SEPTEMBER Gardening To-Do List
Zone 3
- Divide peonies and other spring and summer-blooming perennials
- Plant perennials
- Plant bare-root and containerized trees and shrubs
- Sow wildflower seed for spring bloom
- Plant spring-blooming bulbs
- Dethatch and aerate lawns
- If September rainfall is scarce, water trees and shrubs to keep them supple and prevent winter damage
- Clean and restock birdfeeders
- Plant garlic for harvest next summer
- Set out bareroot peonies
Zone 4
- Harvest apples and store in a cool place
- Plant garlic
- Dethatch and aerate the lawn
- Clean out rose beds and apply fungicide one last time to susceptible varieties
- Plant perennials
- Move tender houseplants, etc. indoors after rinsing and reporting, and set up a grow light to supplement natural light
- Clean and restock bird feeders
- Begin to move tropical water lilies and other tender aquatics indoors
- Plant spring-blooming bulbs; refrigerate those you intend to force
- Set out bareroot peonies
Zone 5
- Set out transplants of cool-weather vegetables
- Plant winter-hardy pansies and fall annuals (calendula, dianthus, ornamental cabbage and kale)
- Plant tag teams of perennials and spring-blooming bulbs that will complement each other or bloom in sequence next season
- Water trees and shrubs when rainfall is scarce to “winterize” them
- Dethatch and aerate the lawn
- Deadhead chrysanthemum plants to keep flower buds forming through the fall
- Clean out rose beds; apply fungicide; leave hips for winter color and bird food
- Prune summer-bearing raspberries
- Mow back strawberry plants; remove weeds and remulch
- Move tender houseplants, etc. indoors after rinsing and repotting, and set up a grow light to supplement natural light
