Tips for September
Trees and Shrubs
Cuttings from many evergreen shrubs can be taken at this time of year. Cut just below a joint in the stem. Use ‘Growing Success Organic Rooting Powder’ with ‘John Innes Seed and Cutting compost to pot your cuttings into and place in an under covered area, such as a greenhouse or cold frame. You won’t see much progress in the top growth but the roots should start to form.
If you are looking at re-planning the garden, it will be a good time at the end of the month to do so. Of you are replanting or moving shrubs around in the garden use ‘Rootgrow’, as this will give your plants a stronger healthier root system. Water well and put ‘Decorative Bark’ around the plants to act as a mulch to keep the moisture in. It is important to mulch, as in exposed areas the wind can dry the soil, which can lead to severe scorching.
Roses
Pruning of Climbers and Ramblers that have finished flowering should be completed. This will allow the new growth to grow and be trained to hide the old wood. The increased light and air will help to ripen the growth and ensure a good display of flowers for next season.
Continue to dead head bush and standard varieties. Any leaves showing black spot should be removed and burned. You can spray against mildew and aphids if necessary using ‘Bayer Garden Multirose’.
Borders and Beds
You can now plant out your Winter Pansy’s and other winter flowering bedding plants.
If a new border or bed is to me made the ground should be dug as soon as possible to allow the soil time to settle before planting out in late autumn.
You can plant perennials or shrubs at this time of year but preferably in dull weather, so that they don’t suffer from dryness if there isn’t any rain.
Bulbs, Corms and Tubers
It is now the time to be buying and planting your bulbs for spring. You can plant using J. Arthur Bower’s Bulb Fibre. This will give your bulbs all the nutrients they need.
Don’t move Lily bulbs yet. If you are looking to move your Lily’s they wait until the end of the month or even better well into October.
Rock Gardens and Pool
It is an ideal to time to construct ponds before the severe weather sets in. Water plants can also be planted with little disturbance to the roots and should soon become well established in their new quarters.
Lawns
Mowing should become less frequent and the blade on the mower should be raised to 6mm above the summer level.
Rake the lawn remove any matting and then spike it. After doing this you will need to apply ‘Westland Lawn Dressing’ to top dress the lawn.
September is ideal for sowing grass seed to create a new lawn or patching up. Autumn growing usually results in sturdier plants and better root systems which aids them to withstand droughts in the summer.
Fruit
Any planting of Strawberries should be completed. Plants that have been planted in the early part of this month will be allowed to fruit next year. Any which are going to be planted from the middle to the end of the month should have their blossoms removed next year. This allows the plant to become stronger and fruit better the year after.
The pruning of summer fruits should be completed. Autumn flowering Raspberries should be secured from winds. As soon as blackberries and loganberries have finished fruiting cut off the old growth that has fruited to ground level and the new growth trained to take their place.
Vegetables
You can still sow lettuce in open ground. These you can over winter as seedling and use next spring. Winter radish and turnips can be sown. Late sown carrots, lettuce and radish need to be covered with cloches in the latter part of the month.
Gather all remaining outdoor tomatoes and ripen them indoors. If healthy plants they can be dug up and thrown on the compost heap.
Greenhouse and Frame
Pelargoniums and Heliotropes need to be brought in towards the middle of the month. Violets can be put outside in cold frames to help them produce a succession of flowers during winter. Protect from beating rain and splashes.
Antirrhinums and Sweat Peas can be sown in and placed in a cold frame.
Chrysanthemums need to be brought in and those in the ground lifted and potted up in ‘Dunston Hall Garden Centre Multipurpose Compost’.