| Mid to late September is a great time to add accent plants, like vivid mums and stary asters, that will provide autumn colors in the landscape. Use them along with cool-colored ornamental cabbages and kales to replace bedraggled annuals in containers as well. Lawns can be renovated or repaired between late August and mid- September for best results. New grass should started well before fall leaf drop. Watch for frost warnings and cover tender plants. Examine houseplants carefully for insect pests before bringing them back inside. Give them a good grooming if necessary. You may want to spray plants with insecticidal soap after hosing off the foliage. Let the plants dry before applying the soap. Remove and compost spent annuals and fallen leaves. Weed and mulch perennial beds using a loose organic material such as bark chips or leaves to keep down weeds, preserve moisture, and give roots a longer time to grow before the soil freezes. Outwit hungry squirrels and chipmunks by planting hardy bulbs in established groundcovers. Lift and store tender bulbs, such as cannas, dahlias and gladiolus, after first frost. Perennials like daylilies and bearded irises can still be dug up and divided. Visit a local nursery or garden center and select spring flowering bulbs to add to your gardens. Plant the bulbs among perennials, under trees and shrubs, or in larger groups for a splendid spring show. Choose colors that complement other spring flowering plants as well as nearby plantings. Work a little Bulb Booster or 5-10-10 into the bottom of the planting holes. Click here for more tips about taking care of your garden. |
Contact Us
Connecticut Horticultural Society
P.O. Box 330966
West Hartford, CT 06133-0966
Phone: 860-529-8713
E-mail: [email protected]