Emily's Gardening Almanac Timely Tips from a Professional Gardening Expert

September

• Garden mums are in bloom. Visit your local garden center or nursery and choose from the great fall colors.

• September is a good time to shop for your spring flowering bulbs. Do not plant them during September. Store them in a cool place, such as a refrigerator. Do not store them with ripening fruit.

• Make plans to bring your houseplants indoors. Reduce the “shock” by moving them to a lower light area outside before bring them indoors.

• Check your houseplants for insects. Spray them with insecticidal soap if needed.

• You can divide and replant perennials during the fall. When dividing them, share them with your friends.

• Do not fertilize your perennials during the fall. They need to go dormant before cold weather.

• Do not fertilize your roses after the middle of September. They need to “harden off” before winter weather.

• Continue to dead head your roses during this month. The cooler weather will bring on a flush of blooms.

• Fall is a great time to plant shrubs and trees. Visit the nursery or garden center for new varieties.

• Do not prune your shrubs during September. Pruning now will cause a flush of new growth that will be killed by the first freeze.

• Check your shrubs for aphids and spider mites during September. Spray if necessary.

• As leaves fall, mulch them with the lawn mower and put in the compost bin.

• Visit the nursery or garden center for trees with great fall color. Choose from trees such as sugar maples, red maples, Japanese maples, ginkgo, and sourwood.

• Check your fall vegetable garden often. Insects and disease are more severe during the fall.

• Spray your peaches, plums, and nectarines for the peachtree borer. Spray the lowest set of branches and the trunk to the soil line.

• September is usually a dry month, so be sure to continue to water wisely and thoroughly.

For informaton concerning this or other publications please contact Emily Lucas Revels, Extension Agent, Horticulture, at (910) 321-6870.

Created by Susan Johnson, System Administrator, May 2005 Emily Lucas Revels Extension Agent Agriculture – Consumer Horticulture Cumberland County (910) 321-6870 http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/cumberland North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.