September is a transitional month as the summer season gives way to early signs of autumn. Here are some tasks and activities you can consider for your garden in September:
Planting and Sowing:
Start planting spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, crocuses, and tulips.
Sow hardy annuals for early spring blooms, such as sweet peas and calendula.
Consider planting new shrubs and perennials as the soil is still warm, allowing roots to establish before winter.
Harvesting:
Continue harvesting late-summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and beans.
Begin harvesting apples, pears, and plums as they ripen.
Collect seeds from your garden for future planting.
Pruning and Deadheading:
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continued blooming.
Prune back overgrown or leggy plants to maintain shape.
Prune raspberry canes after fruiting, and cut back summer-fruiting raspberries that have finished fruiting.
Lawn Care:
Continue regular lawn mowing but raise the cutting height slightly.
Aerate and scarify your lawn to improve drainage and reduce thatch buildup.
Consider sowing grass seed or laying turf for new lawns.
Garden maintenance:
Weed borders and vegetable beds to prevent winter weeds from taking hold.
Clean and store garden tools and equipment.
Check and clean bird feeders and bird baths to attract wildlife to your garden.
Bulb Care:
Lift and divide overcrowded summer-flowering bulbs like daffodils and snowdrops.
Store tender summer bulbs like dahlias and gladioli before the first frost.
Autumn Colour and Planting:
Add interest to your garden with plants that display vibrant autumn foliage, such as acers (Japanese maples) and deciduous trees like Liquidambar.
Plant cool-season vegetables like kale, spinach, and winter lettuce.
Finally, don't forget to enjoy your garden and the last blooms of the summer.
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