University of Minnesota Extension
Perplexed about your peonies? Lawn got you down? Tune into our WCCO Radio “Smart Gardens” show on Saturdays, 8-9 a.m., for answers to your lawn and garden questions. Dial in AM 830 on your radio or ask your smart speaker. Or listen to Smart Gardens podcasts when you have the time.
Pests and diseases
Composting in home gardens is a great way to keep valuable nutrients and soil-building materials in your garden, and potentially save you money if you typically buy compost for your garden.
However, do not add diseased plant material to your home compost pile at the end of the growing season. Your home compost pile likely does not heat up high or long enough to kill most pathogens. Diseased plant material should be placed in a yard waste bin that is taken to a facility with temperature control.
Learn more about composting and managing organic waste in Minnesota from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Trees and shrubs
Water trees and shrubs if we experience a dry spell or drought-like conditions going into winter.
Dry soil cools down faster than moist soil, and plant roots need to slowly acclimate to colder temperatures to avoid damage.
Take the time to learn about proper watering techniques for trees and shrubs. Watering deeply and infrequently, such as once a week, is better than watering shallowly and more frequently.
You may not know that watering established trees and shrubs differs from watering newly planted trees and shrubs.
Flowers and other garden plants
Order spring-flowering bulbs and garlic this month. Wait to plant the bulbs until the end of this month if you live further north, and until midway through next month if you live further south. Bulbs need to establish their roots before the ground freezes to grow well the following spring.
Read more about planting bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes.
Houseplants
Inspect all houseplants for insects or disease before bringing them inside for the winter. It is best to isolate these plants for a couple of weeks from ones that remain indoors year-round, just in case you missed any insects or disease issues.
This is a great time to prune foliage, remove dead leaves and weeds from the base of the pot, and re-pot into fresh potting mix.
Managing insects on indoor plants is critical for healthy, lush houseplants.
Lawn
As we transition from the summer heat to September, our lawns are primed for making the biggest possible improvements. September is the most critical month of the year for our lawns.
According to the Lawn Care Calendar, this is the very best time to fertilize, aerate, control broadleaf weeds, and establish or renovate a new lawn using seed.
The best defense against weeds and other pests is a dense and healthy turf. The best way of getting a dense and healthy turf is by promoting it with the best management practices in the early fall.
You are invited to attend the Lawn Care Field Day on September 3 to learn more about best practices for lawn management.
Other tasks
Stop watering your amaryllis, bring it inside, and place it in a dark, cool place for a few months if you want it to bloom during the holidays. This “resting” period signals to the bulb to send up a flowering stalk when it is watered and put in a sunny location in a few months.
Read more about forcing your amaryllis to bloom for the holidays in the “Control blooming” section of our Growing and caring for amaryllis webpage.
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