September jobs to keep us busy!
Hello everyone and I hope you’ve all had a good summer?
I say that because we are now in the meteorological autumn which started on Sunday 1st September. Normally, I prefer to use the astronomical system with autumn starting on the equinox, which this year is 22nd September and that way I feel I can hang on to summer for an extra three weeks. Having said that, the season is already starting to feel a little backendish, and on Friday morning (30th Aug) I recorded an outside temperature of 5˚C (41˚F), which is a little on the chilly side for this time of the year!
Where we are in Lincolnshire, it’s been very dry for the past month or so and some plants are starting to go past their best and even the leaves on the trees are starting to show signs of autumn. As a result, I’ve been busy watering newly planted perennials, trees and shrubs to keep them ticking over until it rains. Of course, when it does start to rain, it won’t know when to stop!
Two groups of plants that have enjoyed the warm, dry weather have been my small collection of succulents that includes aeoniums, echeverias and aloe, which are in pots in a sunny spot at the side of the greenhouse. The others are agapanthus, which have flowered so well this summer in containers.
In contrast I’ve had a couple of trips to Scotland in August and had the pleasure of visiting Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Dumfries House, Logan Botanic Garden and Threave gardens. All were amazing and so green and lush because of all the rain they’ve had this summer!
Next up for us is the Harrogate Autumn Show at Newby Hall on 13th-15th Sept and the Malven Autumn Show on 27th-29th Sept. Hopefully we might see some of you there.
Jobs for September
Now is a great time to buy a few early autumn flowering perennials such as asters, rudbeckia, sedums and heleniums to fill gaps in borders that are lacking late colour. That’s my mission at the autumn flower shows.
Make sure summer containers and baskets are kept well-watered, fed weekly with a high potash fertiliser and deadheaded on a regular basis. That way you can easily keep them flowering and looking good for at least another month.
Agapanthus also benefit from regular feeds at this time of the year with a high potash feed. It helps to induce winter hardiness and promotes flower bud production this autumn for flower next summer.
September is traditionally when lawns are scarified, but only if the lawn is green and growing. If it’s dry where you are wait until the end of the month or into October when the soil is moist and the grass green. Scarifying in hot, dry conditions will stress the grass.
As soon as you stop deadheading roses, they will stop blooming, so pick over them regularly to remove faded blooms.
Give any topiary shapes a final trim of the season now. When trimming box, I prefer to use small hand shears rather than a hedge cutter, as I find the shears make a neater job.
If you have pelargoniums, now is a great time to take cutting to produce new plants for next year. Short cuttings inserted around the edge of a pot and kept shaded and moist will soon root. They will need frost protection over winter on a windowsill or a greenhouse.
Start buying spring flowering bulbs and keep them in a cool, dark place until you are ready to plant them.
Keep brassicas protected as the cabbage white butterflies are still around and pigeons will also be on the look out for a vegetable treat.
Harvest veg when it’s at its best and if you can’t eat it all give it away or freeze it.
There is still time to sow lettuce, salad leaves, baby spinach and corn salad in pots or the garden to enjoy over the autumn months.
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Happy gardening