Winter is becoming a memory. Moderating temperatures are encouraging plants to leaf out, which revitalizes not only a garden but also a gardener's soul. There is much to do during these pleasant days of April.

• Plant dahlia tubers after the danger of frost has passed, usually about the third week of April. To prevent damage to the growing roots, set a support stake in with each tuber at planting time. The middle of the month is also prime planting time for summer bulbs such as cannas, gladioli and caladiums.
• Attract more hummingbirds to the garden by including some of their favorite nectar-producing ornamentals such as azalea, coralberry, crabapple, catalpa, bee balm, salvia, Indian pink, native azaleas, red buckeye, columbine, hawthorn, honeysuckle, redbud and tulip poplar.
• Pansies will still do the voodoo they do so well through April and into May if you continue to prune spent blooms and lightly fertilize the plants every three weeks.
• If your warm-season lawn is looking a little thin, the middle to the end of the month is a good time to start doing something about it by planting Bermuda grass, centipede or St. Augustine. And zoysia? In the warm coastal areas, go ahead and start planting the third or fourth week of this month, but homeowners in the Piedmont should wait until May, as this grass needs a little more heat for a better head start.
• Do not fertilize or prune azaleas and camellias (C. japonica) until they have finished flowering.
• By the third to fourth weeks of the month (weather permitting), the vegetable garden can be filled with tomatoes, peppers, squash, watermelons, cucumbers and green beans.
• It's veggie planting time, but remember that cutworms will be on the prowl. If you have had problems with them in the past, to form an effective physical barrier against these pests, encircle each small plant with a 3-inch-tall collar of paper pushed an inch into the ground.
• After the temperatures moderate later in April, houseplants can be moved outside. Any plants that have grown too large for their containers should be repotted, and gangly plants that have been stretched thin from weak indoor light should be cut back to encourage more compact growth. To prevent leaf burn, place houseplants in a lightly shaded spot outside.
• Now is a good time to buy a rain barrel as a supplemental water supply for the garden this summer. One quick 30-minute rainstorm will usually run enough water off a roof to fill up a typical rain barrel, so whether you buy one (or two) for conservation, savings on the water bill or both, it is a good investment.

Want to ask L.A. Jackson a question about your garden? Go to his Web site at southeastgardeningwithla.com.