Paul GarganIn September your garden will start to change its palette to autumnal colours, with sultry tones of rich reds, deep oranges, golden yellows and mellow purples and blues. It’s slowing down and preparing for the big seasonal change.
Keep watering and dead heading summer bedding even though they are past their best. They will flower until the first frosts kill them. Stop feeding permanent plants growing in containers but water when necessary.
Clip beech and hornbeam hedges early in the month so that they keep browned leaves over winter. Most other hedges can be given their final cut for the year now and it will keep them tidy for the winter.
Plant or transplant evergreens now if you were unable to do so in April. If transplanting, remember to keep the roots out of the ground for as short a time as possible. Prepare the planting hole to the correct size in advance and insert a stake to steady the new planting.
Dig out the plant, taking care as this is done to minimize any damage to the roots. Place in the new position and back fill with well-rotted garden compost mixed with soil. Water in well and continue to do so when needed.
September is a good month to turn your compost bin or if you are using a double bin system turn the first into the second. This is done because after a couple of months the bin cools down and must be turned.
This sets off a small secondary heating up and finishes off the job. Making homemade garden compost is very easy it’s just a matter of setting the mix of ingredients right. Green waste is quick to rot and provides important nitrogen and moisture. The browns are slower to rot but provide carbon and fibre, and allow air pockets to form in the compost. Remember the mantra – if it lived it can live again in your compost bin.
Rejuvenate your lawn by mowing it as usual then using a spring time rake remove old moss and thatch. Raking also lifts up old creeping grass stems that the mower usually passes over. Compost what you rake off.
Don’t worry about the amount or the look of your lawn, it will soon recover. Mow the lawn again at right angles to the way you did the first time. This way you cut off all the creeping grasses and weeds raised by raking.
If you feel the need you can also spike it with a garden fork to airate it and alleviate compaction. Push the fork in as far as you can and then push and pull to enlarge the holes. If you can’t do the whole lawn, at least give the worst bits a going over.