Timing is everything when your goal is a beautiful lawn and garden. These April gardening tips and chores apply to USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7.

Flowers & Vegetables:

• Weed, weed, weed! Now is the time to dig or hoe weeds from your gardens and yard. This will save you a lot of work later on.

• Continue removing protective mulches from roses, clematis, azaleas and other tender shrubs.

• Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs. Also fertilize other ornamental fruit and berry plants that were not fertilized in March, and spring-blooming shrubs after flowering is complete. Fertilize perennials when you see 2-3" of new growth.

• Cultivate garden beds as soon as soil is dry enough to work. Plant roots need loose soil twelve inches deep. Mix in a few inches of peat moss or organic material.

• April is a good time for planting roses, and perennial flowers and herbs. You can also sow seeds of carrots, greens, beets and other root vegetables.

• Plan, design, and create new landscape and garden beds, if desired.

There is still time to transplant or plant new deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs this month.