September gardening tips for outdoor flowering plants, ornamentals and vegetable gardening are provided in this issue.
Outdoor flowering plants and ornamentals
Divide spring blooming perennials now. Amend the soil with compost and peat moss before planting.
Avoid transplanting Japanese anemones, chrysanthemums and other late-blooming perennials.
Autumn is a good time to incorporate manure, compost or leaf mold into garden soils to increase organic matter content.
Monitor plants for spider mite activity. Consider spraying plants with strong jets of water as a control practice.
Plant pansies for fall and winter bloom.
Don’t plant spring flowering bulbs yet. Wait for planting until the ground cools in late October into November.
Fall is a great time for planting trees and shrubs. For more information, see MU Extension Guide G6850, How to Plant a Tree, at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6226.
Take stem tip cuttings now of geraniums, coleus, begonia and wandering jew to save space in the house when overwintering plants. For more information, see MU Extension Guide G6560, Home Propagation of Houseplants, at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6560.
Fall needle shed of pines is normal at this time.
Vegetable gardening
Consider setting up high and low tunnels to extend the growing season.
Sow cool-season cover crops such as cereal rye, winter wheat, tillage radish and clover in areas of the garden not being used.
Start gathering mulching materials for lasagna garden beds (compost layering). Materials include leaves, grass clippings, peat moss, newspaper, cardboard and vegetable scraps.
Remove any diseased or insect-infested plant debris from the garden to prevent the pests and pathogens from overwintering. This will help to limit populations next year.
Keep harvesting ripened tomatoes and “top off” plants to encourage additional ripening as the first frost grows near.
Harvest winter squash and pumpkins when their rinds cannot be easily penetrated with your thumbnail. Cut the fruits with 2-3 inches of stem for better storage.
Scout for pests in the garden.
Continue to adequately water vegetables during dry conditions.
Dhruba Dhakal, Ph.D., is a University of Missouri Extension Horticulturist, serving Missourians in Central Missouri. Dhakal can be contacted at [email protected] with gardening questions.
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