“Happily we bask in this warm September sun, which illuminates all creatures.” - Henry Davis Thoreau. “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.
” - F. Scott Fitzgerald. “I love September, especially when we’re in it.
” - Willie Stargell. “That old September feeling, left over from school days, of summer passing, vacation nearly done, obligations gathering, books and football in the air..
.Another fall, another turned page: there was something of jubilee in that annual autumnal beginning, as if last year’s mistakes had been wiped clean by summer.” - Wallace Stegner.
August is almost over and fall is just over three weeks out. It’s been a hot summer but now is the time to think about getting active in the landscape once again. Transitioning into fall offers opportunities to work with your plants, change the landscape, and prepare the site for the new planting of herbaceous and woody plant materials.
As September comes, your landscape focus should include the following items as they relate to your individual needs. Birds: Make the necessary preparations to help our local feathered friends in the hunt for food this fall and winter season. Start by cleaning existing feeders and placing them in strategic locations for bird activity and window viewing which will provide much enjoyment from the comfort of your home.
Replace bird food as necessary to insure an adequate supply for their survival. Also left undisturbed, the dry seed heads on many of your plants is another great way to supply fall and winter food for the birds. Houseplants: Plan to bring houseplants indoors (that summered outdoors) as the temps begin to cool down.
After months of humidity and sufficient light outdoors, they must now adapt to the drier air and lower light levels inside the home. Proper acclimatization is critical in that the plants should be slowly transitioned from the outdoors to a one- to two-week holding area (carport or garage) before placement indoors. Before leaving their outdoor environment, check each plant for problems such as insect or disease activity, fertilizer deficiencies, and general plant health.
The problem is easier addressed outdoors rather than indoors later. Also, clean the exterior of each pot thoroughly along the sides and bottom using a garden hose and scrub brush. Use pruning shears to snip any root activity exiting the pot.
If the plant is root- or pot-bound, then transplant to the next larger pot size while outdoors. Irrigation: Don’t forget the water! As the weather gets cooler, your landscape can still be exposed to long spans of dry, sunny weather. It's particularly important that all newly planted perennials, groundcovers, trees and shrubs don't dry out.
The strategy is to water deeply (not a light surface application) to establish self-sufficient plants. And remember, plants use less water during cooler weather. Leaves: As fall color approaches, we will all enjoy the leaf color and arrangements designed by nature throughout early fall.
However, as fall color plays its course, the leaves will eventually drop from the trees and accumulate all over the ground on the lawn and bed areas alike. We must take measures to clean up the leaf debris and properly dispose of our collection or recycle through composting. A small price to pay for the beauty and curb appeal of deciduous tree leaves in the fall season.
Unless, of course, you have a totally natural area that is left undisturbed, then leave them alone. Overseeding: Overseeding with cool season turfgrasses is the practice to achieve winter color on your warm season lawn during host dormancy. While it is cosmetically beneficial, it also offers some competitiveness which may reduce the density of your host turfgrass come spring.
Upon evaluation of turfgrass texture and density, bermudagrass is more overseeding-friendly than other lawn grasses. Centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysia, and paspalums are not as overseeding-friendly.
It is very important to understand the end result on your host turfgrass come spring and next season. Overseeding of bermudagrass can be effectively achieved using mixtures or blends of ryegrass and other cool season grasses between mid-October and late November. An alternate approach to overseeding for winter coloration of your lawn is the application of color pigments that match the natural color of your host turfgrass.
These pigments will last throughout the season with one to two applications and are turfgrass- and environment-friendly. Perennials: Fall is the best season to plant such perennials as iris, daylilies, and Shasta daisies. If established perennials have become overcrowded, dig and divide them.
Complete planting and transplanting as early as possible to allow plants enough time to become established before cold weather arrives. First killing frost is usually about November 15, but varies each year (even into December or later). Planting: Planted now, container grown and B&B (balled and burlapped) trees and shrubs will have plenty of time to become established before cold weather actually arrives.
Next spring, the plants will get off to a strong start, as the roots will be established and plant energy can be spent on leaf and flower production. Root pruning: Young trees and shrubs to be moved this winter should be root pruned now. Insert a spade into the ground in a circular pattern around the plant (18- to 24-inches from the trunk pending size of transplant) with minimal disturbance to the rootstock soil.
This severs the roots and encourages new feeder roots which minimizes suffering and stress during the transplanting process. Maintain optimal cultural practices, especially sufficient watering. “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
” Romans 8:18. [God promised,] “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Genesis 8:22.
[Jesus warned the crowds,] “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the One I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” John 8:24. “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
” Romans 8:25. “In the same way [as the Spirit blesses us in so many ways in our lives], the Spirit [also] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:26-27..
