Monthly Gardening Calendar For September

September is that transitional month between summer and fall. While there are plenty of hot and humid days still ahead, the temperatures are slowly returning to more comfortable daytime levels more often than not and gardening activities start to pick up as the weather mellows and moderates. The welcome rains return, and once-browned lawns start to resume growth and a lush green appearance.

Many previews of fall are at hand. The asters and chrysanthemums start their annual show just about now. Lots of lovely mid to late season plants, such as coneflowers, garden phlox, and black-eyed susans continue to shine from summer into fall, if they were kept deadheaded and properly watered. An occasional eager-beaver tree or two will start to turn color early in the season. By month's end, autumn is in full force with many trees taking on their glorious fall finery.

September is the time of golden days and balmy eves. The time when summer slips away and fall slides in. Time for street fairs and fall festivals, crunchy apples and the rich smell of produce stands. All of this is September, and so much more!

1. Lawns are in focus this month. If you need to do lawn repair, such as reseeding, starting a new lawn, or dethatching, now is a good time to tackle these chores. Start seeding projects early enough in this month to allow grasses to become established before the onset of cold weather.

2. By now, all fertilizing of woody and herbaceous plants should have stopped. If you continue to apply fertilizers this late in the season, these plants simply won't have enough time to harden off any new, succulent growth before the onset of winter.

3. Do the once-over one more time on your houseplants. Clean and repot them, inspect for disease and insect pests one last time and treat organically before moving them indoors by mid-month.

4. Continue to take cuttings of selected plants such as coleus, impatiens, and geraniums.

5. As the foliage yellows and dies down on summer bulbs, dig them up and let them ripen for a few days before packing them away for the season. Cut the foliage back to stubs.

6. Continue harvesting vegetables to keep them productive. This is true of tomatoes and peppers as well as many other veggies. Pull up spent plants and return them to the compost pile, if they are disease-free.

7. Enjoy the roses! With cooler weather, there are fewer problems with pests and a renewed bloom season for many rose varieties. While not the full flush of June's rose parade, there is often a fairly decent floral display to enjoy this month. Continue to treat for any diseases and lingering pests. Again, do not fertilize!

8. Continue to divide perennials and reset biennials and seed-started perennials in their garden spots or nursery beds.

9. Take advantage of end-of-the-season gardening specials: Early Fall is a good time to plant trees and shrubs, and perennials, of course!

10. As your spring flowering bulbs arrive, keep them in a cool, dark area until the ground begins to cool before planting.

11. If the gentle autumn rains do not arrive, continue to water everything, as before.

12. Replace worn-out annuals with pots of mums, asters, flowering kale, pansies, and other fall-blooming goodies.

13. Start cutting back dying or bedraggled perennials. I leave the flower heads of sedum, coneflowers, and rose hips for winter interest and for the birds. Keep the seed stalks of beautiful ornamental grasses on for winter interest.

14. Some perennials will put on a command performance of sorts now that the weather is moderating. In a lucky year, reblooming iris and some daylilies will put on another show!

15. Take in a fall festival, visit an arboretum, or just sit outside on a warm September day and take in the precious and warm sunshine!