September is the time to get your lawn in shape for winter and the next growing season.
If you are a “do it yourself” person, now is when to tackle perennial weeds like dandelions and similar broadleaf weeds. Those little seedlings are busy storing nutrients in their roots so next spring they can put on a spectacular growth spurt and impress with their robust energy. Spraying with a broadleaf herbicide now will eliminate those problem weeds.
Persistent weeds like creeping Charlie, also known as ground ivy, will take more than one spray application, so hitting it now gives time for another application in early October.
Weed sprays are most effective when the weeds are growing actively. After the heat of summer and with the shorter days of autumn, they are making the most of the time they have left for this growing season.
I was in a “big box store” this week and checked out the assortment of bulbs for fall planting that were available. The price of some of them was really cheap, but when I checked the bulb size in the package, I understood the reason for the price.
Most consumers don’t understand that small bulbs may not even produce a blossom. The tulip bulbs I saw for that cheap price were smaller in diameter than a quarter and likely will produce a very small flower if they bloom at all.
Larger bulbs were available also, and the size was reflected in the price. I generally order my bulbs from a reputable mail order source, so I am not enticed by these great impulse deals.
I know you are probably sick of pulling weeds in your garden, but the weeds are not tired of making sure they get to come back next year. Even the smallest weed seedlings will attempt to make seeds at this point in the season, so eliminating them will help reduce the weeds you have to battle next season … sometimes I wonder if there is such a thing as fewer weeds, but I battle on none the less.
Purslane is one of the most persistent of the weeds we deal with. It grows low to the ground and has succulent-like leaves and stems. If you pull it and leave it lie in the hot sun, it will wilt, but during the night it will absorb enough moisture from dew to survive long enough to root back into the ground, even if it is just part of a stem. I bring a bucket to collect this weed and either feed them to the chickens (and they like it) or add it to the compost pile.
Our perennial flower beds are beginning to look tired, but cutting off the dead flower heads will help make the last of the season bloomers look better, and if you have annual flowers planted with your perennials, many of them are really coming back for a great color show after the heat of summer.
Same is true for potted assortments of annuals … keep feeding them and they will reward your efforts with renewed energy and color, for however long that will last.