SEPTEMBER
"The poetry of the earth is never
dead."—John Keats, poet
Happy Herbs and Houseplants. Dig and pot up
herbs to bring indoors for winter use. Give them a good rinse to remove any
pests and place in a sunny window. When the night temperatures begin to drop
below 55 degrees F its time to bring your houseplants back inside. Spray them
off with the garden hose to eliminate any hitchhiking insects.
Tomato Tip. Mature green tomatoes can be ripened indoors. Wrap each fruit individually in
newspapers. Store in a cool location (55-60 degrees F) until ripe.
Harvesting Brussel Sprouts. Don't harvest
brussel sprouts until after a hard frost. This makes them much sweeter.
Create Cuttings. Take cuttings of impatients,
coleus and phlox to over winter for next year's plants.
Shrub Idea. Fall is the perfect to plant balled
and burlaped shrubs. Be sure to remove wire baskets and nylon twine. Keep well-watered
up until the ground freezes.
An Apple A Day. Visit a local apple orchard.
Pick a bushel or two to take home. Make some apple butter and applesauce with
them.
Harvest Time. Harvest winter squash before a
frost. Store them in a cool dark location. Pick your apples, pears, grapes and fall bearing raspberries too. Make some
homemade jams or jellies to use over the winter.
Cover Up. Keep a rowcover handy to cover tomatoes and peppers in case of an early frost.
Flower Tip. Stop fertilizing roses, also stop cutting blooms. This gives the plant time to
form hips and prepare for winter.
Shake It Up. Make sure the compost pile stays
well mixed. If it's full start a new one to receive the soon-to-be falling
leaves.
Prepare Your Peonies. Divide peonies this
month, be sure to replant at the same depth. Keep well water until the ground
freezes.