Northern California April Checklist: Plant Agastache, Bare‑Root, Flowers, Herbs & Pest Control

Planting

Agastache ‘Ava’

Deep rose‑pink ‘Ava’ agastache won the 2005 Green Thumb Award for its extended bloom (midsummer‑fall) and long‑lasting color. The 4‑5 ft tall perennial’s flower spikes elongate over weeks—great fresh or dried. Source: High Country Gardens (800/925‑9387).

Bare‑Root Plants (Zones 1, 2)

Less expensive than container plants. Good time to plant cane berries, fruit/nut trees, grapes, rhubarb, roses, strawberries. If bare‑root unavailable, use container plants.

Flowers

Zones 7‑9, 14‑17: All warm‑season annuals can go in now. Six‑packs are best value; they catch up quickly. For instant color, use 4‑inch pots. Try ageratum, bedding dahlias, globe amaranth, impatiens, lobelia, Madagascar periwinkle, marigold, petunia, phlox, portulaca, salvia, Sanvitalia, statice, sunflower, sweet alyssum, zinnia.
Zones 1, 2: Wait until soil warms and frost danger passes.

Herbs

Specialty herb gardens from Mountain Valley Growers (559/338‑2775): biblical, butterfly‑attracting, edible‑flower collections (six plants, $25). Some pair with a book.

Maintenance

Weed Early

Zones 7‑9, 14‑17: Hoe weeds as soon as they appear—cut just below soil surface with a draw, loop, or shuffle hoe. Hoe in morning so sun desiccates seedlings. Lee Valley Tools (800/871‑8158) sells quality hoes.

Uncoil Roots Before Planting

Knock plants from pots; gently tease apart circling roots. If rootball is solid, score four ½‑inch‑deep cuts around sides and one on bottom (skip for bougainvillea).

Pest Control: Destroy Dodder

This parasitic weed twines around hosts, extracting water/nutrients. Remove and destroy infested plants before seeds form. After an infestation, apply pre‑emergence herbicide in late winter/early spring to kill seedlings.