September in your garden!

September in your garden!

Lawn: Fertilize lawn with a regular lawn fertilizer. Apply pre-emergent to prevent winter weeds, or renovate if heat breaks— de-thatch, aerate, overseed.

Roses: Fertilize mid September to early October to get a great fall bloom.

Trees: Fertilize deciduous trees.

Shrubs: Prune evergreen shrubs when heat breaks. Plant landscape shrubs, trees, and ground covers. Move existing landscape plants.

Annuals: Start seeds or buy plants of pansies, violas, snapdragons, Calendula, stock, sweet alyssum, and more. Broadcast wildflower seeds.

Perennials: Lots of perennials can be started from seed this month: foxgloves, candytuft, columbine, coral bells, Dianthus, and many more. Preemergents or mulches will help prevent annual winter weeds. Cut back herbaceous (soft) perennials hard; lightly trim woody ones. Best time for a major cleanup in the perennial border. Plant bulbs when soil has cooled.

Vegetables: Plant broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, greens, peas, beets, onions, and more.

Weather notes: Hot, dusty, windy. Wash plant foliage early in the day to remove dust and insects. Move indoor/outdoor plants back in by Hallowe'en. First cold rain usually mid-late October, but don't count on it....

Watering systems: Set timer for fall schedule late this month.

Pests and diseases: Whiteflies, leafhoppers, spider mites.

Shop now for: Perennials in small packs and pots; spring-blooming flower bulbs; landscape plants.