SEPTEMBER

Divide spring- and summer-blooming perennials. Plant new perennials.   

• The winter allows plants to develop strong roots to help them withstand the heat next summer. 

• Keep them well-watered.   

Plant parsley, cilantro and chervil.

Continue to spray roses every 10-14 days.

• Groom roses constantly: Don't leave dying stems on the plant; remove weak, broken or spindly shoots.  

Get ready for fall blossoms:

• Cut plants back by one-third; fertilize after pruning; keep them watered.  

Hydrangeas: 

• With cool nights, bloom production slows; blossom colors mellow with a twinge of brown.

Plant peonies: 

• Look for older varieties that need less winter chill to develop next year's blooms. 

Fertilize annuals:

• Give them their last feeding to keep their blooms coming as long as possible.

Caladiums: 

• Dig, cure and store the tubers before they become too hard to locate.

Order bulbs and garlic, while selection is good. 

• Keep them cool till time to plant in October or November, after soil temperatures drop.​​

Put out plant markers before perennials die back, so you’ll know where not to step or dig in next year's garden.

Tomatoes: 

• Remove all blossoms so plant nutrients flow to tomatoes that are already set. 

• Tomatoes stop producing when night temperatures fall below 65 degrees (F) and days become shorter.   

Plant broccoli, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, radishes and spinach.

Control the whitefly population:

• Hang sticky yellow strips among your plants to trap them, especially on tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and squash.  

Control tomato hornworms and fruit worms with BT or Sevin when these critters are active this month. 

Begin planning a backyard berry patch to plant in October and November. 

• Try ‘Apollo,’ ‘Atlas,’ ‘Earlibelle’ and ‘Titan’ strawberries and different Highbush and Rabbiteye blueberry varieties. 

Fertilize cool-season (fescue) lawns in mid-September and again in November.  

• If you did not have a soil test done, use a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio with one pound actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.

Check for white grubs and control, if necessary.

Over-seed thin, bare areas as grass begins responding to cooler temperatures in September and October. 

• Use a blend of tall fescue cultivars at six pounds per 1,000 square feet and apply a starter fertilizer.  

• Light, frequent sprinklings several times a day will keep the bed moist and ensure good seed germination.  

Water your trees. Drought problems may be showing up on your established shade and flowering trees. 

Discontinue fertilizing trees and shrubs; any new growth could be damaged by an early frost.

​Do NOT prune shrubs or trees in late summer or early autumn (September-October). Pruning stimulates new growth that may not have time to harden off before frost. 

You can remove any deadwood from shrubs or trees.  

Take a soil test!! 

• Especially if you grow vegetables. Recommended amendments, like lime, can be applied before planting time next spring.

• Soil test kits are available from the NC Cooperative Extension Office, 1418 Armory Drive, Charlotte.​

Water outdoor container plants daily, as needed; make sure to provide adequate drainage. 

Start adding leaves to your compost pile.  

• Beware of adding weeds from your yard!   

Bring certain plants indoors. 

• Gather up houseplants that have spent the summer outdoors. 

• Wash foliage and repot if necessary.  

• Take cuttings from coleus, lantana, geranium, begonia and impatiens to brighten up the indoors and replant outdoors next spring.