September Chores Part 2 including light pruning, grooming, landscaping

Last time in this space, we focused on some possibilities for September gardening. Here a few more things to consider doing during this much welcomed change of season for all of us.

September is a good time to move those misplaced broadleaf evergreens that you have been imagining somewhere else in the landscape. Moving them now allows the plant’s cut roots to reestablish their source of moisture supply before the onset of the cold.

Light pruning of shrubs and hedges this month is permissible as long as it is done very carefully. As always when pruning, first take out any diseased or damaged wood and crossing branches. Then shape the plants as you normally would, removing the tips of the newest overextended growth. It is not advisable to severely prune at this time, as the new, tender growth will be susceptible to the coming cold. Be sure the bottom of the hedge is broader than the top so that all sides get adequate sunlight.

If pesky seedlings of woody plants such as elm or hackberry or cherry laurel are found growing in your hedge, remove them as soon as possible. If left too long, they will take over, leaving gaps in the hedge when they are later removed.

Groom roses for fall bloom. Remove faded blooms and seed pods, which sap strength from the plants and decrease flowering. Snip off any diseased foliage. Prune out weak, spindly wood. Remove any shoots growing from below the graft. Rake all dead leaves and litter out of the bed and apply a dressing of complete fertilizer such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10. Apply about a tablespoon of fertilizer around each bush. Water in if rain does not do it for you. This will be the last feeding of the year.

Now is the time to start thinking about and ordering spring-flowering bulbs! These bulbs will soon begin to flood the local market. Full color posters and catalogs will offer gardeners enticing glimpses of what their landscapes can be if planted en masse.

The most commonly grown bulbs in the middle Georgia area are tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and crocus. These should be planted in the fall. In most areas of Georgia, this is anywhere between mid-September and mid-December; however, October is generally considered the ideal time to plant. Fall planting is important for this reason – the natural chilling the bulb receives provides the stimulus for proper flower bud development and root formation.

Fall is the best time to design and plant your landscape. Why? Newly planted shrubs and trees will have ample time to develop an extensive root system before spring, thus being better able to withstand potentially unfriendly growing conditions such as drought and excessive heat.

This is a crucial month for dividing and transplanting perennials. Perennials divided and transplanted now have time to develop good new root growth before cold weather slows them down. Dig, divide and replant overcrowded beds of bearded irises, daylilies, shasta daisies, tall phlox, and many others. Spread evenly over the new planting area a liberal amount of organic matter and bulb fertilizer. Mix this into the soil at least six to eight inches deep. Space roots at least one foot apart in all directions so that root competition will not be a problem for a few years.

September is a refreshing time in many ways — football, cooler weather, and preparing the garden for next year. Enjoy it!

Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association Certified Plant Professional, gardening writer, and former Perry High School horticulture instructor. He and his wife, Susan, own and operate Lewis Farms Nursery and Lewis Farms Produce located on Georgia Hwy. 26 two miles east of Elko, where he was born and raised. He can be reached at (478) 954-1507, timlewis1@windstream.net, and at LewisFarmsNursery.com.

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