SEPTEMBER GARDENING JOBS

As September unfolds, we witness nature's

gentle farewell to summer's embrace.

Hello,

Shortening days are a sure sign that the year is moving on.

The sultry heat that we have enjoyed through the summer months has faded and the is air fresher. We may have a high pressure over the country which means we might enjoy an Indian summer, but the nights will start to turn cooler, the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us.

A few gardening thoughts for the month of September.

Although we are nearing autumn, there are still plenty of gardening jobs to keep your green space in good shape.

The following ideas will help you to get your garden back in check after the summer.

A summer garden will usually need a bit of a clear up before winter month to prevent pests and diseases overwintering.

Store away your BBQs and paddling pools.

Remove any dying leaves, stems and weeds from your borders, and if you have a greenhouse, empty any unused pots or containers, as compost or decaying plant material can harbour unwanted pests over the winter months.

Plant up containers for autumn interest, using cyclamen, heathers, heucheras and other colourful bedding plants.

Sow hardy annuals, such as, scabiosa and cornflowers, for flowering early next summer.

Lift gladioli corms, dry them off, then store in a frost-free shed or garage over winter.

Plant wallflowers, pansies, forget-me-nots and other spring bedding in pots and borders.

A lot of seeds will be ready to harvest in September, so now is the time to pick any seeds you want to grow again next year. For the best chance of success, make sure your seed heads are ripe – which is generally when they turn from green to brown - and collect them on a dry and sunny day. Store them in labelled paper packets.

Bring any houseplants that you moved outside over summer back indoors, before temperatures start to drop.

Lift, divide and replant congested clumps of perennials, such as achilleas, once they finish flowering.

Fill any gaps with late-flowering perennials, such as sedums, to provide nectar for pollinating insects into autumn.

Take cuttings from fuchsias, salvias and pelargoniums.

Trim conifer hedges to neaten them up and control height.

Leave sunflower seedheads in place for birds to feed on.

Remove duckweed, pondweed and algae from water features and ponds, put netting across ponds to stop autumn leaves falling in and rotting.

Water autumn-flowering asters regularly to deter mildew.

Clean out water butts and check downpipe fittings in preparation for autumn rains.

Check that tree ties and plant supports are firmly in place, ahead of any autumn gales.

Don’t forget about your hanging basket and container plants whilst you’re tidying the rest of your garden. Be sure to continue feeding and pruning these plants, as they can still bloom for another couple of months. Basket and container plants don’t normally begin to retreat until the first frost of winter if cared for properly, so be sure to make the most of yours!

Collect fallen leaves to store in a chicken-wire cage or bin bags to make leaf mould

To ensure you have a cheery and colourful garden come spring, plant your spring-flowering bulbs such as narcissi, crocus, and muscari between September and October, or a little later for your tulips, which are best planted between October and November.

To see your containers bulging with bulbs in spring plant a double or even triple layer, sandwiching smaller bulbs such as anemone, scilla and muscari on top of layers of larger bulbs such as hyacinths, daffodils and tulips, so together they create maximum impact.

Scour your borders too and dig up, divide and re-plant bindweed infested clumps of perennials. Take care to extract the thick creamy-white roots of bindweed for even the tiniest piece that’s left in the soil will re-sprout.

Another timely job is to sow hardy annuals in sheltered places for extra early displays next summer and sow some in pots for colour in the cold greenhouse. Sweet peas are a must-have and easy to grow.

Bags of salad leaves are expensive to buy in supermarkets but by giving the plants protection, it's possible to sow seeds in the autumn for tasty leaves over winter. Choose from hardy varieties of your favourite summer lettuce, or experiment with more unusual winter salad crops. For a continuous supply, sow a few seeds every four weeks.

Now is the time to order trees and shrubs, as they will grow well next spring if planted this autumn, and for those with a fruit garden, don’t forget your strawberries, raspberries, and other berry fruits as these are best planted during their dormant season.

Start to mow lawns less frequently.

Autumn weather is perfect for good lawn establishment, so make sure to rake, aerate, and apply a specialist autumn lawn fertiliser that is rich in potassium and low in nitrogen. If you want to lay new turf or sow grass seed, take advantage of your soil being warm from the summer sun, and moist from autumn showers.

Dividing your perennials will keep your plants healthy and vigorous year after year, encouraging them to return to full form come spring or summer. Whilst you can do this almost all year around, it is most successful when the plants are in their dormant season, which for most summer-flowering perennials will be dormant from late September to November.

As always, I do wish you ‘Happy Gardening.’

Rog

The above is written by Rog Leppard, owner of English Cottage Chic Gardening, a professional gardener and gardening writer based in East Wellow, Romsey, Hampshire.

Website: www.english-cottage-chic.co.uk