How many of us gave up and ignored the garden in August, the heat driving us indoors? Raise your hand if that’s you. It was some of us, not gonna lie! August was hot, and the perennial beds were one big, complicated mess. So, goal number one on our September list is weeds. Take a quick stroll through your garden and check the weeds. Check yourself, too, and see if you can ID them. Learn your weeds! Every gardener worth their weight in zucchini needs to know the competition!
1. Get Those Weeds
Weeding aims to stop the weed seeds from spreading and, hopefully, lessen the weed infiltration for the next season.
- If there’s no time for pulling, use super sharp snippers and cut those flowering-soon-to-be-seeds off. Seed-head removal takes some time and helps reduce the spread. Remember, one year’s seed is seven years’ weed.
- Weed after a good rain. The weeds are easier to pull up, root, and all.
- That said, avoid mucking around too much in wet soil. If you can reach across, instead of stepping on damp soil, do so. Rake up the soil when you’re finished to reduce compaction and runoff.
- Do dispose of the weeds. Unless you’re up to the challenge of composting them…
Why do we say it’s a challenge? The compost needs to be hot enough to destroy the weed seeds. Turning up the temperature is as easy as turning the compost pile, but for the beginner, skip adding the weeds for now. You want your first go at composting to be successful, and you don’t want to spread weeds directly from your compost bin into the garden next year. For more information on weeds and compost, check out the Weed Science Society of America. But not all weeds are bad… Read about these weeds that are good to keep around.
Let’s identify a few of the not-so-good guys…
Prostrate spurge (Euphorbia maculata): This groundcover weed loves the mulch and shows up on mulched pathways.
Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial creeping ivy, sometimes called ground ivy, that invades yards and takes over.
Smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum): Loves a good lawn and is low enough to avoid the mower.
Viola sororia or wild violet looks sweet in spring, so it’s up to you if you want to remove it.
Most of us live in small enough spaces that pulling weeds is recommended rather than using herbicides. And it allows us to really get close and observe our gardens. Gravel or mulched pathways are the areas where you might want to use the herbicides when weeds take over. Otherwise, layered cardboard or newspaper smothered in mulch is very effective for spots needing extra care. Weed the area first, water it well, then put down cardboard or newspaper and mulch. If you want to plant in that area, cut small Xs in the cardboard and continue to water the plants. Perennials and shrubs work best here.
2. Time to Tend the Lawn
- Now is the time to reseed bare places, aerate compacted areas, and add an inch layer of compost to the lawn.
- Suggested time to add a layer of compost? Mid-September and again mid-October to early November.
- Lower the mower blades to 3″ instead of 3.5″ on the final mow. Leave your lawn clippings unless they’re too long and matted down. If that’s the case, remove them and compost them.
- Consider adding clover to your lawn. It helps with nitrogen fixation, pushes out unwanted weeds, doesn’t get over four to eight inches tall, and grows well with grass. Read more information here about the benefits of clover.
3. Cut Back and Divide Perennials
- Many perennials are starting to yellow, indicating it’s time to cut the leaves back and divide if necessary. Remove yellowing leaves now (hostas are an excellent place to start).
- Remove spent flowers, cutting back to the plant level.
- Remember, too, that perennials benefit from division every three to five years, so examine what perennials are starting to “bleed out” or “form a doughnut hole” in the middle (dianthus, phlox, shasta daisy), and divide and transplant them for a healthier plant. It’s an inexpensive and easy way to grow your garden. Read here for more information about how to divide perennials.
Perennial Tip: It’s best to divide spring-to-early-summer-blooming perennials in the fall, and divide late summer-to-fall-blooming perennials in the spring.
Landscape Tip: The longer you live in a landscape, the shadier it gets. (Unless you have no trees, that is.) Is it time to re-evaluate perennial beds? Which perennials are leggy and reaching for the sunlight? Or the opposite? Which ones are now getting fried from too much sun because you removed a tree? Or is the garden beautiful in spring, but lacking in fall? If so, check out the garden center’s great selection of fall perennials: Anemones, Joe Pye weed, plumbago, sneezeweed, asters, false sunflower, grasses, and more.
Peony Tip: Peonies prefer to be transplanted and divided in September.
4. Don’t Prune or Fertilize
Do not prune shrubs or trees yet. Wait until plants go dormant. You can continue removing all dead/diseased/damaged/dying wood on shrubs and trees, where pests and diseases hang out. Pruning pushes out new growth that won’t have a chance to harden off before cold weather arrives, causing potential die-back. For this reason, skip fertilizing now, too. The end of July is when you should stop fertilizing your landscape plants.
5. Plant Trees and Shrubs
September and October are good months to plant trees and shrubs. The soil temperature will stay warmer than the air temperature as night temperatures drop, forcing plants to focus on root growth over shoot growth. That’s a good thing since the goal is to encourage a strong root system. Traditionally, we get more rain in the fall and early spring than in the summer, which is another good reason to plant now. That said, check the amount of rain you’re getting, and don’t assume you can skip watering. Establishing plants with consistent watering is key to healthy, drought-resistant plants in the future.
If you’re thinking it’s time for a landscape re-do, reach out to our landscape division!
6. Plant Veggies, Swap Out Containers, Plant Bulbs
Veggies: Plant greens now. That includes mustard, radish, mixed greens, turnips, and more for a fall harvest.
Container Gardening: Spruce up your seasonal pots. It seems early for pansies and violas, but getting them in the soil establishes sound root systems for a beautiful fall show—and it lasts well into the next growing season! Plant now, and if the pansies begin to get leggy, shear them very short, to about two inches, which forces root development and creates a tighter plant. New growth will happen quickly, and they’ll be blooming again soon. Mix them with annual mums, heirloom pumpkins, and evergreens for a great fall display.
Bulbs: Decide on your bulbs and buy them now. Where does the spring garden need sprucing up? How many bulbs and which varieties are needed? Make your list and, again, purchase them now. The garden center sells out fast once the weather starts cooling down.
If you’ve read this far, you know September is busy. Expect October to be just as active. If you want more information on anything discussed here, don’t hesitate to come out and talk to us!
