The light has become golden, and the crisp winds of autumn are lurking just around the corner. In Indianapolis, we’re deadheading and weeding, planting fall container gardens, and watching the butterflies flit through the yard. Enjoy the twilight of summer in the September garden!
What To See in the September Garden
- Caryopteris is in full bloom, and the asters and mums are starting to open. Anemone is blooming too.
- The very first of the trees are beginning to change color here in zone 6.
- Butterflies are enjoying the late-summer flowers and basking in the sun.
- Winterberry fruits are starting to turn red. The beautyberry fruits are shading to purple.
- Seed heads on grasses are waving in the late-summer breezes.
What to Do This Month
Contact Spotts Garden Service to schedule work in your Indianapolis garden. Fall is an especially good time for:
- Planting perennials, shrubs, and container grown trees, as well as digging and dividing existing perennials.
- Ordering spring-blooming bulbs to plant in October.
- Completing hardscape projects.
- Improving how the landscape handles water with rainscaping and drainage projects.
- Planting containers and windowboxes with favorite fall annuals.
- Scheduling your fall garden cleanup. We’ll start preparing the landscape for winter once most of the leaves come down in November.
September in the Organic Garden in September
- Bring in poinsettias and amaryllis if you’ve had them in the garden all summer. Both amaryllis and poinsettia require a darkened and cool storage period before blooming again.
- Dig up and allow to dry any tender bulbs like gladiolus before storing for the winter in vermiculite or peat moss.
- Dig up herbs and tender garden plants you want to keep as houseplants. Cut them back by half, then transfer to pots. Start new plants by taking any cuttings to nurture through the winter.
- Bring in houseplants that summered outside before nighttime temps drop to 55º F. Isolate them and treat any insects or diseases before putting them near your other houseplants.
- Continue cutting lawn at a minimum of 3” and mow in late afternoon or early evening to conserve soil moisture. Consider using an organic lawn fertilizer like compost or corn gluten meal in late September.
September in the Kitchen Garden
- Harvest late summer and early fall fruits, including pears, apples, everbearing strawberries, and autumn raspberries. Keep harvesting melons, tomatoes, peppers, and other warm-season crops too. Potatoes are ready once the tops die back.
- Finish up fall vegetable planting. Early in the month, plant the last of the radish, onion sets, leaf lettuce, endive, and spinach for harvest later in the fall.
Looking Ahead to Winter
While the Spotts crew slows down a bit in winter, the colder months are ideal for certain projects. Contact us for free estimates on work suited to winter weather in your Indianapolis garden.
- Removing invasive plants and clearing thickets.
- Designing your new ornamental garden or kitchen garden to be ready to plant this spring.
- Building raised beds.
- Installing hardscape projects like natural stone patios.
- Improving garden soil by amending with compost or manure to allow them to work into the soil over winter.