September in the garden – time to lean in and let go

September in the garden – time to lean in and let go

New York Fashion Week - which runs Thursday, Sept. 7, through Wednesday, Sept. 13 - concentrates not on fall fashion but on what’s new for spring.

Similarly, September is not the moment to think about the winter – there is time enough for that – but for laying spring’s groundwork. That means planting bulbs such as pest-resistant daffodils and tulips, both of which come in a variety of colors; crocuses; hyacinths; and irises, all of which need to overwinter to bloom beautifully in spring, says garden company American Meadows.

September is a mix of digging in and cleaning up on the one hand and otherwise letting go. Along with planting bulbs and cover plants like clover and winter pea or readying an area for a pollinators’ garden, keep up with your protective mulching and preventive weeding. Divide perennials like daylilies, hostas and irises that seem to be running amok or need more “leg” room. Remove the yellowing leaves of perennials and throw any diseased materials into the trash rather than the compost, taking care to check with your local sanitation department, which may prohibit disposing plant materials in the regular trash.

On the other hand, American Meadows says, now is not the time to fertilize, prune or deadhead plants. Leave perennial heads for pollinators and garden texture. Leave annual heads as bird food and seeding for a potential return. Annuals reblooming? Why not? Spring, after all, is the season of hope.

We at the Morano Group stand ready to help. Contac us.