September Garden Activities

  Protect honeybees. Use caution when applying insecticides to flowering plants.

• Plant or divide peonies now.  Bury the crowns only 1 to 1 1/2 inches below the soil.  Planting them deeper than 2 inches can result in poor blooming.
• Bring in cuttings of geraniums, herbs, or other perennials.
• Dig summer flowering bulbs, cure and store in an appropriate place.  Plant spring blooming bulbs.  An inexpensive colorful golf tee is a great way to mark dormant bulb plants. 

• September is the time to ensure a good harvest from your strawberry planting next year. Strawberry flower buds begin to form in late summer, making this an important time of year to maintain good moisture levels in your strawberry bed. Plants generally required 1 ½- 2 inches or more of water each week depending on soil type and weather conditions. Apply enough water to wet the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches.

• Plant balled and burlap or container stock of adapted trees.

• Bring in house plants before night temperatures drop below 50°F.  Inspect plants for insects.  Bring in amaryllis and allow to go dormant.

• Pickup and destroy windfall apples to reduce numbers of overwintering insects.

• Properly cure onions and gladiolus for winter storage.  Discard diseased onions or bulbs.

• Termites and carpenter ants cause extensive structural damage to homes.  Check for the presence of these pests at least once a year.