Gardening Checklist For September In The Pacific Northwest
As we say goodbye to summer and begin welcoming in early autumn, we take a moment to reflect and enjoy summertime’s remaining warmth. The days are shorter, the nights are getting cooler. Some summer garden plants will still be in their element, while others are weary or changing seasonal colour. But there are gardening tasks still to be done. Here is a checklist of what to do in the garden during September to ensure plants and lawn maintenance is on track before winter rolls in. This gardening to-do list for early autumn (fall) helps keep track what jobs to continue in terms of general garden maintenance.
Learn what you can still plant in September – because we just can’t help getting one more plant for the garden!
What To Do In The Garden Early Autumn (Fall)
- Once nighttime temperatures dip below 10C (50F), it is time to stop irrigating.
- By the end of September, plan on winterizing your automatic sprinklers and blow out your irrigation system.
- Any weeds left from summer may be seeding. Make sure to pull them up before they set seed.
Lawn Care And Maintenance
- If the grass is still growing, keep cutting it and make sure it is well watered.
- Feed your lawn with winter fertilizer.
- If you are planning on establishing a new lawn, autumn is the best time to do it.
Plant Care And Bulb Planting
- Keep deadheading annuals, such as cosmos, and perennial flowers.
- Give hedges a final light trim.
- Some clematis vines will need to be pruned now if they have stopped flowering.
- All major shrub and tree pruning should be suspended for now.
- Start planning what you want in your spring garden, as you may need to plant them now.
- Bulb planting may start by mid-month, especially spring-flowering bulbs should be planted soon.
- Various perennials perform best when planted during the autumn.
- Take cuttings of perennials such as fuchsias and mock orange shrubs.
- Dry hydrangea flowers for winter arrangements, and include sea holly if you have these.
- Plan on lifting and dividing perennials clumps. Replant divided
sections or prepare for winter storage. September is the best time to
divide peonies if it is needed.
- Transplant any evergreen shrubs and trees if you had planned on moving them. Water them well.
- Tender plants that need to move indoors should be taken in before the first frost. For example overwintering half-hardy fuchsias.
Fruit And Vegetable Gardens
- Kitchen garden tasks include harvesting and picking remaining summer vegetables and fruit.
- Sowing any last-minute salad leaves and winter lettuce, arugula, cilantro (coriander) and radishes.
- Continue planting cool season and winter vegetables such as spinach, garlic, Swiss chard, and kale.
- Tomato plants will be on their last few weeks of fruit production and will need to be pulled up by the end of September.
- Begin clearing away all end of season crops and dead foliage.
Spend more time in the garden before Fall arrives! Browse the large choice of gardening supplies for your garden bed and maintaining lawns, and fun art and sculptures for your garden and vegetable patch. Check out the latest deals for garden supplies. View the awesome deck decorations and patio furniture, and the necessary garden tools, and more.
