Gardening Chores - September

September:

September marks the start of autumn, with cooler days and a final burst of summer colour. This is the most important month for planting spring bulbs so get daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths in the ground now for a beautiful display next year. It is also the time for the final harvest of many summer vegetables and to begin planting garlic and autumn onions.

In the Flower Garden

Continue to deadhead dahlias, delphiniums, roses, and other flowering plants to prolong their blooms into early autumn.
You can now sow hardy annual seeds such as calendula and poppies directly into your borders.
Divide your herbaceous perennials to give them space to thrive.
Keep hanging baskets and containers looking good by dead-heading, watering, and feeding.
If you have any remaining snow, gently brush it off trees and shrubs to prevent damage to branches.
Bring inside tender perennials like fuchsias before the first frosts begin.
Get ahead for next year! Now is a great time to plant out your spring bulbs.

The Vegetable Plot & Orchard

September is a month of fantastic harvesting. You should be lifting:
Potatoes, french & runner beans, tomatoes & cucumbers
Cabbages & cauliflowers, courgette & marrows, kale & spinach
Lettuce, onions & leeks, pumpkins, radishes, & sweetcorn
You can also plant autumn onion sets and spring cabbages for an early harvest next year. Continue to feed tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers to encourage them to ripen. Remember to check brassicas for caterpillar eggs on the underside of their leaves.

Fruit Garden

Cut back raspberry canes that have produced fruit and tie back the new shoots for next year’s berries.
Cut back strawberry plant foliage to one inch above the ground and plant any runners you want to keep.
Prune climbing roses back to a couple of buds on their main branches once they have finished flowering.
Put grease bands around fruit trees to stop pests from crawling up and destroying fruits.

Lawns & Hedges

Mow your lawn less frequently than during the summer months. Keep the lawn length slightly longer to retain moisture.
Apply a high phosphate feed to strengthen grass roots.
Scarify and aerate your lawn before adding an autumn lawn feed and top dressing.
Apply a patch lawn repair where required.
Use a lawn weed killer to control perennial daisies or buttercups.

In the Greenhouse

As the days become darker, remove any shading from your greenhouse.
Clean your greenhouse before bringing in any plants. This will prevent the possible spread of pests and diseases.

General Garden Maintenance

Trim your hedges for the final time before winter.
Remove dead and diseased growth from plants and shrubs.
Once the weather becomes more autumnal, you can start to move plants and trees if required.
Turn garden waste into compost by adding an accelerator and turning it regularly.
Keep up the maintenance of garden sheds, fences, and furniture.
Clean and store away any garden furniture you won't be using over the colder months.
Clean algae and moss from patios, paths, and decks.
Apply a glyphosate-based weed killer to perennial weeds.