While it may be tempting to abandon your garden as the cold and wet weather sets in, there are still a few jobs you can do to make sure your outdoor space continues to thrive
There are three jobs you should be doing this month (stock photo)(Image: Kathrin Ziegler via Getty Images)
The chilly and damp conditions are settling in as September progresses, with the heart of autumn fast approaching. Now that summer has drawn to a close, it’s easy to feel tempted to neglect your garden and allow your plants to deteriorate until you revive it come springtime.
However, one gardener has encouraged people to maintain their gardening efforts throughout the autumn period, as your outdoor area can still flourish even without bright sunshine and during periods of heavy rainfall. Maintaining your garden during September will prepare you for a manageable autumn, putting you ahead of all the essential tasks required for your blooms.
If you’re cultivating autumn produce such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, potatoes, and squash, the upcoming weeks will keep you particularly occupied caring for your harvest.
A gardening specialist from Homes & Gardens recently posted a TikTok video outlining the three most important garden tasks for this month – including one activity that will actually extend your flowers’ blooming period significantly.
1. Deadheading
The specialist initially recommended dedicating time to deadheading your flowering plants during this period.
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Deadheading means cutting away finished flower heads from the plant to encourage fresh growth.
She explained: “You can prolong the flowering season for so many of your late summer blooms by keeping up with deadheading and making sure all the energy goes back into producing more flowers for longer.”
Failing to deadhead your plants signals that the flowering period has concluded, prompting them to channel their energy into foliage development or begin their annual decline in preparation for the following year.
However, by removing the faded flower heads, you fool the plant into believing it must continue producing blooms, thus extending the flowering period.
2. Take cuttings from shrubs and trees
September presents an ideal opportunity for propagating new plants from your existing specimens.
The expert explained that you simply need to make a cut just beneath a node, retaining a stem with some foliage attached. Strip away all leaves except the uppermost pair, then place the cutting in “a pot of gritty compost”.
Proper care in maintaining this cutting indoors should result in a new plant by the following spring, which can then be transplanted into your garden amongst your other flowering displays.
3. Collect seeds
Come September, numerous spring and summer blooms will have begun producing seeds. The gardener noted that this is the optimal moment to begin gathering them for next season’s planting.
This approach will provide you with additional flowers for the coming year without the expense of purchasing fresh seeds or mature plants from nurseries, potentially reducing costs for your upcoming gardening endeavours.
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