The days are getting shorter and the air is getting cooler. Summer is slowly coming to an end. Our first frost is just around the corner. When I think of September, I think about warm spices and the sweet smell of apples and juicy ripe pears filing the air. Spending time in the kitchen baking, pickling and canning the excess bounty of the season. It is definitely one of my favorite times of the year.
As our warm season crops start to peter out, our cool season crops are still going strong. There is still time to plant quick growing crops for fall or spring harvest.
Cool season is considered 55-75 degrees.
Plant garlic, beets, radishes, cabbage, chard, cauliflower, kale, collards, kohlrabi, parsnips, carrots, peas, lettuce, parsley and spinach
Our lawns could use a little TLC after a grueling hot summer with water restrictions. It is time to aerate your lawn to break up compacted soils. It is important to fertilize your lawn in the fall with a slow release nitrogen based fertilizer to ensure deep roots and to help store winter nutrients to ensure a nice early green lawn in spring.
September is time to divide spring and summer blooming perennials like hostas, daylilies and peonies. Irises can be divided and transplanted as well.
Remember to reduce watering by 30% and wrap young and tender tree trunks to protect them from frost cracking and deer rutting. Have frost protection blankets or covers ready to protect crops from chilly nights. Cover them before dusk to trap soil heat overnight, and uncover them in the morning once temperatures rise above freezing..
September brings a wonderful opportunity to create a beautiful warm welcome to our front porches. Try adding color with pots containing chrysanthemums and ornamental cabbage or kale. Layer the look with different colored and shaped pumpkins and squash. If kept dry the pumpkins and squash should still be good to eat when the season changes. Finish the look with lanterns lit with outdoor candles or fairy lights. Happy Fall everyone!
Gardening is more than a lifestyle—it’s a passion cultivated over 25 years in landscape design. I cherish every moment spent nurturing the earth, watching beauty unfold, and sharing nature’s bounty. From vibrant blooms to fresh harvests, my hope is to inspire you to step outside, breathe deeply, and grow with intention.
Let’s create something beautiful—together. Happy Gardening!