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Mississippi Master Gardener

September Garden Calendar

Get Ready

  • Make sure you've ordered daffodils and other spring bulbs for October planting.
  • Build or buy compost bin in anticipation of autumn leaves.

 

Plant

  • Plant cool season leafy root vegetables: Carrots, Beets, Turnips, Lettuce, and Spinach.
  • Sow hardy annuals: Sweet Alyssum, Calendula, Annual Pinks, Snapdragon, and Sweet Peas.
  • Sow rye grass seed in winter lawns.

 

Fertilize

  • Stop feeding mums when the buds start showing color.
  • Acidify Azaleas and Camelias.

 

Water

  • Slow down watering of Azaleas and Hydrangea to allow them to harden against winter freezes.
  • Spray foliage of Camelias in anticipation of their bloom.
  • Water potted plants and hanging baskets frequently.

 

Prune

  • Disbud Camellias, Dahlias, and Chrysanthemums to produce specimen blooms. It is generally not a good idea to prune this late in the year, because new growth will be more susceptible to winter freezes.

 

Miscellaneous

  • Turn compost pile.
  • Propagate by layering. Scrape underside of a strong branch, bend down to ground, cover with soil and weigh down with a brick. Water from time to time and end of branch will put out new growth; becoming a new plant.
  • Pick flowers in bloom and dry for future arrangements. Bundle flowers together and hand upside down in a dry, sheltered area.
  • Repot houseplants. Prune away damaged foliage and give a good dose of food.

 

In Bloom

  • Canna, Cosmos, Copper Plant, Marigolds, Periwinkle, Plumbago, Crape myrtle, Althea, Four-o'clocks, Salvia, Ageratum, Coleus, Lycoris, Aster, Begonia, Celosia, Chrysanthemum, Coral Vine, Ginger Lily, Gladiiolus, Jacobina, Liriope, Morning Glory, Petunia, Phlox, Rattle Box, Rose, Spider Lily, Torenia, Vinca, White Zephyranthes Lily, Zinnia, Buddleia, Franklin Tree.

 

Fall Color

  • Flowering Dogwood with showy, drooping red leaves.
  • Ginko leaves turn pure yellow.