Jobs for September
Flower Garden
September is the time to plant out and transplant biennials. Divide and replant perennials to ease any congested areas. Later in the month bring tender perennials, such as pelargoniums, inside to protect from the frosts.
Sow hardy annuals for early flowering next year for bigger, better plants which can flower a good six weeks earlier than those spring sown.
Sow a pack of Viola 'Heartsease' to flower in about eight weeks' time and right through winter.
Sow yellow rattle which is key to the success of any wild flower patch as it reduces the vigour of certain grasses. Create circles of almost bare soil with a swish of a strimmer, then scattering seeds direct into these.
Bulbs
Start planting spring bulbs
Plant pots of smaller bulbs such as muscari, iris, crocus, chionodoxa, scilla and anemones.
Plant small bulbs in to your lawn. Think of jazzing up an area of lawn or rough grass with crocuses such as these are happy in thick turf with the sun fully on them.
Other Jobs
Try to keep your borders and lawn free of dead leaves. Collect them up in to leaf mould bags, dampen the bags and store in a corner of the garden for a year – then turn out perfect leaf mould.
If you’re not happy with your lawn, now is a good time for a bit of TLC. After mowing, scarify with a lawn rake, then fork and brush sand into the holes. Choose a suitable lawn seed, then sprinkle over, followed by a thin layer of compost. Water well and cover loosely with fleece to keep the birds at bay.
Create a new lawn from turf or seed – autumn is a good time to do this.
Make notes/take photos/draw plans of flower borders and vegetable plots to help plan for next year.
Order bare-rooted roses for delivery later in the autumn.
Vegetable Garden
Dig over beds ready to plant some green manures as these protect the soil from erosion over winter, reducing the potential of any leaching of mineral and nutrients, and also protect soil structure, as well as boosting nutrients when dug into the soil.
Sow Phacelia tanacetifolia for example, is one of the best nectar sources for the honeybee, bumble bee and hoverfly.
Leave the roots of beans and peas to be dug in to the soil to provide extra nitrogen for future crops.
Continue to feed tomato plants until all the fruits have finished growing and ripening.
Sow spring onions – these will be ready to eat before the frosts get going.
Keep an eye on your brassicas for butterfly eggs and caterpillars; these will most probably be under the leaves.
Sow Swiss chard, winter spinach, broad beans and hardy peas.
Direct sow a row of rocket and mIzunu.
