Added on September 1, 2014 Sara Swanson

September Gardening Advice for Manchester

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Editor’s note: Manchester resident, Jennifer Fairfield, owns and operates the Garden Mill in Chelsea, serves on the Manchester Community Garden Committee, and volunteers with the school gardens at Klager and the MECC.

tomatoes - photo by Jennifer Fairfield

by Jennifer Fairfield

I’m having a hard time believing that it’s already September. We had such a weird summer – not much real heat until almost the end, and odd rain patterns – that summer seems like it is over just as I was getting used to the idea that it was actually here. And I can’t be the only person who is totally not ready for the winter everyone says we’re going to have!

Much like last year, my resolution to spend more time in my vegetable garden didn’t hold up, and my garden paid for it (and so did I, since I got very few tomatoes for the second year in a row!). There were a number of challenges to overcome: early blight got my tomatoes this year again, so we only got a few to enjoy fresh; the weather was too cool for my eggplant, so none of them ever got to full size; powdery mildew on my zucchini didn’t really hit until late in the season, so I did get quite a lot of those, but the squash vine borers did in the plants before they were done producing; there was the usual downy mildew on the cucumbers , but that didn’t keep those from producing more than we could possibly eat; and luckily, the beans – pole, bush, and edamame – were totally unfazed by the Japanese beetles that I kept finding on them.

My favorite crop in the veggie garden – garlic – did OK this year, though not quite as well as most years, probably because of the cooler summer temperatures. Most of the heads produced this year, but they generally weren’t as big as usual. I will be planting more this fall, though. I am not kidding when I say that it’s my favorite thing that I grow. I’ve grown my own garlic for so many years now, I’ve become a bit spoiled in that I don’t like the taste of the garlic available in stores anymore – it’s just not as flavorful! I can’t wait until the fall-planting garlic comes into the store in a couple of weeks. I’ve already started planning my garlic beds for this year, which will get planted after we’ve had some frosts.

September is both a great time and a hard time to be a gardener. There is so much that you can be doing in your yard and gardens at this time of year that it’s hard to want to do much else!

Plant leaf lettuces and radishes early in the month – there should still be plenty of time for those to produce yet this season, as many will come to maturity in under a month. Check the seed packet to be sure, though. If they take more than about 30 days, you may be pushing your luck to get them before the frost starts showing up, especially because the Farmers Almanac and the local weather people are saying that we are going to have an early fall this year. A few light frosts can be dealt with by using row covers, but heavier frosts will do in your lettuce.
Kale and some spinach can also still be planted, as they are a little more hardy and can stand a little more of the cold temperatures that will likely hit before these plants are done producing.
Continue harvesting things like peppers, pole beans, cucumbers, corn, and summer squashes until they are all done producing. Winter squashes may be ready for harvesting by the end of the month – they won’t do well once we start getting hard frosts, but don’t pick them before they are truly ready. If you planted late season cabbage and broccoli, they are likely going to be ready for picking this month, too.
Most herbs are also still going to be going strong in September. I have the biggest parsley “bush” ever this year, and it’s not giving any signs of quitting any time soon! You can chop and freeze that as well as sage, thyme, and cilantro in order to have “fresh” herbs all winter.
parsley - photo by Jennifer Fairfield
We’ve already made a couple of batches of pesto at my house (well, I picked the basil, but Mom did all the hard work!), and there is still a lot of basil on the plants, so we’ll be harvesting that and making more pesto soon. Unfortunately, basil doesn’t do so well as a “fresh” herb in the freezer, so we’ll have to "settle" for pesto. If you have basil in your garden, keep an eye on the temperatures as we get into the month. Basil doesn’t like temps below 50° F – it turns black – so either plan to harvest it all before it starts getting too cold, or cover it on nights when we’re expecting lower temps, to prolong your harvest.
If you've been fertilizing your perennials, shrubs and trees this summer, now’s the time to stop. Fertilizing encourages new growth, and that new growth will likely not have enough time to harden before it gets cold.
I’ve heard a number of people talking about leaves on trees that seem to be changing color earlier this year, and wondering if it means we’re going to have an early fall and winter. Well, it does look like we are in for an early and colder fall and winter, but that probably isn’t what’s causing the leaves to change color early. Often, it's a sign of stress, and our trees did suffer from some stress this past winter, especially ones that might not normally grow in our climate, or are at the farthest north of their range. Last winter was so much colder than usual, and lots of things suffered because of it, including trees. Add to that the fact that we have had some very unpredictable weather this summer – a relatively long period of no rain in July followed by torrential downpours and flooding in August, and much cooler temperatures than we usually have – and it’s no wonder the trees might be showing some signs of stress. Leaves are often the first sign of stress in trees, so don’t be surprised if yours change color and drop early. There are other things that could be causing your particular trees to experience stress though, such as being hit by a weed whip or mower, or having an infestation of insects. Take a close look at your trees to see if you can detect any issues that you might be able to do something about before you assume it’s just the weather. For help in figuring out what’s bugging your trees or other plants, contact the Michigan State University Extension Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 or go to their website and fill out the “Ask an Expert” box.
One thing you can do to help your trees make it through this winter and maybe start to rejuvenate next spring is to make sure that they get enough water this fall. If we don’t get adequate rainfall, water any new or young trees, and any that have been showing signs of stress, all the way up until the ground freezes. Trees can’t take up much moisture from the frozen ground during the winter, so they need to be well hydrated before then.
There are all kinds of things that go into deciding if September is the right time to fertilize your lawn, including how you mow, whether you irrigate, and whether you bag the clippings or leave them on the lawn. The stage of your lawn is also important – is it a new lawn, or well-established? This article from the University of Minnesota has all the information you need to decide when and how to fertilize lawns.
When the leaves do fall in your yard, be sure to rake them up to avoid problems in your lawn next year. You can shred them and compost them, or save them to use as an extra layer of protection in the form of mulch for your planting beds once the ground has frozen. Rake them off in the spring, when the ground has warmed up, and then add them to your compost pile.
With some of the storms we had in August, many of us had damage to trees. It’s a good idea to prune off dead or damaged branches from trees as soon as possible, but limit your pruning at this time of year to only those branches with damage, as other pruning now can encourage new growth that will be susceptible to harm when the cold weather sets in.
This month is a great time for planting all kinds of things, besides the vegetables we’ve already talked about. Perennials, shrubs and trees planted in early September can get their roots established while it’s still warm. We usually get pretty good precipitation in the fall, but keep an eye on the amount of rain you’re getting to make sure that your new plants get enough water to make it through the winter.
It’s also a good time for dividing and transplanting lots of plants. I have a number of perennials in need of dividing, so will be spending my spare time doing that this month. You can generally tell if it’s time to divide a plant by how it looks. My campanula ‘Blue Clips’ are looking a bit hollow at the centers – a sure sign that they need to be divided. Plants that are producing fewer or smaller than usual flowers are also probably trying to tell you that they need more space. You can also divide plants that are doing well if you simply want to get more in other places. Not sure how to go about dividing? Here’s a great article from Fine Gardening on the subject. This piece from Iowa State University’s Extension gives specific information about when and whether to divide different plants.
campanula - photo by Jennifer Fairfield
If you have tender bulbs, such as dahlias and calla lilies, wait until the foliage is dried up and we have gotten a few frosts to dig them up for winter storage – but don’t wait until the ground is frozen. Depending on the weather, this task should be done late this month or early next.
Spring bulbs, including crocus, daffodils and tulips, get planted at about the same time that the tender summer bulbs are dug up – after a few frosts, but before the ground is frozen. You want the soil to still be warm enough to encourage root growth, but you don’t want the air to be so warm that it encourages foliage growth. We’ll start getting our spring bulbs in at the store in mid-September. Be sure to get your favorites early so you don’t miss out. If it’s not cool enough to plant them right away, they can be stored in a cool, dry basement, or even in the refrigerator – in paper bags, away from fruit that can cause them to rot.
We will also be getting mums in at the store very soon – maybe later this week! Hardy mums are actually a perennial flower, though most people treat them as annuals. In order for them to be perennial in Michigan, you really need to plant them in the ground before they start budding so that they can put down roots that will sustain them through the winter. Since it’s hard to find them for sale in the early stages, most of us will just use them as potted plants in containers to replace our summer annuals and toss them on the compost pile when freezing temps kill them. If you really want to try getting your mums to grow year-round, once we have gotten a few frosts, but before cold really sets in, water them well, and then bring your potted mums inside to an unheated basement (the temperature should be between 32° and 50° F), where they can be kept in total darkness. Don’t let them totally dry out, but don’t overwater them – just keep their roots damp. Bring them out in the spring and get them used to the light gradually. Plant them in your garden once all danger of frost has past.
mums - photo by Jennifer Fairfield
September is for the birds, in many ways! Some of our early migrators are already heading south, while others are just starting to think about it. You can help them on their way by putting out feeders and keeping them filled (if you haven’t been feeding them all summer). Birds need to put on a lot of fat to travel the distances they do, so providing them with food on their way through can make the difference in their ability to survive that long trip.
That goes for hummingbirds, too. Keeping your nectar feeders clean and filled into October could help the late travelers make it to their winter homes. You might also be rewarded with a sighting of an unusual hummer. Some of the hummingbirds that don’t breed here in Michigan travel through on their way to and from their breeding grounds much farther north. They are coming from such far distances that they might not come through here until October or November, so if yours is the only feeder in sight, you just might catch a glimpse. Make sure to bring the feeders in at night if the temperature is dipping below freezing to keep them from breaking.
Providing a source of water for those weary feathered travelers is also a great idea. Flying hundreds of miles is thirsty work!