September is a transition month. The soils are still warm from the summer heat, but the nights are starting to get cooler, and the days are getting shorter. This shift in day length tells plants to do that last bit of growing and doing photosynthesis to make sugars and starches to survive the winter! Yes, even winters in the Southwest if the plants are from this area.
A Busy Month
It is August as I post this – but we have a three day weekend ahead – so I wanted to give you ample time to make plans.
September is ideal for planting trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs, groundcovers, wildflowers, herbs, vegetables,,,, in short, everything!
Some articles that can help you get ready for fall planting:
Planning for fruit & nut trees
Bulbs to order and plant for spring bloom
Wildflower seed to order and plant this month for spring bloom
Plan & Plant Now
Plan on getting out and doing some planting this fall. Some work now, and your yard will reward you with a burst of bloom in late winter, spring, and into summer. It is still hot enough to break a sweat, or worse – get heat-stroke, so be careful out there. Surviving the heat.
The issue is that if you wait until October to plant, this may not give our Southwest plants enough time to grow and become well enough established before the (for them) chilly days of winter.
Garden Tasks for Anytime in September
Fertilizer
Fertilize citrus and landscape plants with a balanced fertilizer for good fall growth. Exception, do not fertilize palms or trees in the legume or pea family, like mesquite. More on fertilizer – last week.
Tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkins can be fertilized with a fruiting or flowering high phosphorous fertilizer for fall fruits.
For roses in Desert Elevations, you could apply bloom fertilizer. You might get some lovely flowers – just don’t overdo it. You want them to have energy for spring as well.
Fall blooming plants, like the native perennial marigolds (Tagetes palmeri, Tagetes lemmoni) could use a bloom fertilizer as well.
Herbs and lawns should be fertilized with a high nitrogen fertilizer for good fall leaf growth.
Treat alkaline-induced-iron-chlorosis plants such as roses and citrus again if the rains leached the treatment away.
Planting/Transplanting
Divide and transplant iris (mentioned this last month.
September or early October is the month to sow native wildflower seeds for spring display.
You can plant spring flowering bulbs. Some bulb companies will not ship after October First because of first frost in their areas. And yet you do not want them to ship too soon because if your bulbs sit in the back of a shipping truck in 100 degree heat they will be cooked. Often if you call the bulb company and talk to them you can reach an understanding on shipping dates.
Water
Continue regular irrigation of fruit trees, especially citrus, pecan, pomegranate, and persimmon for best production.
Once days are below 100 F, switch to autumn irrigation schedule on your timer. More on irrigation schedules.
General September Care
Deadhead summer-tired salvias and autumn sages for a burst of new bloom.
Avoid pruning fall-flowering plants like the Mount Lemmon marigold (Tagetes lemmoni) and canyon marigold (Tagetes palmeri).
Keep pulling weeds. Get them before they start to seed. (More on eliminating weeds.)
Remove any cracked or split fruits from citrus and pomegranates so plant energy is spent producing good fruits.
Dethatch your Bermudagrass lawn for October overseeding with winter rye grass.
More Monthly Care Tips – pages of them!
The Month By Month Guide offers tips for your landscape (yes even lawns and roses) in every month of the year. I have a few copies left and am offering them to you – my loyal readers. When you buy from me you get a signed copy!
From the review:
“A great reference book is key to successful gardening in the region where you live. Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico Month-by-Month Gardening takes the guesswork out of gardening for anyone residing in the Southwest. With this book, you’ll know what to do each month to enjoy a thriving garden all year, from January to December. Chronologically organized, this guide is full of critical gardening when-to and how-to advice, along with illustrated step-by-step instructions.
The book’s author is Dr. Jacqueline Soule, a Tucson-based gardening expert. She knows this arid region inside and out, and she’s written several articles and books packed with her gardening advice. Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico Month-by-Month Gardening showcases Soule’s expertise in one easy-to-read guide.”
Profits from the sale of this book go to the Horticulture Therapy non-profit Tierra del Sol Institute. Recent price increase, due to the US Postal Service price increase in July 2024. It is now $30.
I’m Here to Help
Be sure to ask questions if you have them! I do all this writing and blogging and posting on social media so that you will succeed with your garden goals!
Thanks for your visit today.
Jacqueline
Legal Notes
© Article copyright Jacqueline A. Soule // Gardening With Soule. All rights reserved. You must ask permission to republish an entire blog post or article. Okay to use a short excerpt but you must give proper credit. You must include a link back to the original post on our site. No stealing photos.
Be the first to reply