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September brings leaves of crimson, gold, scarlet, bronze and orange. It is a transformative month for gardeners to survey the fruits of their labor and to look ahead to prepare for what will be.
September in the Garden
As the cooler weather approaches September finds the gardener concerned with planting and transplanting and harvesting. It is a time to bring your garden journal up to date to evaluate successes and failures and make reminders for future years. Depending on what part of the country you live in and the length of your growing season, September is about maintenance and preparation.
September is the time to sow new lawns and repair old ones. Excess grass clippings and debris should be removed for if left over all winter it may invite lawn diseases in the spring. Fertilizing and reseeding is recommended this month.
Annuals can be fed for the last time and provide a supplement for next spring . Perennials can be planted now and should be cheaper to buy than in Spring. They should be planted in time to provide about three or four weeks of decent growing conditions before harsh weather sets in and mulched about two inches deep. . House plants should be washed with a spray of soapy water to destroy insects that may make their way into the house. They should be brought back indoors at least two weeks before house heating systems are turned on so they may accustom themselves to their new environment.
Small, spring flowering bulbs can be planted the last part of the month for they are the first to bloom. Planting some bulbs in buried pots in the ground will make it easy to bring them indoors in the winter for added color and early blooms. Annuals that may be sown this month for spring include Snapdragons, Calendulas, Phlox, Nicotiania, Gaillardias, Coreopsis and Lupine to name a few.
Now is a good time to buy supplies for the greenhouse that will be needed over the winter.
The ground work for new perennial beds or borders should begin the end of the month or early October. Beds should be made over every third or fourth year with the soil deeply dug and enriched.
In the South, rose beds should be prepared for fall blooms by removing any weak wood and diseased foliage, cutting back vigorous growth by about one quarter their length and applying fertilizer. Evergreens can be planted in the South this month adding Camellias, Hollies and Magnolias. Daylilies and Peonies should be divided.
On the West Coast soil prep is in progress for fall planting and seeding. Watering and fertilizing should be cut back this month on subtropical plants as too much will produce a soft late growth that may be susceptible to frost. Winter vegetable gardens are started now to approach maturity before first frost.
Gardeners that experience Fall may feel more keenly that winter is on the way but those vegetables that improve with a frost can still be enjoyed such as the root crops, brussel sprouts, cabbages and kale. Fall brings the squirrels and chipmunks hiding food for winter, Birds are leaving their Northern homes, and brisk breezes carry seeds far away to new homes.
About Joyce B. Gladden
I am a transplanted New Yorker, writer, and novice gardener learning more and more each season. My plant of choice is Coleus (growing to include roses and others as I become more passionate about gardening). Other long time interests include book collecting and quilting.
Posted by tinacrss (from Savannah, GA) on December 1, 2007 at 10:30 AM:
Help! I am new to gardening. I purchased a 10x10 plastic greenhouse and I need to know how to safely keep it warm enough to protect my plants. I don't want to create a hazard . Also, what temperature should I try to maintain? Any information would be helpful.
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on December 1, 2007 at 12:25 PM:
Hello
Try this forum. Its all about greenhouses. Good luck with your gardening projects!
Posted by LouC (from Desoto, TX) on September 17, 2007 at 11:34 AM:
As I am presently in the dig, divide, replant, plant mode this was very helpful. Making notes now.
Thanks.
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on September 17, 2007 at 1:48 PM:
Your photos are also spectacular - thanks for the good info!
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on September 17, 2007 at 1:57 PM:
Thanks,
Those photos actually belong to Melody here at DG who was generous enough to let me use them. The second one actually hung in the Museum of the Hudson Highlands. She's a great photographer!
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Posted by UniQueTreasures (from Beaumont, TX) on September 17, 2007 at 4:35 PM:
Great article Joyce! So much helpful information for this time of year when our gardens go into transition from Summer to Fall to Winter. I am bookmarking it for future reference.
The photos are spectacular!! So much vivid color and beauty!
Thank you,
Janet
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on September 17, 2007 at 8:50 PM:
Joyce, thank you so much for the article....I don't get the change of seasons, and I do miss the fall colors so much. Your pictures and descriptions gave me a lovely reminder of the joys of Autumn. I enjoyed it very much.
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on September 18, 2007 at 4:27 PM:
Thanks for the tips--I didn't know about planting bulbs in pots! Maybe I can keep the critters from munching on them now... Yea!!!!
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Posted by AuntAli (from Fairhope, AL) on September 18, 2007 at 7:43 PM:
Thanks for all of the good information. It is still pretty warm here in Fairhope, AL, across from the Mobile Bay. Sometimes we don't have colder weather until November and December. I wonder if I should be doing everything that was in the newsletter now or wait until October??????
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Posted by jadajoy (from Newport News, VA) on September 18, 2007 at 10:19 PM:
AuntAli,
Glad you enjoyed the article. The suggestions were for different regions of the U.S.
To get specifics for your area you should contact your state cooperative extension which gives guidelines for your zone. This link might help:
