“September Gardening Calendar”

September is usually the month when the stifling summer temperatures break and the rains begin. This year has been exceptionally hot and dry but we expect conditions will moderate.

If it is a normal year, expect the lawn to green up with cooling temps and rain. Be careful how you react. There is an inclination to try to make up for the severe conditions all at once. Stick to once per week watering supplemented by hand watering of hot spots. The green up will occur with this pattern and there will not be a danger of fungus attack. Over watering in the autumn and watering in the evening often results in a brown patch attack.

The prospects of winter weeds in the lawn is very high. Consider applying a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent winter weeds like dandelions, annual bluegrass, rescue grass and bedstraw.

If you postponed putting in a new lawn because of the drought, September is still a reasonable new lawn month.

Tomatoes have not fared well in the 100° F heat. There is still time to plant heat setting varieties like Surefire, Sunmaster, Solar fire and Sun pride if you can find large specimens. Gardeners who potted their tomatoes up to keep them out of full sun should put them in the garden now. Mulch around the root system, fertilize and water every day until the heat breaks and the plants are settled in. Spray with Bt to kill caterpillars and seaweed spray to keep the spider mites at bay. There is still time to plant southern peas, sweet corn, and green beans for an autumn harvest.

Corn grows fast in the autumn but it is very susceptible to earworms and even snails. Spread slug and snail bait and spray the plant every week with Sevin or malathion.

Zinnias can be planted. They will last until cold weather. Petunias like VIP and Laura Bush and the Wave series will bloom through a mild winter. Wait to plant snapdragons, stocks, calendula, and dianthus until a cool front moves through, usually in October.

The autumn is the best time to observe hummingbirds. We normally have three species that visit from now until mid November; black-chin, ruby-throated and rufous hummingbirds. Attract them to your yard or patio with sugar water feeders and a few container plants. Firebush is the best choice for full sun. In deep shade, Firespike is nearly as good. Penta is a good hummingbird and butterfly plant for both sun and shade. In the garden, consider cape honeysuckle, Turk’s Cap and shrimp plant. Both Turk’s Cap and shrimp plant have shade tolerance.

A few of the early pecan varieties will mature in September. Pawnee is one of the first. For best pecan quality collect the nuts that fall every day or two. It is important that your fruit trees maintain their foliage until November 1. Fruit buds formed in July and August and the foliage the next two months is preparing the tree to survive the winter and produce a full crop next spring. Water is a key to keeping the foliage in place. Irrigate every two weeks through the end of October.

Roses can produce a flush of blooms through the next three months. Fertilize with a cup of slow release lawn fertilizer per plant, irrigate every week if there is no rain and spray every week to 10 days with Orthene and Funginex. Old fashioned roses do not need the insecticide and fungicide sprays.

September is the time to spread wildflower seeds. Look for an area in full sun where the seed will reach bare soil. Raking the soil before seeding contributes to success, but do not bury the seed.

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