Garden Jobs In September – The month of September indicates that we are coming to the end of another summer. That doesn’t mean there isn’t still plenty to be done in your garden. Here are some areas that you should be looking into at this time of year:
1. Lawn maintenance. It is fine to continue cutting your lawn as normal, once a week is ideal if possible. September is also the ideal time to repair any areas of your lawn that are showing signs of wear. This will help your lawn to look good next summer. There are a couple of ways you can do this, you can reseed or rake over the dead areas.
You can also of course simply replace these areas with new turf if you want a more instant fix. If you do opt to relay any damaged areas then make sure these areas are sufficiently watered by either rain or hose.
If your lawn has suffered from dead patches that are yellow in color during late winter to summer then it’s possible you have an issues with leather jackets, this is the larvae from crane flies. There is a solution and you can find products on the market that will prevent this, Pravado Lawn Grub Killer can be very effective as can using Steinernema Feltia. Treatments like this should be used during September.
2. Greenhouse plants. Both tomatoes and peppers will be close to finishing for the year. Any tomatoes that are still growing come the end of September should be picked and left to finish ripening on your windowsill where they can still gain sunlight. Any cuttings that you wish to take from your fuchsias and geraniums then September is the ideal time to do this.
3. Garden borders. September is the time to start looking at dividing any clumps of perennials you may have within your borders. Plants that are in the way can be simply cut back to make diving easier. Removing the tops of any plants as they die will also help keep your borders tidy over the coming months.
4. Vegetable garden. Now is the time to be digging up the last of your potatoes. Make sure you separate any damaged or rotten ones from the rest and leave them to dry. Once they have been dried for a couple of hours, store in paper sacks to preserve them.
If you are planning an early crop of onions for the following year then how is the time to think about planting over wintering sets ready for next year. Onions that have been growing for this year should be lifted and left to dry on the soil but only if the weather is dry. If the weather is against you then your onions can dry in a well ventilated space or room. Once your onions have dried make sure you store them in a dry place.
If you have asparagus now is the time to check if the foliage has turned brown, if so then cut them back. This should also be done before the berries fall off. Once cut back make sure you add a new layer of mulch.
5. Pruning. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you cut back any hedges. September is a good time to do this as they won’t be growing much more beyond this month. New shoots should be kept on your climbing roses and dead head as needed.
6. Bird feeding. It’s important to keep your bird feeders and baths stocked up and clean. Using different feeds will attract more varieties of birds. Birds such as tits, sparrows and finches are attracted by hanging feeders, whereas bird tables are more likely to bring pigeons, robins and doves to your garden. Leaving food on the ground will attract Wrens and blackbirds.
