Flower/Landscape Gardens
- Maintenance is key! Stay on top of weeding and watering!
- This is the time of year when watering for one hour between 6-8am is worth 3 hours of watering the rest of the day because of evaporation. A rule of thumb for watering is 1 inch of water a week if not provided with rain. Purchase a rain gauge to get an accurate measurement and remember to empty the rain gauge regularly! It is better to water less frequently, but more deeply. It is easier too!
- Signs of drought stress:
- Wilting
- Upward curling or rolling of leaves
- Yellowing and browning of leaves, particularly along leaf margins and tips
- Yellowing and dropping of inner leaves
- Under-sized and off-flavored fruits, vegetables and nuts
- Under-sized leaves, twig and branch die-back
- Blossom and fruit drop
- Interior needle and leaf drop on conifers and evergreens
- Iron chlorosis symptoms on foliage (leaf yellowing between veins)
- Continue to deadhead perennial flowers (unless they have attractive seed heads for winter interest).
- Keep staking necessary perennials BEFORE they flop for the best effects and to make maintenance easier as the season progresses.
- Mid month, begin removing rose petals only ( as opposed to deadheading by pruning) to signal the plant to shut down and prepare for dormancy.
- Discontinue fertilizing roses so they may begin going dormant.
- When temperatures are moderate and it is overcast, divide, transplant and label perennials.
- Transplant necessary trees and shrubs so they establish good roots in the warm fall soil.
- Continue to fertilize containers weekly with a liquid feed of fish emulsion or liquid seaweed.
- Continue to primp containers when needed by removing any brown leaves and spent flowers to keep them looking great.
- Take cuttings of Begonias, Geraniums and other annuals for use as house plants.
- On a cooler day when gentle rain is in the forecast, feed your lawn by applying ½ inch of compost to your lawn. Become the envy of the neighborhood by creating a dense, healthy green lawn- organically!
- Aerate compacted areas of your lawn, apply compost and overseed. Heavy fall dew and gentle rain will encourage seed establishment.
- As the temperature drops in the evening, watch the houseplants you took out for the summer so they are not damaged by frost. Inspect them for insects and (if appropriate) spray with horticultural oil to protect from pest problems before bringing them back indoors.
- Survey summer garden plantings to see if any need labeling and make final notes.
- Plan spring bulb gardens, Order fall planted, spring blooming bulbs.
- Begin cutting and drying fall flowers, seed heads and grass plumes for flower arrangements.
Vegetable Gardens
- Cut last of summer herbs for drying. Dig up annual herbs and pot-up for kitchen use.
- Remove new tomato blossoms at this time of year, the fruits won’t have time to ripen and the plant will use the energy to ripen existing fruit.
- Plant fall and winter crops like lettuce, radish, mache and spinach in a hoop house or cold frame.
Call Designs for Greener Gardens at 410-626-6122 to help you with your September garden needs!
