September Gardening Tasks

CHRIS PESCHESep 23, '22
September Gardening Tasks

Tropical and houseplants can be damaged by evening temperatures under 45 degrees. Watch the weather and be prepared to cover them or move them inside. We advise treating non edible plants with a systemic insecticide (Bonide Systemic Houseplant Insect Control) 2 weeks before they are moved inside. Inspect the plants closely for insects or diseases, a magnifying glass helps. If insects are present, spray with Bonide Eight Insect Control, Bonide Insecticidal Soap or Dr. Earth Pest Control Insect Spray. Your fertilizing schedule should be cut back during the winter. Fertilize your plants with Monty’s or Jack’s every 2 weeks and cut back to once a month November thru March.  If plants seem weak, apply SUPERthrive Vitamins & Hormones every 2 weeks as a fertilizer supplement. Repot any root bound plants. Do not place plants too close to a bright window, reintroduce your plants slowly to the indoor environment. Avoid heat ducts and keep drapes opened around plants near windows. Changes in humidity, light and temperatures are hard on plants.

You may need to protect your veggies from low temperatures. Be aware of frost predications and be prepared to protect your harvest even if frost is questionable. Do not use plastic sheets; they’ll hold the cold into the plant. Gardener Harvest-Guard Protective Garden Covers or Master Gardener Frost Blankets protect plants against frost, insects, birds and heavy rains. Easy to use ‘floating’ cover requires no supports but should be anchored down during high winds.

September is a good time to reinvigorate your lawn by over seeding the damaged areas of your lawn caused by drought (lack of water, too much heat), wear & tear, fungal diseases or insects such as sod web worms or grubs (Japanese beetle larva).

  • Gently rake out dead turf. Do not compost dead lawn materials, rather dispose of them to avoid fungus pathogens in your compost pile.
  • Loosen up the bare areas with a rake.
  • Spread grass seed on top of the soil, covering the areas to be prepared. Pesche's carries a variety of grass seed by Jonathan Green.
  • Press the grass seed into the soil by tapping it down with a rake.
  • Cover up the seeded area with a 1/2” layer of Garden Magic Top Soil or Jonathan Green Mulch. Do not use peat moss since it will wick the moisture away from the seeds.
  • Apply Earth Super Natural Lawn Fertilizer or Jonathan Green Sodding & Seedling Fertilizer. Apply the lawn fertilizer to your entire lawn, not just the bare spots.
  • Grass seeds must be kept moist for at least 14 days.

Fall is a good time to control tough perennial weeds still in your lawns. One application of BONIDE Weed Beater ULTRA gives visible results in just 24 hours. Advantages of ULTRA over other herbicides are: Proven cool weather performance; Kills 200 plus broadleaf weeds; Rainproof in 3 hours.

To help control weeds for next spring, apply Jonathan Green Corn Gluten Meal.

Late August through October is the best time to kill grubs when they are young and actively feeding near the soil surface (remember weather controls the cycle, when the grubs molt into a second and third stage).

Conventional Treatments for Grubs
Bayer 24 Hour Grub Killer Plus

Natural/Organic Grub Treatment
Milky Spore by St. Gabriel Laboratories

08/27/2017

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