POSTED: Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008

In the garden: Transplant and divide in September

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Here's at look at what you need to do in the garden in September:

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

TRANSPLANT AND DIVIDE: One of the beauties of gardening in this area is the length of our growing season. Growth and development may slow a bit in the heat of mid-summer, but the late summer and early fall mimic spring with even better growing conditions and the garden responds accordingly. The temperatures are still mild with an average of 12 hours of light and soil temperature is perfectly tuned to the promotion of growth.

This is a wonderful time to transplant established material from one area of the garden to another. Once they are finished blooming, many perennials may be divided and transplanted. Planting this time of year is smart because of the mild conditions and roots grow quickly to establish before a well-deserved dormancy period.

LIGHT PRUNING AND SHAPING of shrubs and hedges may be completed now especially if the yard has gotten away from you or grooming for definition is needed. Taking advantage of the flush of growth that often happens now, hides the cuts quickly and will look great through the winter.

WORK IN COMPOST: The soil has been working overtime all season providing the necessary nutrients and moisture plants need. That spring compost should be ready to work into the garden beds or bring some in. Many plants in the garden continue to be active through December and require a steady source of food.

KEEP SOIL MOIST: We often need to keep the hose handy through the middle of October if regular rain showers fail to commence. Generous amounts of mulch and compost help maintain soils that are evenly cool and moist.

LAWNS

NEW LAWN: There is still time to plant new lawns by seed, but the closer we come to the middle of October the results are more sporadic. Be a little more generous with the seed and be sure to use a starter fertilizer. Patching and filling worn or bald areas with a mixture of seed, sand and soil is very successful now. This will also lessen weed problems as well as moss later in the fall and throughout the winter. Aeration anytime helps lawn drainage and thereby manage fusarium, a fungal disease that grows where lawns are wet and stressed. October is the best month to treat your lawn for cranefly larva.

FERTILIZE: An application of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer will keep your green lawn lush and healthy through the summer and fall. If it is brown due to summer drought then wait to feed until the weather cools and rains revive it. This time of year we often see fungal diseases such as rust and fairy ring show up. An application of nitrogen with iron will manage them.

PEST CONTROL

SANITATION: Garden waste increases during the growing. Sanitation is the most important prevention to practically all pest problems this time of year. The continual process of raking, weeding and pruning also gives you a close look at all aspects of your garden. Accumulating leaves tend to trap moisture and become sites for germinating spores as well as insects. Keep the soil regularly cultivated to help maintain air and water circulation as well as an even temperature.

FUNGAL REMEDIES: Fixed copper sprays control common fungal diseases such as fusarium and phytophora. Applications of these help prevent outbreaks later on. If you see mold damage now it is best to keep grooming and removing. Aphids and slugs are the two biggest pests for the season. Plants weakened by aphid pressure are more susceptible to other diseases and environmental damage later in the season, so keep populations washed off with water or pinch off heavily infested portions.

HERBS AND VEGETABLES

HARVEST: This is the big harvest time locally, so check and pick often. Cabbage and kale are probably the last of the summer crops to be harvested along with onions. Do not forget to record the dates of first, prime and final harvests from the garden. The information proves invaluable later in planning and planting future plots.

FROST PROTECTION for the cold nights coming up is a consideration so keep sheets of plastic, newspapers and cardboard boxes handy to help shield plants. Even tomatoes will ripen on the vine into October with a little help. Once a section of the garden is harvested, sow a cover crop to replenish the soil's organic material and nitrogen for next season.

PLANT CHOICES: Phlox provides plenty of fragrant flowers and foliage throughout the fall season. This is an opportunity to plant another row of broccoli, spinach and lettuce for winter harvest. Thyme is in season for the fall providing small, profuse flowers, texture and fragrance. Whether you choose a creeping variety or the larger mounding types you will be pleased. Russian sage and creeping rosemary make a wonderful combination for an extension of summer color and groundcover alternative.

PRUNING: Light shearing and grooming of lavender and sage once the bloom is finished will help renew plantings and you will enjoy a flush of new growth.