Gardening Guides
Pacific Northwest Gardener: What to Do in September
Put in cool-weather veggies, fertilize your lawn and tidy the garden this month before chilly weather arrives
I want to enjoy my garden, not be a slave to it, and with five acres to play in, that means planning. Whether you have a patio garden or an estate, your garden will be better if you take some time now to put down your pruners and pick up your notebook and camera. September is the ideal month to take stock of what did well, what was a disaster and what needs changing.
Take these garden tasks at a leisurely pace. September is the last reliably warm gardening month for those of us in the northern parts of this region, so enjoy it!
Take these garden tasks at a leisurely pace. September is the last reliably warm gardening month for those of us in the northern parts of this region, so enjoy it!
Plant cool-season edibles. Kale, cabbage, spinach and Swiss chard are all fall favorites. Radishes and lettuce also will have plenty of time to grow and be harvested before the cold weather comes.
September is also the best time to plant onions and garlic. Cover these with bird netting raised a few inches with blocks of wood or old nursery pots. Birds seem to love to peck at those emerging tips! Once the roots have established, the netting can be removed.
For more great ideas on how to grow cool-season crops, enjoy this ideabook.
Gardeners in the maritime Northwest will find Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon invaluable.
September is also the best time to plant onions and garlic. Cover these with bird netting raised a few inches with blocks of wood or old nursery pots. Birds seem to love to peck at those emerging tips! Once the roots have established, the netting can be removed.
For more great ideas on how to grow cool-season crops, enjoy this ideabook.
Gardeners in the maritime Northwest will find Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon invaluable.
A little light tidying. September is the perfect time to putter. Continue to clip dead flowers from earlier-blooming perennials, roses and shrubs, but leave a few seed heads on plants such as coneflowers and Black-eyed Susans for the birds to enjoy.
Remove mushy or diseased leaves promptly (be sure to check at soil level) to reduce the risk of disease.
Remove mushy or diseased leaves promptly (be sure to check at soil level) to reduce the risk of disease.
Container care. Your containers should need refreshing only rarely before late October.
Here, begonia 'Bonfire' (Begonia boliviensis 'Bonfire') continues to explode with orange blooms, amply supported by the colorful foliage of coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) and sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas cvs). A Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Arakawa') takes center stage and soon will add fall color to the blend.
Here, begonia 'Bonfire' (Begonia boliviensis 'Bonfire') continues to explode with orange blooms, amply supported by the colorful foliage of coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) and sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas cvs). A Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Arakawa') takes center stage and soon will add fall color to the blend.
If your containers look in need of a little pick-me-up, switch out tired summer annuals with seasonal color spots such as asters, chrysanthemums (like the burgundy ones pictured here) or cape plumbago (Plumbago auriculata). Be sure to select colors that blend with the remaining container plants for a cohesive look. (Wait until October to add spring bulbs and fresh fertilizer — tips on that next month.)
If all else fails, cheat! Nestle a colorful pumpkin or gourd into a container to add some life to a weary summer design.
Lawn care. Lawn, pasture, meadow or field — how do you define your grassy areas? We have all four, and if I’m honest, their definition is largely dependent upon the amount of time and care we give them.
Dr. Earth Super Natural Lawn Fertilizer
For those of you who are better lawn care givers than I am, this is the month to fertilize in order to develop a strong root system for the winter. Organic fertilizers often include a blood and bone meal component that dogs love, so keep Fido indoors until you or the rains have watered it in well. Select a slow-release product.
Avoid ‘weed and feed’ products, which are an unnecessary expense and add herbicide to your entire lawn. Accept a few weeds, spot treat if you really need to, but focus on building a healthy lawn to outcompete those weeds.
Mow as necessary, but on a moderate-high setting; don’t scalp it! Leave the clippings as mulch to help conserve moisture and add nutrients back to the soil. When leaves begin to scatter across the grass from nearby trees, mow over them too. (If there are a lot of leaves, it would be better to rake them up and add them to the compost pile).
Avoid ‘weed and feed’ products, which are an unnecessary expense and add herbicide to your entire lawn. Accept a few weeds, spot treat if you really need to, but focus on building a healthy lawn to outcompete those weeds.
Mow as necessary, but on a moderate-high setting; don’t scalp it! Leave the clippings as mulch to help conserve moisture and add nutrients back to the soil. When leaves begin to scatter across the grass from nearby trees, mow over them too. (If there are a lot of leaves, it would be better to rake them up and add them to the compost pile).
Manual Lawn Spike Aerator
Getting air to the roots of grasses is important, so if you didn’t do this in spring, do it now. Many tools are available to make light work of aeration, but for smaller lawns, a hefty whack with a garden fork or spike aerator such as this one will do the job just fine.
Most lawns in the U.S. Pacific Northwest region include cool-season grasses, so fall is the best time to overseed any sparse areas or sow a new lawn. Be sure to do this at least one month before your expected first frost.
Most lawns in the U.S. Pacific Northwest region include cool-season grasses, so fall is the best time to overseed any sparse areas or sow a new lawn. Be sure to do this at least one month before your expected first frost.
Enjoy it! Now it's time to sit back and relax, enjoying the last of the summer sunshine before switching flip-flops for boots.
More: Guides for your Northwest garden
More: Guides for your Northwest garden
Are there areas of your garden that you’re just not happy with but can’t figure out why? Take some brutally honest photographs. These aren't the ones to share with the world on Facebook, but can be taken to a nursery professional for advice. It may be that some plants need thinning, or there isn't sufficient foliage interest to hold the vignette together throughout the year.
Hiring a knowledgeable garden coach or consultant also could save you time and money, as they can help you identify the problem quickly and offer a number of solutions that integrate well with the rest of the landscape.