September flowers Little Star black-eyed susans & strawflowers.
September Garden Chores
Purple & yellow chrysanthemums, orange pansies, purple ornamental kale and yellow striped variegated Jacob's ladder.
Index
September's harvest.
September Garden Chores - September Garden Stars - September Flower Arrangement
Garden Inspections - Assess - Too Big For Their Britches - Planting & Transplanting Time
Plant Spring Bulbs - What to Do With Perennials - Dahlias & Tuberous Begonias - Houseplants & Tropicals
Fall Leaves - Veggie Gardening - Tomatoes, Potatoes & Raspberries - Winter Veggie Gardening
September Lawn Care - Lawn Grubs - September Pruning - Peonies & Hellebores
Rose TLC - Time to Weed - Fall & Winter Planters - Fall Composting
Free Seeds - Don't Rake Beds Clean - Plant of the Month - Black-eyed Susans
Garden Inspections - Assess - Too Big For Their Britches - Planting & Transplanting Time
Plant Spring Bulbs - What to Do With Perennials - Dahlias & Tuberous Begonias - Houseplants & Tropicals
Fall Leaves - Veggie Gardening - Tomatoes, Potatoes & Raspberries - Winter Veggie Gardening
September Lawn Care - Lawn Grubs - September Pruning - Peonies & Hellebores
Rose TLC - Time to Weed - Fall & Winter Planters - Fall Composting
Free Seeds - Don't Rake Beds Clean - Plant of the Month - Black-eyed Susans
Fellow Gardeners..
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
Now that it’s September I am assessing how the garden did this year. Roses seemed to do well, and the Swiss chard was free of leaf miners, however some plants didn’t perform as they usually do. Tomatoes took a while to ripen, and broccoli wasn’t as prolific and vigorous as previous years. I’m putting it down to the lack of rain, which may explain why my garlic did so well. Although the weather has been quite pleasant, it has been dry. I’m not a big fan of scorching summers; however, we could have had a bit more sun and heat this year. The tomatoes certainly thought so. Their green fruit hung around without turning red until late August. Dahlias where also late to flower but they are making up for it now. It was August when it finally felt like summer had landed on the south coast of British Columbia. Despite heat loving plants being slow to do their thing, it was nice not to have to deal with the usual issues that excessive heat brings. Sweltering weather makes plants vulnerable to all kinds of ailments. I remember a few years ago stink bugs caused a stink when they preyed on flowers and veggies alike. That year was a hot one. Luckily, we haven’t had issues with the little stinkers since. As with most gardeners, I appreciate rainfall as a lack of it results in smaller and fewer plants, flowers and fruit. When I think back to the years when rain was plentiful, plants were definitely bigger and more bodacious. My Elegans hosta was a monster that hung over the path to the front door, however, it is much more docile due to the lack of rain. Now it’s September I wonder if Mother Nature will make up for the dry summer and bring us torrential rain all at once. I’ve got to be careful what I wish for. I hope she will be kind and bring us a lovely fall with just the right amount of everything. Wouldn’t that be super! Here’s to a gorgeous autumn! Cheers, Amanda Garden Classes
Click on the coloured links for more information.
Location: Credo Christian High School, Langley, B.C. Preparing for Fall: Prepare the garden for winter and the coming year: planting bulbs, dahlias, what to prune, fall lawn care, what to plant and much more. Saturday, September 20, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm. Lawn Care: Learn the secrets to a healthy, low maintenance lawn. Saturday, Sept 20, 2025, 1:00pm to 3:30pm Pruning the Right Way: Classroom session in morning followed by pruning session in the afternoon. Saturday, Nov 8, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. September's Floral Arrangement
September 2025
Flowers an food combine with black-eyed susans, carrots and leeks. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements.
September's Plant of the month
Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia
Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckias. Click on the pic for more.
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Take the guesswork of what to do in the garden each month with The Garden Website.com. Learn what to do, how to do it and when with a free subscription to The Garden Website.com.
Water Restrictions Continue
No more watering lawns, but watering garden beds, trees and vegetable gardens is still permitted.
Metro Vancouver's water restrictions are explained fully on their website. Click on Metro Vancouver for details.
Need A Garden Consultation?
It's difficult to know where to start and what to in the fall garden.
If you know what to do in your garden in the autumn and need help figuring out what to do and how to do it, click here make an appointment with Amanda for a garden consultation. Serving Metro Vancouver.
For the Tropical Gardener For tropical gardeners & those that want to be.
While working in Florida as a horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a reference book detailing all the exotic tropical shrubs. To make my job easier and to help my clients, I wrote a reference book called Ornamental Tropical Shrubs. It includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. If you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
Gift Certificate
A personal garden consultation is the ideal gift for gardeners and non-gardeners alike. This two-hour consultation covers landscape design, trouble shooting, plant ID, lawn care, veggie gardening and other garden related issues. A $200.00 value. Serving Metro Vancouver. Click here to fill out the form.
Garden Videos
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September Garden Stars
Mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia, deciduous tree, 20' - 40' x 10'-20', sun, part shade. Zones 3 to 6. Click on pic for more.
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Heavenly bamboo, Nandina domestica, broadleaf evergreen, June flowers, sun, shade, 3-8’ x 2-4’. Zones 8 to 10. Click on pic for more.
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Pink Japanese anemone, Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’, herbaceous perennial, 4ft, sun, part shade. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Pandora leopard plant, Ligularia dentata 'Pandora', herbaceous perennial, 18" x 18", part to full shade. Zones 4 to 8.
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Tutsan, sweet-amber, Hypericum androsaemum, deciduous shrub, 2-3’, sun, part shade, red berries. Zones 5 to 8.
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Autumn crocus, Colchicum autumnale, corm, 6 - 10”, spring leaves, fall flowers, sun to shade. Zones 4 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Sweet autumn clematis/virgins bower, Clematis terniflora, deciduous vine, 15-30ft, fragrant, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9
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Henry III Purple fall aster, Symphyotrichum (Aster) novi-belgii, 24", herbaceous perennial, sun. Zones 4 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, up to 30", sun. Zones 4-9. Click on the pic for more.
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White Fountain bush clover, Lespedeza thunbergii, deciduous shrub, 4-6’ x 4-12’, sun, part shade. Zones 4-8
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Hardy fuchsia, F. magellanica, deciduous shrub, 4' to 8' tall & wide, partial shade. Zones 6 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, herbaceous perennial, 15” to 18” x 12” to 16”, sun, part shade. Zones 4 to 8.
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Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus, deciduous tree-like shrub to 12 ft, sun. Zones 5-8. Click on the pic for more.
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Autumn Joy Sedum, Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude', herbaceous perennial, sun, 1.5-3'. Zones 3 to 9.
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Cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa, deciduous shrub, 2-3 ft tall and wide, sun, part shade. Zones 3 - 8. Click on pic for more.
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Peegee hydrangea, H. paniculata 'Grandiflora', deciduous shrub or tree, 10’-25’ x 8’-16’, sun, part shade. Zones 3 to 8.
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Yellow wax bells, Kirengeshoma palmata, herbaceous perennial, 3’-6’, part shade. Zones 5 - 9.
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Glossy abelia, Abelia x grandiflora, broad leaf evergreen shrub, 4 to 6 ft x 5 ft, full sun, part shade. Zones 6 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Chrysanthemums, herbaceous perennial, 1-3’ x 1-2’, sun. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Karl Foester feather reed grass, Calamagrostis × acutiflora, herbaceous perennial, 3’-5’ x 2’-2.5’, sun. Zones 5 to 9.
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Goldsturm black-eyed susan, Rudbeckia fulgida, herbaceous perennial, 2', sun, part shade, Zones 4 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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September Garden Chores
Click on the coloured, underlined links to be redirected.
Dahlias & roses are still pumping out blossoms.
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The veggie garden is still producing.
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Fall Inspection: Don’t be surprised to see big changes in the garden this month as summer slides into autumn. The glory days of the spring and summer flora are over as they prepare for winter, however late season flowering and fruiting plants come into their own. Due to the change of seasons, there’s lots to do in the garden so it’s wise to take notes as you do a walkabout. For more click on Fall Garden Chores.
Know the sunny & shady spots in your garden. Abkhazi Gardens. Click on pic for more.
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A fried hosta needs more shade.
A leggy hydrangea needs more sunlight.
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Assess: Sickly, poor performing plants are often the result of being planted in the wrong spot. Hostas turn brown and crispy when exposed to excessive sunlight and tomatoes lack vigour, are disease prone and produce fewer fruit in shady locations. When purchasing plants, read their labels for their preferred growing conditions.
It's just a bit too crowded.
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A lily of the valley shrub is being crowded out.
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Shorten stems above a side branch.
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After the removal of the offending neighbouring stems.
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Too Big for Their Britches: Bold and the beautiful plants that overtake their space are daunting to deal with. It’s a knee jerk reaction to cut them down or dig them up, however, it’s often not necessary. Either transplant the smaller plants or trim back the offending plant by no more than a quarter. Alternately, remove any offensive overly long branches that are encroaching on neighboring plants.
Planting & Transplanting Time
A sweet gum tree adds colour to fall gardens. Click on pic for Colourful Fall Plants.
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Local nurseries have lots of goodies and fall sales. Art's Nursery, Port Kells pictured. Click on pic.
Loosen roots before planting.
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Plant trees so their trunk flare sits above the soil surface.
This poor suffering tree has been planted a foot too deep.
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Planting & Transplanting Time: The shorter days, cooler weather and the return of rain makes autumn an ideal time to plant trees, shrubs, ground covers, fruits, lawns and vines. Move existing plants to more suitable locations as soon as possible. This gives them time to re-root and to establish themselves before spring. To learn the secrets of successful planting methods click on Planting Know How. For a video click on How to Plant a Tree.
Need More Plants? There’s no need to wait for spring to add new plants to the garden. Local plant nurseries have mega plant sales this time of year as they sell off their old stock. They also carry fall flowering beauties to brighten your garden as well as stunning fall foliage trees and shrubs. Here’s some options for Colourful Fall Plants.
Need More Plants? There’s no need to wait for spring to add new plants to the garden. Local plant nurseries have mega plant sales this time of year as they sell off their old stock. They also carry fall flowering beauties to brighten your garden as well as stunning fall foliage trees and shrubs. Here’s some options for Colourful Fall Plants.
Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs
Potted bulbs add easy beauty everywhere.
A stunning bulb display at Prospect Point, Vancouver.
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Plant bulbs with bonemeal and dust with cinnamon.
Protect bulbs from being eaten with bulb pans and chicken wire.
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Plant Spring Colour: Plant tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs early for best results. Waiting too long denies them time to root before cold weather strikes. Purchase them early for the freshest and best selection of bulbs. Plant them in the garden or containers. Bury the pots in the ground then dig them up in the spring. Place them in the garden wherever you need a splash of spring colour. Check out my video on Planting Tulip Bulbs. For more info on nice bulb displays and tips on critter control click on Spring Flowering Bulbs.
What to do with Perennials
Wait for leaves to yellow before cutting them off.
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Leave a few inches of stem when cutting back perennials.
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This pampas grass needs to be divided.
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This bed is just too small.
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Perennial TLC: Cut back perennials once their leaves yellow. Removing green stems weakens them as it denies them of food for next year. Leave a couple of inches of stem to reduce winter damage and for beneficial insects that overwinter in hollow stems. There's no need to discard the debris, just lay them on ground as they will essential nutrients as they decompose.
Daylilies, hostas, Solomon’s seal, sedums and many other perennials form colonies that expand year after year. To revitalize mature clumps and to reduce their spread, dig them up and discard old unproductive roots, rhizomes and tubers. To divide the remaining roots, use a sharp shovel, or two garden forks back to back and pry the roots apart.
Here's more on Fall Garden Chores.
Too Crowded: Sometimes the problem isn’t that there’s too many plants in a garden, it’s that the garden is too small. Unless you are growing wee plants, any bed less than 3 feet wide will be crowded in no time. Before purchasing any plant, read the label as it will tell you its mature height and most importantly, it’s width.
Daylilies, hostas, Solomon’s seal, sedums and many other perennials form colonies that expand year after year. To revitalize mature clumps and to reduce their spread, dig them up and discard old unproductive roots, rhizomes and tubers. To divide the remaining roots, use a sharp shovel, or two garden forks back to back and pry the roots apart.
Here's more on Fall Garden Chores.
Too Crowded: Sometimes the problem isn’t that there’s too many plants in a garden, it’s that the garden is too small. Unless you are growing wee plants, any bed less than 3 feet wide will be crowded in no time. Before purchasing any plant, read the label as it will tell you its mature height and most importantly, it’s width.
Dahlias & Tuberous Begonias
Lucky Number dinnerplate dahlia.
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Dig up dahlias after frost.
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Store dahlia tubers over the winter.
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Store tuberous begonias in a frost free location. Click on pic for more.
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Wait for begonia stems to break off before storing.
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Dahlias: Wait for frost to kill the tops then cut off the stems so 6 inches remain. Either dig them up and store over the winter or take a chance and leave them in the ground. That’s doable only if you live in USDA Zones 8 to 10. Otherwise, check out Dahlias for overwintering tips.
Tuberous Begonias: Once their leaves yellow or they are zapped by frost, dig them up from the garden and place them on dry newspaper in a frost free location. Keep container grown begonias in their pots to overwinter. To hasten dormancy, gradually withhold water.
Tuberous Begonias: Once their leaves yellow or they are zapped by frost, dig them up from the garden and place them on dry newspaper in a frost free location. Keep container grown begonias in their pots to overwinter. To hasten dormancy, gradually withhold water.
Houseplants & Tropicals
The vacation is over for these angel trumpets, (Brugmansia).
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Bring bougainvilleas indoors asap.
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Coleus make great houseplants!
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Save your geraniums for next year.
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Saving Tender Plants: The party is over for those frost tender plants that vacationed outside during the summer. Bring in your fuchsias, geraniums, angel trumpets (Brugmansia, Datura), bougainvilleas, impatiens, coleus and any other potted plants you want to save. Do it as soon as possible before they overcome with diseases and insects. To learn more click on Saving Tender Plants - Houseplants in Winter and Overwintering Tropical Plants Indoors.
Let the Leaves Fall Where they May
Recycle fall foliage.
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Follow Mother Nature and leave the leaves.
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Leaves are an essential part of a healthy soil.
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Fallen Leaves: Recycle fallen foliage to enrich, build and protect soil. Rake fallen leaves from the lawn and place them in thick 3 inch layers on top of the ground for a nutritious mulch. Protect vulnerable plants over the winter by placing leaves over top of their crowns (where the stem and roots join). To ensure they don’t blow away, lay them on thick, at least 3 inches deep. Add fall leaves to compost bins for the carbon layer and store extra leaves in bags to use as needed.
It's All About the Veggies
September goodies from the garden.
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September veggie gardening continues until frost.
Leaving soil bare in winter leads to weeds, erosion, and nutrient loss.
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Use straw to cover unused veggie beds.
Sow crimson clover seeds now.
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Veggie Time: If you live in the lower mainland of British Columbia, harvesting veggies is still in full swing. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, corn & beans are just a few of the crops that keep us on out toes as they continue to ripen daily. Harvest at their peak and discard anything that’s not healthy to prevent the spread of infection. Here's more on Fall Veggie Garden Clean-up.
Clean Veggie Beds: Remove all crop remnants, plant plants and debris once the veggies have been harvested to reduce overwintering disease and insects.
Naked Veggie Beds? Rain, snow, wind, freezing and thawing degrades and depletes soil when it’s not protected from the elements. To prevent nutrient loss, erosion and winter weeds there are two options.
Option 1: Prepare beds for winter by sowing a cover crop, such as crimson clover or winter peas to improve, protect and build the soil. Cover crops continue to grow throughout the fall and winter then they incorporated into the soil in spring as green manure.
Option 2: Cover the soil with a couple of inches or more of fall leaves, straw (not hay) or a thick layer of ripped up newspaper.
Clean Veggie Beds: Remove all crop remnants, plant plants and debris once the veggies have been harvested to reduce overwintering disease and insects.
Naked Veggie Beds? Rain, snow, wind, freezing and thawing degrades and depletes soil when it’s not protected from the elements. To prevent nutrient loss, erosion and winter weeds there are two options.
Option 1: Prepare beds for winter by sowing a cover crop, such as crimson clover or winter peas to improve, protect and build the soil. Cover crops continue to grow throughout the fall and winter then they incorporated into the soil in spring as green manure.
Option 2: Cover the soil with a couple of inches or more of fall leaves, straw (not hay) or a thick layer of ripped up newspaper.
Leave broccoli, chard & other cool crops in the garden over the winter.
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Encourage tomatoes to ripen faster with judicious pruning. Click on pic for more.
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Blight has ravaged this tomato plant. Click on pic for more.
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Don’t Harvest Cool Crops: Keep broccoli, kale, carrots, beets, Swiss chard and other cool season veggies in the garden as they will continue to grow throughout the fall and winter.
Tomatoes: For tomato plants that haven’t already kicked the bucket, any remaining healthy plants better hurry up and ripen before they succumb to disease and falling temperatures. It is September after all.
Clean up tomato plants by removing unhealthy leaves, fruits and stems but don’t compost them. Cut back all stems just above ripening fruit as flowers will not have time to produce fruit before the season is over. For a video click on Taming Tomatoes. Here’s more information on Speeding Up Tomato Ripening - Tomato Tips – Taming Tomatoes – Saving Tomato Seeds – Tomato Troubles.
Tomatoes: For tomato plants that haven’t already kicked the bucket, any remaining healthy plants better hurry up and ripen before they succumb to disease and falling temperatures. It is September after all.
Clean up tomato plants by removing unhealthy leaves, fruits and stems but don’t compost them. Cut back all stems just above ripening fruit as flowers will not have time to produce fruit before the season is over. For a video click on Taming Tomatoes. Here’s more information on Speeding Up Tomato Ripening - Tomato Tips – Taming Tomatoes – Saving Tomato Seeds – Tomato Troubles.
Wait for potato stems to wither before harvesting.
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Always cover potatoes, even when curing.
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Train raspberries on a trellis.
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Remove canes that have produces raspberries.
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Potatoes: After their leaves have yellowed hold off on the water. After 3 weeks dig them up. Once harvested they need to cured and stored in a dark, cool and dry frost-free location.
Raspberries: Cut off all canes that have produced fruit this year and any weak, infected canes at ground level. Tie new canes to the fence, trellis or other support. To stop raspberries and other can fruit from spreading, pull and/or dig up any wayward stems. Remove all weeds and grass then lay a 3 inch layer of an organic mulch on top of the soil.
Raspberries: Cut off all canes that have produced fruit this year and any weak, infected canes at ground level. Tie new canes to the fence, trellis or other support. To stop raspberries and other can fruit from spreading, pull and/or dig up any wayward stems. Remove all weeds and grass then lay a 3 inch layer of an organic mulch on top of the soil.
Winter Veggies
Sow peas for a fall crop.
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Sow radishes for a quick harvest.
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Sow beet seeds now for a winter harvest.
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Get a jump on winter veggies with starter plants.
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A cloche protects crops. Click on pic for more.
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Fall & Winter Veggie Gardening: Sow a quick fall crop of spinach, peas, radishes, lettuce. Sow cool crops that will overwinter such beets, carrots, kale and cabbage, or purchase starter plants at your local garden centre. For more on winter veggies click on Winter Veggie Gardening.
September Lawn Care
Don't add too much nitrogen this time of year.
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Lawn seed combined with fertilizer is a good idea.
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Topdress lawns with compost, not sand.
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Use winterizer fertilizers on northern lawns.
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Don't walk on frosty lawns.
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September Lawn Care: As the weather cools and rainfall returns, lawns will be getting their mojo back. They require food after their summer dormancy to encourage active growth. Apply a slow release or organic nitrogen fertilizer (high first number ratio ex: 14-5-4) that contains iron and other micronutrients. Avoid fertilizers with numbers over 20 as excessive nitrogen accelerates lush growth that’s susceptible to brown patch disease and ultimately requires frequent mowing. To thicken lawns, topdress with compost and overseed with a grade A grass seed. To save time and money, select ones that includes a starter fertilizer.
What to Fertilize Northern Lawns: For regions that see frost this month, avoid applying a high nitrogen fertilizer as it’s too late to stimulate lush tender growth. Instead, apply a winterizer fertilizer (5-2-10). It’s low in nitrogen, but high in potassium to promote winter hardiness.
What to Fertilize Northern Lawns: For regions that see frost this month, avoid applying a high nitrogen fertilizer as it’s too late to stimulate lush tender growth. Instead, apply a winterizer fertilizer (5-2-10). It’s low in nitrogen, but high in potassium to promote winter hardiness.
Don't cut the grass too short.
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Don't leave clumps of grass clipping on the lawn.
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Mow & bag leaves to use as mulch.
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Mowing: Avoid cutting the grass too short as the longer leaf blades produce more food for a healthier and more vigorous lawn. Set the mower at 2 to 3 inches, no lower. Mow frequently so only 1/3rd of the leaf blades are removed at each mowing. This usually means the lawn must be cut at least once a week when it is actively growing.
Fall Foliage on the Lawn: It’s perfectly fine to mow the lawn when it’s covered with fall leaves as long as it’s dry and not too thick. Put the bag on the mower to collect the shredded leaves and grass clippings, then empty the bag onto garden beds for a nutritious and protective mulch. Alternately rake the leaves onto garden beds.
Fall Foliage on the Lawn: It’s perfectly fine to mow the lawn when it’s covered with fall leaves as long as it’s dry and not too thick. Put the bag on the mower to collect the shredded leaves and grass clippings, then empty the bag onto garden beds for a nutritious and protective mulch. Alternately rake the leaves onto garden beds.
Chinch bug larvae feed on lawn roots.
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Crows have dug up this lawn as they feed on lawn grubs.
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Longer leaf blades deter adult insects from laying their eggs.
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Lawn Grubs? When birds, raccoons and other creatures dig up the lawn, they feed on the large and juicy grubs that eat the roots. Grubs are larvae of crane flies, European chafer beetles, chinch bugs and numerous other insects. To kill the grubs, allow the critters to devour them, then change your lawn maintenance routine. Keep the grass long at 2.5 inches so the adult insect cannot reach the soil to lay their eggs. For more click on Lawn Grubs.
Add Dolopril lime to increase the pH on mossy lawns.
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Sow grass seed when the weather cools and rains return.
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Water the lawn if the fall rains fail to fall.
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Mossy Lawns: A lawn that’s more moss than grass indicates that the pH is too low. To rectify, apply Dolomite lime. Not only does dolomite increase the soil pH, but it also adds calcium and magnesium, which benefits lawn health.
Lawn Renovation: As soon as the weather cools and the rains return, repair patchy lawns and install new ones. Fall is the ideal time as the warm soil stimulates root growth, whilst the wet weather enables speedier root growth. To learn more click on Renovating & New Lawns.
Watering the Lawn: Just because it’s September, it doesn't mean that rain is a sure thing. To help your lawn recover from the slings and arrows of summer, make sure it receives at least an inch of water a week. Here's more on Lawn Maintenance Schedule.
Lawn Renovation: As soon as the weather cools and the rains return, repair patchy lawns and install new ones. Fall is the ideal time as the warm soil stimulates root growth, whilst the wet weather enables speedier root growth. To learn more click on Renovating & New Lawns.
Watering the Lawn: Just because it’s September, it doesn't mean that rain is a sure thing. To help your lawn recover from the slings and arrows of summer, make sure it receives at least an inch of water a week. Here's more on Lawn Maintenance Schedule.
September Pruning Tasks
Pruning lily of the valley shrub will remove their flowers.
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Cut off suckers and the burl they are growing from.
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Don't top trees! Duh!
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Use the right pruning tool for the job.
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No Hard Pruning: Go easy when cutting back plants as it encourages tender growth at the wrong time of year. It’s fall so plants are winding down and storing food for next year. Cutting them back while they are still green, deprives them of food for next year. Avoid pruning spring flowering plants as they have already set their flower buds. Never remove the tops of trees by cutting off all their branches as ugly suckers grow to replace the branches. Pruning 101- Pruning Tools
Peonies & Hellebores
Lenten roses (hellebores) are prone to hellebore leaf spot.
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Remove infected foliage from diseased hellebores.
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Peonies are prone peony measles.
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Remove and discard infected peony foliage.
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Peonies & Hellebores: Cut off all blemished and infected foliage, stems and flowers to reduce the spread of peony measles and hellebore leaf spot. Keep infected plant parts out of the compost bin to prevent contamination.
September Roses
Bonica's September rose blossoms.
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Keep the colourful rose hips for winter interest.
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Remove & discard all unhealthy foliage.
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Remove all dead rose canes.
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TLC for Roses: Many types of roses will carry on pumping out blossoms until the weather changes. Continue to cut off the dead flowers just above a leaf with 5 to 7 leaflets and remove any infected foliage from the ground and the plant. Cut back rose plants after their leaves have yellowed or have fallen off. To prevent winterkill give plants a light pruning. Follow up by placing at least 3 inches of organic mulch or soil on top of the crown (where stems and roots join) for winter protection. Click on Pruning Roses for more.
Time to Weed
Avoid weed block as it doesn't work.
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Lay mulch down once an area in weeded.
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Bagged mulch is available where garden products are sold.
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Pull out horsetails, don't dig them up.
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Weeds: They’re out there so go get ‘em! Pulling weeds is an instant fix compared to hitting them with herbicides. No matter what type of herbicide you use, weeds don’t just disappear; they slowly wither and may regenerate if not given a second or third dose of the stuff. When using herbicides, select Safer’s Fatty Acid, horticultural grade vinegar or another organic weed killer. Follow the instructions, don’t spray on windy days, protect neighbouring plants with cardboard etc. Hand weeding is difficult when the soil is dry, so water the ground thoroughly, then yank them up, roots, runners and all. Avoid digging up horsetails and bindweed as it spreads them, instead just yank them out of the ground.
Fall & Winter Planters
Purple & green coral bells, ornamental kale, variegated euphorbia and lemon cypress fill a seasonal bowl at Southlands Nursey in Vancouver, B.C. Click on pic.
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Remove all dead and dying plants.
Cool Wave pansies don't mind the cold.
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Fall & Winter Planters: Remove dead and dying plants and replace with some fall and winter lovelies such as winter pansies, fall asters, flowering kale, hellebores, winter heather and don’t forget to add tulips, crocus and other spring flowering bulbs. Before planting scrape off the top layer of soil, add some fresh soil or compost, mix in a slow release granular fertilizer, then plant your new babies and water. Click here for a video on Planting A Fall Planter. Here's more on Container Growing - Choosing a Container.
Composting in Fall
Compost garden waste.
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Don't compost wild geraniums, horsetail and other weeds.
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Top the compost with fall leaves.
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What to Compost: Dumping plants into the compost bin without cutting them up into smaller pieces is a common but heinous composting crime. Not only does it fill the bin in an instant, it takes ages for decomposition to begin. Avoid contaminating the compost with weeds, their seeds and their runners. To prevent bad odors and vermin, do not add meat products, fat and anything that has been cooked, including leftovers. For more on composting and composting issues click here.
Free Seeds
Wait for seedpods to turn brown & collect when dry,
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Collect seeds from lettuce left to flower.
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Don't forget to label your seeds.
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Collect Seeds: Instead of purchasing seeds, which are getting pricier every year, gather seeds from plants in your garden. Tomatoes, peppers, peas, beans, lettuce, kale, petunias, alyssum, columbine and many other plants produce viable seeds. Note that their offspring may similar but not identical. For more information click on Collecting Seeds.
Stop Raking Debris from Garden Beds
Don't rake organic debris from garden.
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These plants suffer from malnutrition, drought, erosion & soil loss due to the removal of organic debris.
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Don’t Rake Beds Clean: Leave all the leaves, twigs, dead flowers and other organic debris on garden beds as they are an essential part of the soil food web. This nutrient recycling system breaks down organic material making it available for plants and other organisms. It’s a self-sufficient, sustainable community that doesn’t need additional fertilizer to survive. Organic debris also provides a home for beneficial insects to overwinter. Save your back, your time and leave the leaves! Click on Soil for more on how to build healthy soil.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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