Southeast September Garden To-Do List

Is it fall yet ? Nope , not in the Southeast , but that ’s just fine with me . recent summertime has its own flavor deserving taste . Sure , plenty of plant are looking dog - tired , but that just make the industrial plant blooming correctly now all the sweeter . Enjoyasters(Symphyotrichumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8),swamp arise mallow(Hibiscus moscheutus , district 5–9),surprise lilies(Lycoris radiata , zone 6–10),muscadines(Vitis rotundifolia , Zones 5–9 ) , andtea olives(Osmanthusspp . and cvs . , Zones 7b–10 ) . I appreciate their companionship in the garden as I keep my hosiery in hand and make a final energy on those scrappy summertime pot .

If it ’s woody , put the pruners down . Unless you ’re remove drained wood or this year ’s fruiting cane of blackberry bush , resist any impulse to cut deciduous shrubs or trees until they ’re fully hibernating in December . If it ’s evergreens you ’re eyeing , await until winter is over to do any pruning . Of of course , if you ’ve got incursive plants like Nipponese honeysuckle ( Lonicera japonica ) , privet ( Ligustrum japonicumorL. sinense ) , or English English ivy ( Hedera whorl ) , now is the perfect fourth dimension either to cut them back and immediately spray the excision surface with glyphosate , or to put on gloves and draw - slam - drag to uproot them and put an end to their paste .

Tidy up perennial , but not too much . If earlier - blooming perennial are ragged , it ’s perfectly fine to cut them back ; however , before you trim everything , consider that some of your dog-tired perennial are in reality bird feeders in disguise . Black - eyed Susans ( Rudbeckiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–11 ) , coneflower ( Echinaceaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , tickseed ( Coreopsisspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , and switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum , Zones 4–9 ) are favorites of semen - eating birds such as goldfinches . unremarkably the birds have beak these clean by November , so you may polish off tidying then . Most decorative grass are still looking unspoiled in previous fall , though , and I go away them up through February to work their thaumaturgy — all frost - dusted and hyperbolise the sparkle of the wintertime sun . For those perennials you do cut back , you may take trim to the compost pile or just do a harsh chop and leave them onsite as a mulch of sorts . If foliage is morbid or pestilence - infested , however , remove it from beds .

Get ready for fall planting by create space . Take a look around . Are spreading perennials lease over ? Has an insalubrious or underperforming shrub been take in you wince for years ? Are you ready to carve a little further into your lawn so you’re able to grow some cool novel plants ? utilise this calendar month to prepare at your leisure for plant next month . Those spreading perennials can be savvy out and potted up to share , or replanted in a novel area now ( just keep them well irrigate ) . off undesirable shrub now as well to let at least a calendar month for okay roots in the soil to molder before plant a successor . Expand a bed ( or make a new one ) by removing grass and make a young bound . There are several method for removing sod , so whether you dig it out ( you fry ) oruse other methods , you ’ll treasure make a quick - to - plant life bed when the temperature chill and new roots are ready to grow .

Order spring - flowering bulbs and Allium sativum start now . Really , what is better than abouquet of daffodilsandhomegrown garlic ? Not much , I ’d say . So get the best selection of cultivar by ordering now and plant in later October . You ’ll be happy you did n’t conciliate for the remains of the November headway wheel when you ’re picking pink - cupped daffodil next give and wangle with red heirloom Allium sativum next summer . mouth of edible , you’re able to still squelch in cool - time of year crop if you plant take off through the eye of this month .

Begin saving seed or taking cutting of peculiar annuals . Bothcollecting seedandpropagating tip cuttingsare play and empower ( when successful ) but require a luck of solitaire for tardily - growing plants like many perennials and woodies . Annuals and biennials , on the other hand , give a gratifyingly ready issue . This may also be the most reliable way to ensure specialty cultivar and species that you love so much will be available next twelvemonth . Coleus ( Plectranthus scutellarioidesand cvs . , Zones 10–12 ) cutting can be placed with or without hormone in a mix of 50/50 potting land and perlite , with a formative base covering fire until root . Keep them over winter in a gay window , and begin fertilize them in early outpouring . Not all annuals will make viable seed . Break open seedpods and seed question . Viable source is usually dark , plump , and intemperately . Separate seminal fluid from stalk , and store in an envelope in a nerveless , dour spot until next spring .

— Paula Gross is the former assistant director of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Botanical Gardens .

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Mid-Atlantic September Garden To-Do List

Northwest September Garden To-Do List

Northern Plains September Garden To-Do List

Northeast September Garden To-Do List

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