The Ohio Valley gardening season begins to wind down this month as cooler nights and the threat of early frost descends upon the region. This can leave Ohio Valley gardeners wondering what to do in September. The answer is plenty.
What to Do in September?
Harvesting veggies, collecting flower seeds, and preparing the yard and garden for the upcoming dormant season are just a few of the September gardening tasks which need addressed this month. Here's a few more chores to add to your September regional to-do list:
Lawn Care
Cooler weather and fall rains can rejuvenate the lawn turning it a healthy green. This makes lawn care an excellent September gardening task to add to the regional to-do list for the Ohio Valley.
- Continue cutting the grass at the recommended height.
- Fall is an excellent time to reseed the lawn with perennial grass seed.
- Apply broadleaf weed killer to the lawn.
- Rake pine and arborvitae needles to prevent them from smothering the grass.
- Aerate and feed lawns with natural organic fertilizer, such as compost.
Flowerbeds
September gardening tasks this month includes prepping the flowerbeds for the next year's growing season. Be sure to take the time to enjoy the last few weeks of annual flowers before cold weather ends the Ohio Valley gardening season though.
- Divide perennial flowers such as daylilies, irises, and peony.
- Begin planting spring blooming bulbs, like daffodil, at the end of the month.
- Take cuttings of annual flowers to root and overwinter indoors. Begonia, coleus, geranium, impatiens, and lantana can be propagated for growing outdoors next spring.
- Pick and preserve flowers, seed heads, and pods for dried arrangements.
- Collect annual and perennial seeds for sowing next year.
Vegetable Garden
There's no question of what to do in September in the vegetable garden. Harvest season is peaking, it's time to plant quick-maturing fall crops and prep the garden for the next year.
- Continue harvesting summer crops of cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, squash, and tomatoes.
- Dig sweet potatoes before the first frost is expected.
- Dig and cure onions and garlic. Begin harvesting horseradish in September.
- Start fall crops of beets, Bok choy, carrots, lettuce, radishes, and spinach early in the month.
- Clean off spent garden plants and spread compost if the area isn't used for fall crops.
Miscellaneous Garden Tasks
Ohio Valley gardening begins the transition from outdoor cultivation to gardening inside the house this month. Add these tasks to your regional to-do list to make that transition go smoothly:
- Make indoor space for overwintering tender perennials, bulbs, and garden vegetables.
- At month's end, begin forcing poinsettia and Christmas cactus for December blooming.
- Root herb cuttings from basil, mint, oregano, rosemary, and sage for growing indoors over the winter.
- Bring houseplants back inside when overnight temperatures reach 55 degrees F. (13 C.).
- Pick ripe fruit and store for winter. Clean up rotten fallen fruit and discard to prevent the spread of disease.