Collier's Garden Scoop

September 2023

September's arrival promises that fall is nearly here, and many new plants are already in-store. Spruce up outdoor spaces with pops of color that will last until the first frost. Discover some of our favorites for the early fall garden below. Once these beauties show up we know that crisp autumn days are not far away! As soon as temperatures drop into the low 80s consistently we will begin receiving cool-weather favorites like snapdragons, pansies & violas and ornamental cabbage & kale, so look for these in early October.

Current Hours:

Monday through Saturday 9 to 5

Closed Sunday

Open Sundays starting October 8th

Mums the Word

Revive tired containers on porches, patios and near entryways with fresh & seasonal garden mums. Available in shades of yellow, orange, red & purple, as well as white. When budded and just 'cracking' color, like the one pictured here, mums will bloom for 3 or 4 weeks. Deadhead (trim off spent blooms) to extend flowering. Mums prefer at least 3 hours of direct sun each day and will tolerate 6 to 8 if watered regularly. Consistent moisture is the key to keeping your mums beautiful; repeated wilting stresses plants and can cause them to drop buds. Chrysanthemums are perennial when planted in the ground.

Favorite Fall Flowers

Here's a sampling of what's in-store this month: fabulous flowers and foliage to refresh the garden and transition to fall. All of these will bloom until the first frost. Marigolds, petunias and supercals will last the longest since they will take a light frost (down to 28 degrees). These are great options to add color and interest to fall displays, as well as provide nectar sources for late season pollinators.

Pictured here: Celosia Flamma Golden, Croton, Marigold Hot Pak Yellow, Ornamental Pepper Masquerade, Petunia Queen of Hearts, Purple Fountain Grass, Salvia Mysty, Supercal Sunset Orange

Autumn Edibles

Fall vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and collards have arrived. These young transplants give you a head start on harvesting (no need to wait on seeds to germinate). Plant in September for harvest in 60 to 100 days, depending on type. Veggies need 4 hours or more direct sun each day. While temperatures are still in the 80s, these cool-season veggies would appreciate extra water to thrive until temperatures drop.

Fall is an excellent time to start an herb garden. Cooling temps lessen the stress of hot, dry conditions, allowing your herbs to thrive with minimal care. Some herbs, such as bay laurel, chives, lavender, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme will even survive the winter and continue to grow next spring. We've received several fresh shipments of these savory garden favorites, like basil and thyme (pictured here). Herbs are great companion plants for your autumn veggie garden!

September Lawn Care

Apply fertilome All Seasons to Bermuda, Saint Augustine and Zoysia lawns. This applications includes fertilizer with pre-emergent for cool-season weeds.

COLLIER'S NURSERY | 2904 OLD ROCKY RIDGE ROAD 35243 | 205-822-3133

colliersnursery.com