Organic Gardening Tips for September
"A late summer garden has a tranquility found no other time of the year."
-- William Longgood
I have never been so relieved to see the waning of summer. Unrelenting drought exacerbated by overbearing heat waves has scorched our deciduous forests, our un-watered public landscapes as well as our own residential properties.
However September is here and since most gardeners are evergreen optimists we can look forward to the cooler days of fall. Foliage will begin to show some signs of color change, the days will get shorter, and the morning temperatures will be delightfully lower. We can all begin to work outdoors again without fear of heatstroke. Fall is a wonderful time for gardening and fall weather will last for several months.
Transplanting
When crowded, plants produce fewer blooms and are more likely to become diseased. Thinning is an easy, inexpensive way to generate more plants and to prevent one species from crowding out others.
Digging up the plant will result in some root loss, so you'll want to reduce stress on the plant as much as possible. Choose a day that's overcast or even rainy for the move. Also remove most of the foliage to reduce demand on the roots to supply water to the plant. You can divide a perennial and leave part of it growing where it is, moving a piece of it to another location. Or, if the size of the mature plant is just too big for the space, move all divisions elsewhere.
Although Peonies are the classic perennial to transplant in the fall, other good candidates include astilbe, monarda, amsonia, daylilies, columbine, coral bells, goldenrod, bearded iris, bleeding heart, hosta, Japanese painted fern (and most other ferns), joe-pye weed, lady’s mantle, phlox, salvia, Russian sage, and Shasta daisy. Note that all of these perennials, except for peony, can also be transplanted in spring.
Apply about three inches of mulch around perennials when transplanting in the fall. This helps hold the moisture and keeps the ground warmer, promoting root growth well into the late fall. Allow time for the roots to establish and not be heaved out during winters freezing and thawing weather. Wait until the early spring before fertilizing. Water well, and if the top few inches of soil are dry, water again.
For peonies, dig overgrown clumps with a shovel and cut them in half. Handle with care so the "eyes" or buds at the base of the plants aren't damaged. Plant so the eyes are 1-1/2 to 2 inches below the soil surface. If planted too deeply, they won't flower. Keep at least 3 to 5 buds per division. Most peonies can be left for many years (10 or more) without the need to divide.
Lawns
September is the best month of the entire year to seed your lawn. This includes either seeding a new lawn or reseeding (overseeding) an established lawn to make it thicker and healthier.
Fall is a good time to feed your lawn with an organic fertilizer. Also consider topdressing the lawn with an organic compost for a boost in adding beneficial micro-organisms that are essential for a healthy soil. Topdressing can be used alone or along with aeration, seeding and fertilizing.
This is also a great time to aerate and/or de-thatch the lawn. This should be done prior to seeding.
Tips on applying weed killer & pesticides:
- Do not apply if you have children or pets
- Do not apply if there is any wildlife on your property
- Do not apply if you are concerned about the quality of your water supply
