Recent mornings and evenings are finally bringing some relief from the heat and humidity of summer. It is always nice to look at the changes in the fluffy white clouds and the bit of crispness in the morning air and know that fall will soon be upon us. September is a great time to enjoy your garden. There are several tasks that you can do now that will help your garden be more successful.
Weeds such as Chickweed, Annual Bluegrass and the very plentiful, and some believe attractive, Henbit germinate in the fall but wait until winter to start invading your turf and beds. Mid-September is a good time to apply a pre-emergence weed preventer. Many of these are available in a granular or liquid application. Be sure to choose a product that is approved for your type of grass.
Remove dead growth from trees or shrubs but do not prune either of these in September. Pruning sends a message to the plant to put out new growth. If this growth does not have time to "harden off" before our first frost, it will likely be killed and can severely damage the plant. The process of "hardening off" is a transition period where new foliage is exposed to wind, sun and rain to toughen up the leaves and make them more able to withstand their new life. This process is also necessary when starting plants from seeds. The new seedlings need time outdoors before being planted in the ground.
Do you have perennial Lantana in your garden? It is such a wonderful plant. There
are so many new cultivars on the market that come back year after year (perennial) and require minimum care. Plant it in full sun and it will give you a wonderful display of color and attract butterflies throughout the summer. Now is the time to catch it on sale in the garden centers as it is winding down its floral display. Remember to leave the dead foliage on the lantana plants all winter until the new plants start emerging in the spring. Cutting off those tubular dead plant shoots in the winter will allow water to settle and freeze the plant crown, which often results in winter kill.
Fall is also a great time to divide perennials such as iris, daylilies and coneflowers. Perennials need to be divided and transplanted to keep them healthy and blooming.
Cut the foliage back about one-half before transplanting.
The garden centers will be a buzz with bags of daffodils, hyacinth and other spring blooming bulbs along with flats of winter annuals like popular pansies. If you can't resist buying them now, store bulbs in a cool dry area. Wait until late October or early November, when night-time temperatures are consistently in the 60 degree range, before planting them.
The vegetable garden is probably about exhausted from the summer heat and lack of regular rain. Bell peppers may still keep producing until frost so keep them alive. If your tomatoes are still healthy, you might still get a few fruit now that the temperatures are down. Otherwise, it is a great time to clean up debris from the garden and prepare your list for winter vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, spinach, turnips, carrots, broccoli, and the list goes on. One great thing about living in the South is our ability to grow healthy home grown vegetables almost all year long.
If this list is just overwhelming and your time is too short to get these things accomplished, let me give you the most important task for the September garden; Get out of the house and enjoy the world of plants. Visit Lockerly Arboretum to see a variety of plants that will do well in our climate. Make your list and get ready for fall planting in October and November.
Shawn Davis
Chair, Lockerly Plant Collection Project
Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator, Putnam County Extension Office
gazebo steps and bridges. The repairs and improvements are truly a reflection of community support. The Merry Magnolias cleaned the bridges in advance of the repairs that Dick Mueller and Greg Eilers, our Education Director, will make shortly. We are most appreciative of support from Baldwin Builders Supply so we can keep things in good condition in the garden.
Holiday Party on Friday, December 4th from 5:00-7:00 in the evening. On Saturday, December 5th we'll have guided tours of the mansion with extended hours. Mark your calendar today and check our web site for details about the party and mansion tours, because December will be here before you know it.
