The days have noticeably cooled off this week and we are turning our calendars to September. Oh how pleasant it is to be outside now instead of darting from air-conditioned buildings to pools and back! Perfect weather to spend some time in your Charlotte garden. Here are a few things to add to your September gardening to-do list:
Watering
Continue to water your plants if dry weather persists. The scorching heat may be gone but make no mistake, the soil is dry and the wind and lack of rain aren’t helping. If your bushes’ leaves are already drooping in the morning, they are in desperate need of a generous watering. Check the forecast and treat your plants to a generous watering session.
Inspect your gardening beds and pull out pesky weeds and spent annuals.
Vegetables
Harvest your remaining summer vegetables and herbs and continue planting cool season vegetables. Spacing out several plantings of spinach and carrots will bring you weeks of fresh garden vegetables later this year. Have you tried growing peas? Now is a great time to get them in the ground as they cherish moderate and cool temperatures.
Lawn Care
The summer heat tends to compact our Carolina clay soil and our lawn has a hard time breathing. What’s more, weeds like goosegrass and prostrate knotweed strive in compacted soil and make it even harder for the desirable grass varieties to grow. Aerate your lawns this month to help your lawn look pristine. Overseeding and proper watering now will give your new little grass seedlings a chance to develop roots before winter hits without dealing with the brutal summer heat.
Planting
Fall is the time to plant new bushes and trees in the Carolinas. Our Garden Center has a wide variety of stunning ornamental shrubs that do well in our region. Carefully examine your yard’s sunny and shady spots and pick varieties that grow well in those light conditions.
