MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
- Time to clear ponds of weeds and to net your ponds as Septembers here the leaves will start to fall from trees. This will help reduce the amount debris entering the water.
- Give fish a high-protein feed to build up strength in preparation for winter.
- Deadhead your last rose blooms of the summer and slightly cut back taller stems to reduce the risk of them snapping in the wind during the winter.
- Spring-flowering bulbs can be planted now, like crocus, daffodils and hyacinths adding beautiful colours to your garden next year.
- Now its September Lavender has stopped flowering, but the spent flowers remain on the plant. Prune lavender now and it will help to keep its compact shape. Make sure you prune lavender lightly and not into its woody stems as it will not easily generate.
- Start your autumn clean up. Throw away all old crops that have finished cropping but leave the roots as they will slowly release nitrogen into the soil as the break down.
- Remove any rotting fruits from apple, pear, and any stone fruit trees – disease will spread if they are left on the trees.
- It is a good time to plant conifers and evergreens as the ground is still warm and following the summer.
- Burn any diseased plant material or dispose of it in to your household or green waste. Do not place in compost as the spores may remain in compost and reinfect your plants.
- Blackberries will ripen now. If not used straight away, freeze for later use.
- Pick runner beans regularly now. If they are stringy, it is best to pick them when they are small and tender.
- Raspberries can be picked up to the first frosts. Eat fresh or freeze and use when required – cut canes down in February.
- Maincrop potatoes – harvest from late August to October. Once foliage has turned yellow, cut it off. Leave for a week or two before digging them up, leave to dry for a couple of hours before leaving them in a cool, dry place through winter.
- Depending on the weather, onions should be ready early September. Harvest – the top growth should have grown over naturally. If not, bend the top over during a dry spell and ease the bulbs out of the soil.
- As winter arrives, raise pots off the ground and place on ‘pot feet’ or use bricks to prevent waterlogging.
- Make sure you remove perennial weeds as they are more vulnerable to weed killer in the autumn. Glyphosate free formula will kill both leaves and roots.
- Check all tree ties and plant supports making them secure and in place before the autumn gales.
- If your lawn has bare patches, it is a time to put down grass seed. The soil should be warm, and we may start getting rain showers as we move into Autumn, helping the seed to generate and start growing. Place netting over the area you seed which will stop the birds from eating them.
- You should cut the grass regularly to keep on top of the growth. This will only need to be done once a week but slowdown in October.
- Now’s the time to raise the height of your mower blades as grass growths slows down.
- September is a suitable time to fertilise your lawn as it will need good nutrients to help it thrive in Autumn weather.
