Here are plenty of ways to keep yourself busy in the coming month
Many associate the end of the beautiful summer with a time to be spent indoors and away from the garden.
However, we firmly believe this could not be further from the truth!
In fact, this is the perfect time to put a bit of effort into your garden, to ensure you can continue to enjoy its beauty for the remaining months of the year, and can even get it into good shape ready for next spring.
If you find yourself scratching your head and wondering what jobs you could get done now the days are growing shorter and autumnal shades are darkening leaves, then simply read on…
Spark some life into your lawn
A well-presented lawn is an excellent indicator of a healthy garden, so make sure you do not overlook lawn maintenance as we move into autumn.
To revitalise your lawn, remove any debris that has built up on the surface, using a handy rake.
Next, you can aerate the ground by spiking it with a garden fork at 15cm intervals, along the full expanse of grass. This may seem time consuming, however the impact it will have on the overall look will be staggering, and certainly worthwhile!
Finish your lawn ‘makeover’ by spreading a top dress, which is a special mix of soil, sand and nutrients over the surface, working it into forked holes with a stiff broom.
Don’t forget your beds and borders
Regularly deadhead your herbaceous plants and cut back those that have started to go over unless they are expected to add value to your upcoming display with the appearance of winter seed heads.
Trim mounds of hardy geraniums and peonies to remove old, diseased or tatty leaves. A flush of fresh new growth will soon appear.
Trees and shrubs need attention
Check tree ties and stakes. Tighten any that are loose or relax ties that are biting into stems – as a rule of thumb, trees should only need support stakes for 18 months.
Plant heathers in soil enriched with composted bark or well-rotted leaf mould.
Control powdery mildew on roses by spraying shoots covered with the white fungal growth with fungicide.
Prevent the disease from returning in the future by ensuring soil doesn’t dry out and mulching to retain moisture.
Spray ornamental cherry trees with a fungicide to control shot hole, a disease that causes brown spots to appear on leaves – as the spots expand the brown patches eventually fall out to leave holes.
Give evergreen hedges a final cut to keep them looking good until the spring.
Clip lavenders lightly with a pair of shears after they have finished flowering to remove spent blooms. Prune again in spring, removing around 1 in of growth.
Spread a 7.5cm layer of leaf mould, manure or garden compost around rhododendrons and azaleas.
To prepare the ground for planting new roses, dig over the soil, remove perennial weeds and add plenty of garden compost, manure, or another well-rotted, organic material.
Moving into the kitchen garden
This is the time of the year when you can finally see the fruit of your labour, as sweet planted treats are just waiting to be picked and enjoyed.
Harvest any apples and pears when the fruit can be twisted easily from the stems.
Tidy gooseberries and blackberries by cutting off shoot tips infected with mildew and cut canes that fruited this year to the ground. Tie in the strongest new shoots to canes or supporting wires.
Prevent the foliage of apple and pear trees from being defoliated by winter moth caterpillars by wrapping sticky bands around the trunk. This will prevent female moths from crawling into the branches to lay their eggs.
Plant strawberries in weed-free soil that have been given a boost by digging in some well-rotted farmyard manure.
Save the last of your tomatoes from frost by cutting off entire bunches of ready-to-ripen fruits, and place out of direct sunlight indoors for around a week or so, when they should turn red.
Reduce asparagus stems to within 5cm of the ground when the ferny foliage starts to turn yellow.
Plant out spring cabbages 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. Cover with fine mesh or fleece to prevent birds from eating the leaves.
Sow early carrots such as ‘Flyaway F1’ in the ground and cover with a cloche for an early crop next year. Alternatively, grow in pots placed in the greenhouse.
Pick yellowing leaves off Brussels sprouts and ensure stems are staked to prevent them collapsing in windy weather.
General maintenance tips and ideas
To boost the amount of light your greenhouse plants are getting, wash shade paint off the greenhouse and remove sheets of netting.
This is the perfect time to check whether your greenhouse heaters are working properly, as the first frosts of the year will be arriving shortly. Correct any issues with the system, or replace if faulty.
Bring any houseplants that spent the summer outside back indoors before they get damaged by the colder temperatures. Remove any dead leaves, flowers, and check for pests.
Close greenhouse vents, doors, and windows at night to lock in the warmth. Open again in the morning to avoid excessive daytime temperatures.
What’re you getting up to in your garden in September? Share you pictures with us on Facebook here!
