How to Plan a September Garden Cleanup

September is the arrant time to give your garden some erotic love and attention with a adept cleanup ! As the weather condition starts to cool off and the days get shorter , many of our plants set out to wind down , and it ’s of import to prepare the garden for the upcoming month . A thorough September cleansing will not only make your garden look tidy and well - kept , but it will also help prevent diseases , reduce gadfly , and set the stage for a healthier and more productive garden next year .

I get it on the musical theme of pick up the whole garden might sound scare , especially if you ’ve have thing go a bit over the summer . But do n’t worry , you ’re not alone — we ’ve all been there ! With a little provision and some helpful pourboire , you could tackle this task step - by - step and enjoy the physical process . allow ’s get begin on take a shit your garden look and find fantastic !

Clear Out Dead and Diseased Plants

The first step in any garden cleanup is to take away any dead or morbid plants . These plant can nurse pests and diseases that can spread to healthy plants if left ungoverned . begin by trim back back any perennials that have finished blooming and removing any yearly that have reached the end of their life cycle . I always verify to dispose of any diseased works material in the trash , not the compost pile , to prevent the spread of pathogen . It ’s such a simple footmark , but it can make a Brobdingnagian divergence in the health of your garden !

When you ’re clearing out old plants , keep an optic out for any signs of disease or pestilence infestation , such as spot on leaves , wilting , or strange growth . remove these problems early can save you a mickle of trouble next season ! And while it might feel like you ’re tell goodby to some garden friends , remember of it as making way for unexampled growth . It ’s all part of the garden ’s raw cycle per second , and a footling cleanup position now means a salubrious , happier garden in the spring .

Prune Perennials and Shrubs

Pruning perennials and shrub is another authoritative part of a September garden cleanup . Cutting back perennials like coneflowers , Funka , and day lily will help straighten up the garden and encourage healthy growth next year . Many perennials benefit from being tailor down to about 6 inches from the primer coat , which can aid prevent disease and improve airflow . I ’ve found that shrubs like hydrangeas and blush wine can also benefit from a wanton prune to remove any dead or discredited branches .

recollect , not all perennials need to be tailor back in the fall . Some , like ornamental grasses and sedum , provide beautiful winter interest and offer seeds for hoot to eat . I love leaving some works stand over wintertime — it create a home ground for wildlife and adds a endearing architectural element to the garden . Just verify to research which plants in your garden prefer a fall prune and which ace are better left alone until spring .

Clean Up Fallen Leaves

light leaves can be both a boon and a curse in the garden ! While they provide excellent organic topic when composted or used as mulch , they can also harbor disease if go forth to jam up in certain areas . I always start by raking leaf off my lawn and any paved areas to foreclose them from smothering the grass or make slippy blot . Then , I pull in them to use as mulch in my efflorescence beds or tally them to my compost bin . There ’s nothing like turning those beautiful autumn leaves into gardening atomic number 79 !

If you ’re dealing with leaves from tree like oak or maple , which incline to break down more lento , consider shredding them before using them as mulch or lend them to the compost . tear up leaves rot faster and are less probable to snarl down and prevent water from hand the territory . Plus , they provide a great habitat for good insects like beetles and earthworms , which help improve territory health . It ’s a profits - profits for your garden and the surround !

Divide and Transplant Perennials

September is a terrific time to divide and transplant perennial that have outgrown their space or are look a act tired . Plants like daylilies , hostas , and bearded irises can profit greatly from being divided every few years . Dividing perennials not only restore the plant life but also give you more plants to spread around your garden or share with friends ! I find this task so rewarding — it ’s like set out free plants with just a fleck of exploit .

When dissever perennial , ensure to water them well before and after the process to help them settle into their young home . It ’s also a good thought to replant them in a blot with exchangeable grow term to where they were thrive . And do n’t forget to give them a little additional mulch and compost to help them build quickly . Watching them bounce back with fresh growing is one of the joy of fall gardening !

Refresh Your Mulch

Speaking of mulch , fall is the pure time to refresh it ! A brisk layer of mulch helps retain ground wet , suppress weeds , and regulate soil temperature . I care to use constituent mulches like shredded leave of absence , straw , or Grant Wood chips , which also break down over clip and enrich the soil with constituent affair . Adding a duo of inches of mulch around your plants can make a big deviation in how well they make out through the colder calendar month .

mulch in the fall has the added benefit of protecting plant roots from the freezing and thawing cps that can heave them out of the ground . It also provide a safe haven for beneficial insects like ladybugs and undercoat beetles , which are great ally in the garden . There ’s something so satisfying about laying down a fresh layer of mulch and cognize you ’re setting the stage for a healthy garden next twelvemonth !

Clean and Store Garden Tools

Do n’t forget about your garden tools during your September cleanup position ! Clean , sharpen , and hive away your tools decently to keep them in effective shape over the winter . Start by washing off any turd and debris , then use a wire skirmish or emery paper to remove rusting . I like to give my tool a quick wipe down with a material dip in veg crude oil to foreclose rust and keep them bet shiny and Modern .

right maintained tools make garden labor easier and more enjoyable , and they ’ll last much longer too . Store your dick in a dry place , such as a shed or garage , to prevent rust and scathe . And do n’t forget to mark off your garden hoses and other equipment for any leaks or wear and tear . A piffling care now can save you from having to replace them next natural spring !

Protect Vulnerable Plants

Some plant , in particular those that are marginally hardy in your zone , may need a piddling extra protection to survive the wintertime . Consider cover them with a layer of mulch or even burlap to harbour them from harsh nothingness and fluctuating temperatures . plant like legal tender roses or new planted perennials can do good from a little extra TLC . I always make certain to mound some compost or soil around the base of my rose — it ’s a simple footprint that helps insulate them from the coldness .

you may also apply protective covers like cloches or run-in covers to protect more delicate plant . This is specially significant for young or newly planted specimen that have n’t had time to shew their roots fully . It ’s so thwarting to lose a beloved plant to an unexpected frost , so a little preparation now can go a retentive room in preventing heartbreak afterwards !

Compost Garden Waste

As you square away up your garden , do n’t forget to compost any healthy flora material . Fallen leaves , spent annuals , and cut outgrowth can all be composted to create racy , fertile land for next twelvemonth . I love find out my compost nap grow with all the garden junk from my cleanup — it feel so comforting to know that nothing is going to liquidate ! Just think to avoid compost any morbid or worm - infested material , as this could preface problems to your compost .

Composting not only thin out waste but also make a valuable resource for your garden . It ’s a simple , sustainable style to build territory health and improve plant growth . Plus , turning over the compost pile on a crisp drop day is a great path to get a piddling surplus practice session ! And there ’s nothing quite like the reward of digging into your finish compost next spring to chance dark , crumbly stain that ’s pure for plant .

Take Care of the Lawn

If you have a lawn , do n’t overleap it during your September cleanup ! Aerate compacted land to meliorate drain and allow air and nutrients to reach the grass solution . you may pull an aerator or apply a manual one to make lowly holes across your lawn . It might seem like extra work , but your lawn will thank you with slurred , healthier growth come spring ! After air out , top - clothes with a thin level of compost or Baroness Dudevant to further improve ground anatomical structure .

spill is also a good time to overseed any bare piece in your lawn . Choose a grass cum appropriate for your neighborhood and disperse it over the lawn , then H2O well to help it establish before wintertime . A healthy , well - maintain lawn can well withstand drought , pests , and diseases . Plus , it just appear great ! And there ’s nothing quite like the feel of soft , lush sens underfoot , especially when you know it ’s the result of a small supernumerary effort in the fall .

turn your compost