How Does Your Garden Grow? September checklist

Fall is such an enjoyable time of the year. The “dog days” of summer are over, and fall activities can begin. Normal rainfall should be returning as well as moderating temperatures.

Woody plant care

We have been waiting for September as it is considered to be one of the best times to plant trees and shrubs. An early planting date this month allows new trees and shrubs the opportunity to become established before winter.

Evergreen trees and shrubs can be attractive specimen plants or can also be used as a very successful windbreak. When planting these trees and shrubs, provide them with a sunny location, nutrient rich soil and an acid pH. Continue to water evergreen plants until the ground freezes.

Do not fertilize evergreens in the fall as new needles are more vulnerable to winter kill. Save your nitrogen rich fertilizer application for spring. The easiest way to fertilize any of the evergreen plants is to use fertilizer spikes.

Annual and perennial care

By deadheading annuals and perennials in September, further flowering will occur as they enjoy cooler weather patterns.

Only cut back perennials after their leaves and stems are no longer green.

September is the recommended month for transplanting and dividing perennials such as daylilies and peonies. Transplanting and dividing should be completed by Oct. 1 to allow for the development of good root systems before winter temperatures arrive.

Lawn care

Mid-September is the recommended month for fertilizing your lawn with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 fertilizer.

Fertilizing helps your grass areas to maintain good color, recover from seasonal stress and prevent weed invasion and disease.

Fruit, vegetable and herb care

The fall crop of everbearing raspberries should be ready this month. After harvest, cut out the top part of the plant. The lower half will then be responsible for producing next year’s fruit early next summer.

Some of the cool-season vegetables that you planted in August will begin to be ready for harvest. Time to enjoy lettuce, peas, spinach and radishes before the season ends.

Early, smaller pumpkins should be ready for harvest in September.

Remove any diseased plants and discard. Compost only healthy plant material.

September tip

Our summer gardens are usually filled with trees, shrubs and flowers that are beneficial to birds and butterflies. As we enter September, our gardens and garden activities are changing. However, major migrations are taking place for both birds and butterflies during September.

Birds are still looking for food, shelter and water as they migrate. Survival of migrating birds is increasingly threatened due to habitat reduction. Many birds follow the same trails every year looking for blooming plants and seed sources that we as gardeners could try to provide for them in our fall gardens.

For those of us who like bird watching, birds that we could see passing through Illinois in September include waxwings, robins, goldfinches, grosbeaks and tanagers.

A water source, even if it is just a dripping water situation, will be greatly appreciated by these travelers.

Monarchs are also migrating through as they travel south to Mexico. During the spring and summer, several generations of monarchs have been born on the migration to the north. Now a super strain of monarchs will be making the long trip from Canada and northern regions of the United States all the way to their home in Mexico. Plantings of wildflowers and native plants in our gardens, prairies and no mow areas including plants like beebalm, asters, goldenrod, sedums and milkweed will aid them on their journey.

Most of us enjoy watching the birds and butterflies that visit our landscapes. This fall maybe we can do a little something for them to make sure their journey to the south is successful.

• Gardening questions for the Master Gardener Help Desk can be emailed to uiemg-dekalb@illinois.edu.

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