These September days are beautiful days along the central coast of California. The temperatures range in the 60’s and 70’s and we are having to water less so we have time for “real gardening”. Besides cutting back shrubs that have become rangy, there are a few other things that can be done this time of year that are fun for gardeners.
Plant Flowers and Landscaping in September
- Sow sweet peas. They like warm weather to germinate and cool weather to bloom.
- Plant daylilies and chrysanthemum for fall color.
- Plant native western bulbs, like Mariposa lilies. See below.
- Plant California natives, making sure they have enough water until rains begin.
- Most trees and shrubs do best when planted in the fall. But wait until spring to plant frost-sensitive citrus.
- Refrigerate fall bulbs before planting. Store them in a paper bag in the crisper section of your refrigerator.
- Pinch back begonias, impatiens and geraniums to encourage new growth.
- Fertilize trees, shrubs, groundcovers, roses and warm-season grasses.
Plant Edibles and Mulch in September
- Add more mulch to the vegetable garden.
- Plant your favorite culinary herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
- Clean any stakes, supports, cages or trellises that supported diseased plants with a 10% solution of bleach to water before storing them for the winter.
Control Pests in September
- Control brown rot by clearing fallen fruit away from trees.
- Minimize mites by spraying a strong spray of water on the underside of affected leaves. Repeat on a regular basis until the infestation is under control.
- Keep Argentine ants under control using methods described in “Ants in the House, Ants in the Garden“
Wild hyacinth flowers, also known as English bluebells (Hyacinthoides nonscripta) can be planted in September. These need moist soil so choose a spot in your garden around the border of a fountain or pond.
Mariposa lilies are 8-18″ tall. These hybrid wildflowers are native to the western US. Mariposa lilies grow best in well-drained soils. They must be planted where it is dry in the summer. Their bulbs are a good choice for planting with grasses on a well-drained slope.
According to Calscape (California Native Plant Society) the “Mariposa Lily (Calochortus splendens) is a species Liliaceae (Lily) family known by the common name Splendid Mariposa Lily. It is native to California and Baja California where it is found primarily near the coast, in foothills and valleys and on the west slope of the mountains. Growing from a bulb, it is usually found coming up among dense, low shrubs, herbs or grasses. It is a thin-stemmed lily with few leaves and bearing flowers singly or in flower clusters of up to four. Each flower is ringed with smaller, ribbonlike, curling leaves. The bowl-shaped flowers are of varying shades of blue, pink, purple, or lavender, with a spot of darker purple at the base of each petal. The flower may have numerous white hairs in the center and bright purple pollen. In the wild it blooms profusely following fire and then may not bloom again for years. In the garden do not expect it to bloom every year as flowering requires considerable expenditure of stored energy from the bulb.”
