Herrin, IL

618-942-4865

Garden Calendar - September

•Transplant trees, shrubs, evergreens, and fruit trees.  Use Root Stimulator after planting and every two weeks for the next 6-8 weeks.  

•Root prune wisteria this month if yours has failed to bloom.  Make vertical cuts in a circle around the trunk with sharp spade at least 3 feet from the trunk.

•Finish pruning evergreens except pines.  Do not prune azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and spring-flowering shrubs until after bloom next spring.  These plants have already set flower buds for next spring.

•Plant mums, iris, Oriental poppies, and other new perennials early so plants will become established before freeze in fall.

•Divide daylilies if overgrown with fewer blooms.

•Divide peonies if new plants are desired.  Reset so the buds are no deeper than 1-2 inches or flowering will not occur.

•September is the best time to start a new lawn, overseed, or fill in bare spots.  Use Fertilome New Lawn Starter fertilizer when sowing grass seed and apply Classic Slow-release Fertilizer 6 weeks later to supply the proper amount of nitrogen needed for new lawns (1# of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft.).  Have a soil test done to determine if lime is needed.  Feed established lawns with Fertilome Classic Slow-release fertilizer, Fertilome Winterizer, or Milorganite organic fertilizer.

•Sow lettuce greens and radish seeds for fall garden.

•Plant spring flowering bulbs (tulips, daffodils, crocus, etc.).  Use Dutch bulb food or HiYield Bonemeal & Bloodmeal when planting.

•Pot spring bulbs now for forcing indoors this winter.  Use varieties marked "Good for forcing" when buying bulbs. Pot bulbs using Ultimate Potting Mix or Metromix (bulbs should be planted pointed end up), place the pot in a paper bag and cool in a refrigerator for 12-14 weeks.  Check weekly to make sure the soil is moist. After this cooling time, bring the pots into room temperature and sunlight for blooming indoors.