Trim lavender back to 8 inches. If you are looking for a heat-tolerant French lavender, try the variety ‘Phenomenal’.
Lawn Care
- The grass is starting to green up, but don’t fertilize warm-season grasses until the nighttime temps consistently stay in the upper 60s.
- Mow and bag if you have a lot of weeds. Removing the flowers will help to prevent more weed seeds from collecting in your soil.
- When you mow your lawn, cut it to the lowest recommended setting for your grass; this will help the grass thicken up.
- Late April, once the soil temperature reaches 70 °F, apply a preemergence herbicide to control chamberbitter if it is an issue in your landscape.
Native azalea in bloom last April.
Jackie Jordan, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Red buckeye in bloom.
Jackie Jordan, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Container planting with Kimberly Queen fern, delphinium, pansies, muscari, hyacinths, primrose, tulips, creeping jenny, and my favorite, an ornamental clover.
Jackie Jordan, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Amsonia in bloom.
Jackie Jordan,©2025, Clemson Extension
Upstate Region- LayLa Burgess
- Check flower beds for seedling volunteers! Self-seeding annuals that self-sowed last year will be germinating soon. Thin these ‘free’ seedlings to their recommended spacing in spots where they are crowded. Transplant culled seedlings with intact roots to other flowerbeds. Plants such as cosmos, impatiens, cleome, globe amaranth, summer snapdragons, and many other annuals germinate and grow easily.
- Cool-season annuals that have gone to seed in late winter present an opportunity for more free plants. Scatter these seeds over flowerbeds for cool-season blooms this coming fall and winter.
Ornamental lilies are harbingers of spring.
LayLa Burgess, ©2023, Clemson Extension
- Plant new summer and fall flowering bulbs like dahlia, lily, and gladioli after the last chance of frost has passed. If considering caladiums, plant the bulbs no more than 2 inches deep when daytime temperatures have risen above 70 °F. Proper planting depth and temperature will help prevent early rot of the bulb.
- After the danger of a last frost has passed and nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 50s, plant summer squash, peppers, spinach, zucchini, tomatoes, and watermelon transplants. Thin root crops and wrap up the harvest of late-season, winter garden produce.
- Seed, sprig, or sod warm-season turfgrasses on well-prepared soil when daytime temperatures reside above 60°F. Vegetative planting by plugging may also be an option. Successful warm-season lawn renovations begin with thorough planning.
- Maintain a soil pH between 5 and 5.5 where lace cap and mophead hydrangeas grow to promote blue blooms. Gardeners can lower soil pH by applying aluminum sulfate or sulfur.
Native red buckeye (Aesculus pavia var. pavia) has a beautiful leaf arrangement and is in bloom.
LayLa Burgess, ©2025, Clemson Extension
- It’s time for deciduous trees to leaf out! Monitor for common tree leaf diseases as new leaves form. Healthy, native trees adapt well to the local climate and avoid many common leaf diseases. Protect the trunks of trees and shrubs when cranking up the lawnmowers and string trimmers this spring. Trunk wounds caused by this equipment are potential entry points for damaging pathogens or insects.
