As the long, lazy summer days get shorter and the blistering August heat starts to slowly trail off, you know September is on its way.
Labor Day marks the sad end to all of those great summer festivities – but hang on – before you order your first pumpkin spice latte, there are still a few things you need to do with your garden.
After all, what you do in September can make or break next year’s blooms and harvest.
Gardenista put together a great list of things you can do in September to make sure that next year’s spring and summer blooms are the best they can be.
Here are a few tips you can do this month, to give you a headstart next Spring:
Plant for next spring:
As crazy as it may seem with fall knocking on the door, now is the time to be thinking of spring and planting spring-blooming bulbs for a spectacular display next year. Easy and smart choices are daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus.
Harvest your edibles:
Hopefully, you’ve had a successful crop and if so, keep harvesting the fruits of your labor. And maybe this year, take up the art of freeze-drying, canning, or pickling so you can extend your harvest and the season. Also, remember to clean up rotting fruit from the ground or mushy fruit left on trees as this can spread disease. And, last, don’t forget to harvest herbs for drying and freezing for use later in recipes.
Don’t stop planting:
Now is the time to plant a variety of cool-season, cinch-to-grow pretties such as calendula, cosmos, pansies, and chrysanthemums. Tip: Let your local nursery be your guide and see what’s new in the store. Make sure you choose container-grown plants that aren’t root-bound and bursting out of the bottom.
Plant cool-weather crops:
Despite the sun lowering itself slightly in the sky, the soil is still warm and toasty so there is still time to sow select edibles. And the bonus is that the flavor of many crops (think beets and carrots) get tastier due to the upcoming cold winter temperatures concentrating the sugars. Plants to grow now: snap peas, winter greens (chard, mustard, and collards) also brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli). And don’t forget about adding onions to your list.
Read More: Yikes–We Shrunk the Homestead!
So, don’t put away those garden gloves just yet — next year’s garden needs some “September love” today.
For the rest of this amazing list please visit Gardenista.