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SEPTEMBER Late Summer; Getting the garden ready for the winter months. ALWAYS let the weather be your guide, and use this garden calendar as a simple reminder as to what needs to be done in your garden this month. SOIL - Add garden compost (composted humus), and leaf mould if needed. ANNUALS / BEDDING PLANTS -Start to remove or cutback annuals that are finished blooming. -Start to bring in tender annuals indoors that you want to winter over. - Stop fertilizing. - Remove weeds before they go to seed. -Mulch flower beds for the winter months. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Water thoroughly when needed. PERENNIALS -Can finish transplanting perennials that are in containers into the garden. -Start to divide and move perennials. -Cut back perennials that are finished blooming. -Start to bring tender perennials indoors. -Stop fertilizing. - Remove faded flowers of blooming perennials before they go to seed, and to encourage new growth. - Continue staking perennials that need it., and ones that have become in need of support. - Remove weeds before they go to seed. -Mulch flower beds for the winter months. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Water thoroughly when needed. BULBS -Plant Spring flowering Bulbs. - Remove spent leaves and blooms from bulbs that have become yellow. - If needed, weed and mulch flower beds. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Water thoroughly when needed.   HERBS - Keep pinching tips of annual herbs to encourage new growth. -Cut back herbs that need it. - Remove weeds before they go to seed. -Mulch flower beds for the winter months. -Continue cutting herbs for storage and cooking. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. CLIMBERS - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Water thoroughly when needed. TREES / SHRUBS -Stop pruning. -Finish planting new trees and shrubs. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Give all trees and shrubs a good watering before the winter months. CONTAINERS - Remove any faded flowers to encourage repeated blooming. -Clean out plants that are dead or have stopped blooming. -Finish transplanting any perennials that you want to keep from the containers to the garden bed. - Stop fertilizing. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. - Water thoroughly when needed. VEGETABLES - Remove weeds before they go to seed. -Clean out vegetable garden of dead plants. Fallen tomatoes etc. -Mulch vegetable garden for the winter months.. - If still harvesting  your vegetables be sure to cover vegetable garden when there is a risk of frost. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Water thoroughly when needed. FRUITS - Finish harvesting apples and plums, and any other fruit. -Clean up any fallen and rotten fruit. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Always water thoroughly before the winter months. LAWNS -Seed lawns if needed. September is a good time to add new sod to lawns.    -Start to rake up fallen leaves and add them to the compost pile. -Fertilize now to encourage healthy strong growth. - Watch for signs of pests or disease. -Always water thoroughly and deeply! GARDENING FUN -Start to collect your own seeds to save for next years flower garden.   Read this seed saving information. - Enter a contest at Flower Garden News today! Click here for contest details.   - Use these free printable photos for your own personal use. Use in crafts, framed pictures, journaling, decoupage, scrapbooking, and for screen savers or backgrounds for your own computer, and more.   GARDEN JOURNALING - Don't forget to take a before picture of your yard and gardens. Put photos in your garden journal. It is a great way to keep records to see how much your garden has grown and changed. - Keep those seed packets and plant tags in your garden journals for future reference. Great source of plant care information. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS - Always have a look around to see what is in need of repair. Check arbors, trellises, fences, stakes, walkways, planters, and anything else you may have in your garden and yards. -Start to collect and put away lawn and garden ornaments. Clean and store lawn furniture. -Clean and refill bird feeders and bird baths. GARDEN TOOLS - If you haven't already done so, retrieve any tools you have sent out for repairs. Set the lawnmower blade back to summer cutting height.   I hope you have found a reminder that was useful for you and your garden. Happy planting! Click here to go back to the month by month garden calendar.

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