September is a glorious month in the north. It starts the harvest season and is the perfect vacation time. Warm days and cool evenings make it a good season to work in your garden, which will probably need it if yours is like mine after the summer.
Important odds and ends. Check the roof drainage. Start with the gutters and down spouts. Then flush out the drains to be certain they are working. You may want to hook up additional drains for your planting beds if your soil is a heavy clay. Proper drainage permits an early warming up of the soil and prevents the loss of plants from too much water.
Check your paths, walks, and stepping stones. They may need to be relaid and realigned. Your terrace may need releveling and probably can stand enlarging. Perhaps, a roof of some type over part of it would make the garden more livable.
Outdoor lighting permits greater enjoyment of your garden. Plan it carefully and follow the local electrical code to avoid later difficulties. You might floodlight your terrace and use spotlights or concealed lighting through your garden.
Large shade trees which have lost their leaves can be moved and safely planted. Be sure they are carefully guyed in position to prevent tipping or tearing of the new roots in the winter storms.
Cut back and feed annual flowers with a soluble fertilizer to spur them into rapid growth and additional bloom for the next six weeks. If frost usually comes earlier than this in your area, omit this from your work schedule for it would hardly be worthwhile. Order seeds of pansies now and sow them at once for bloom next spring. Set plants in the coldframe for the winter for early flowers.
Feed your lawn, your fall-flowering perennials, roses, and annuals to encourage strong growth and better flowers. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer on the lawn, a low one on the others. Be certain your plants have plenty of water.
Check your house plants and prepare to bring them indoors before cold weather arrives. Consider their general health and shape; watch out for insects, for you don’t want to bring any pests indoors. Discard questionable plants in favor of better varieties.
Clean up fallen leaves promptly, especially on newly seeded lawns. Don’t burn them, but put them on your compost pile.
Plant daffodils – Try the wide variety of types and sizes now available to get a long season of bloom.
Don’t forget the small spring bulbs – The scillas, crocus, pushkinias, chionodoxas, grape hyacinths, and others will give you pleasure next spring. Plant them in groups of one color. Then mix or intersperse the groups, if you want variety. This gives a much better effect than mixtures of individual bulbs.
Don’t pick fruits too soon – They have better flavor if you allow them to ripen on the tree.
If you want to grow something different, try quinces, jujubes, pawpaws, and hardy persimmons. They are not at all difficult and can be planted now.
Shade trees – If any of your trees wilted or otherwise suffered last summer, look for signs of girdling roots. Cut off offenders.
by A Davis – 61642
