April What To Do Now Calendar

Care for houseplants – Clean foliage, water regularly and fertilize. Repot as necessary. For more information on caring for houseplants, go to the Bayer Advanced houseplant page. To feed and protect from insects, use Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Insect Control plus Fertilizer Plant Spikes – no spraying, no mess. Just push the spikes into the soil for up to eight weeks of nutrition and protection. To control existing insects, use Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use.

Care for roses – Remove winter protection and finish pruning. As growth begins, feed and protect from insects and disease with Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate. One application to the roots lasts up to six weeks.

Control crabgrass – Prevent crabgrass before it starts with a pre-emergent herbicide product. Check the label for timing in your area.

Control garden weeds – Weeds in garden beds are easiest to control when young. Use an appropriate herbicide, hoe, or pull by hand. (Be sure to take care in applying herbicides to prevent spray drift from damaging desirable plants.) To control brushy weeds such as poison oak and wild berries, use Bayer Advanced™ Brush Killer Plus Concentrate or Bayer Advanced™ Brush Killer Plus Ready-To-Use. To control tree stumps, apply Bayer Advanced™ Brush Killer Plus Concentrate to the stump using a paintbrush.

Control grubs – If you had a serious grub problem last fall but didn't treat your lawn, apply Bayer Advanced™ 24-Hour Grub Killer Plus Granules to kill existing grubs within 24 hours. To control the next generation of grubs, apply Bayer Advanced™ Season-Long Grub Control Plus Turf Revitalizer Granules in May or June. White grubs are a serious lawn pest, especially in the Northeast and Midwest. White grubs are larvae of various breeds of scarab beetles, including Japanese beetles. They are typically 0.5" to 1.5" long, milky white with a brown head and almost always curled into a C shape. White grubs live in the top few inches of soil and feed on the roots of lawn grasses. White grub damage is usually most severe in late summer, but can begin as early as mid- to late spring.

Control indoor pests – To control insects like spiders, fleas and ants, Bayer Advanced offers a complete line of home pest solutions, including the brand-new Bayer Advanced™ Home Pest plus Germ* Killer Indoor and Outdoor Insect Killer Ready-To-Spray. It provides up to 12 months of indoor insect protection**, plus it reduces 99.9% of the germs insects may carry. For easier-than-ever control of roaches, use the Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Roach Killer Power Pen® Ready-To-Use. It’s easy to use, providing up to 6 months of control with the touch of a button. For more information, visit the Bayer Advanced Indoor Pest Control Web page.

*Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes on hard, nonporous, nonfood contact surfaces. No residual sanitizer action. Not for primary use as a sanitizer.

**For German cockroaches, black carpenter ants and house crickets on nonporous surfaces.

Control lawn weeds – Control weeds with Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Lawn Weed & Crabgrass Killer Ready-To-Spray (not for use on St. Augustine grass, bahia, bentgrass, carpetgrass, centipede grass or dicondra). It kills more than 200 broadleaf and grassy weeds (including crabgrass). Follow label directions carefully. To control Bermudagrass weeds in Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fescue lawns without harming them when used as directed, use Bayer Advanced™ Bermudagrass Control for Lawns Ready-To-Spray. Always follow label directions carefully.

Control moss and algae – Cool, moist weather promotes growth of moss and algae on the sides of homes, roofs, patios and in lawns. Control with Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Moss & Algae Killer Ready-To-Spray. It kills within hours and protects for months.

Fertilize – Feed woody landscape plants, vegetables and flowers with quality fertilizer.

Fertilize lawns – If you didn't fertilize last fall, feed after the grass begins to green-up.

Landscape – It's prime planting season for everything from flowering trees and shrubs to ground covers and roses. Protect new plantings from insects with Bayer Advanced™ 12-Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Concentrate or Bayer Advanced™ 12-Month Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed Granules.

Plant flowers – As soon as the soil can be worked, plant cool-season flowers such as pansies, violas and primrose. Protect from insects with Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use. Sow hardy annuals, perennials and wildflower seeds.

Plant new lawns – In warmer areas, this is a good time to plant Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, rye and bentlawns from seed or sod.

Plant vegetables – Plant cool-season vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. In southern or low-elevation areas where the threat of frost has passed, plant warm-season vegetables like tomatoes and squash under floating row covers. Protect vegetables listed on the label from insects with Bayer Advanced™ PowerForce® Multi-Insect Killer Concentrate or Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Dust For Gardens Ready-To-Use.

Prepare equipment – If you haven't done so, prepare mowers, trimmers and edgers for the coming season. Sharpen blades, change oil and perform other maintenance according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Prune – Finish pruning deciduous trees, shrubs, vines and other landscape plants.

Rake – After snow melts, rake your lawn (with a hard steel rake) to reduce snow mold and thatch. Raking is also good for removing leaves, which can thin out turf.

Sow seeds – Start warm-season vegetable and flower seeds for transplanting outdoors after the last frost.

Water lawns – Check irrigation systems. Fix clogs and broken sprinklers. Adjust spray heads. Begin watering when the weather warms, but only after soil has partially dried. Check with your local water department or cooperative extension service for lawn watering guidelines.