Garden Activities for September

Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua)September is here and with it, the promise of an early fall. A welcome rainfall provided our gardens with some relief and hopefully more will be on the way soon. Our greenhouse is beginning to fill with plants for the season and tired summer pots can be replenished. This is also a good time to look at trees and shrubs and plan for fall planting.

Here are some other chores to do in the garden this month:

• Planting Fall and Winter Vegetables – Lettuce, spinach, sugar snap peas, and kale are beginning to arrive in the greenhouse. Plant them as soon as possible for a late fall harvest. You can also sow seeds (lettuce, spinach, mustard greens, beets and radishes for harvesting next spring. This is also a good time to plant onions and garlic for next year’s harvest.
• Freshen Up Container Plantings – Many plants will last up until frost and still look great. However, if you have a few that are looking ragged, consider replacing them with fall flowers like pansies, asters, ornamental peppers and chrysanthemums.
• Plant Bulbs – Daffodils, tulips and crocus as well as other bulbs can be planted at the end of the month (you can also move bulbs you already have to different locations). Bulbs should be arriving in our store any day now.
• Planting Perennials – Plant new perennials now through mid-November. The weather is still dry so keep new plantings watered well (a good deep soaking once or twice per week is sufficient). Before planting, place the potted plant in a bucket of water and let it sit until air bubbles disappear. This is also a good time to divide perennials that have outgrown their space.
• Roses – Discontinue fertilizing roses to discourage new growth as frost nears.
• Lawns – September through mid-October is a good time to seed a new lawn. (For detailed information, see our  Instagram post).
• Iris – Cut back foliage and divide if they are crowded.
• Lavender – Shear back to about 1/3 of the top growth. Do not cut into hard wood.
• Houseplants – Bring any houseplants inside before temperatures begin to drop below 50 at night. Wash the foliage well and inspect the leaves for insects before bringing them in.