Garden Jobs for September: Essential Maintenance Tasks

Now that September is here, it is starting to feel a bit cooler with days becoming breezier than the month before. With this in mind, it is time to start getting your garden ready for the upcoming autumn and winter months. As the climate during this month can be varied, it is important to remember that the following advice is weather-dependent, and certain treatments should not be carried out if your area is experiencing extreme heat or frost conditions. 

General Tasks 

For anyone with a garden, September is certainly a busy month on the calendar. If you’re not already familiar with the general upkeep, we’ve listed the must-do tasks for this month.

• Control weeds: Weeds are a nuisance, but you can keep them at bay with the right weed control solution. If pets use your garden, choose a solution that enables them to return to the area once dried. 
•  Continue to water: Even if the weather isn’t scorching hot, plants and grass should still be watered as and when needed, especially if the weather is still warm. 
•  Clear away autumn debris: Leaves and twigs start to fall in September, and to keep your lawn clear, tidy and healthy, it’s worth regularly sweeping up and placing them in the garden rubbish bin. 
•  Plant your spring flowering bulbs: Now is the time to plant spring bulbs, including tulips and narcissi.

What should I do to my lawn in September?

Even if you stop using your garden as the nights draw in and the days become slightly cooler, your lawn still needs some TLC. Discover the essential must-dos listed below to ensure your lawn’s prepped for the next season. 

• Scarify the area: The season of falling leaves, autumn, is prime time to scarify your lawn. Grass needs space to breathe and grow, and unwanted organic matter can get in the way. Scarifying is the fancy gardening term for sweeping away moss, weeds, twigs and leaves. Your lawn will thank you for it. A garden rake should suffice for smaller gardens. For larger spaces—150 square metres or more—we won’t judge you for getting a scarifying machine to do the job for you! 
• Control moss patches: Scarifying is one way to remove moss, but moss control solutions are also ideal for targeting specific problem areas. 
• Overseed areas that need it: Have you seen some bare patches on your lawn? You can add fresh grass seed without changing the current lawn or soil (also known as overseeding).
• Apply an autumn fertiliser: Give your lawn what it needs to thrive. Autumn fertiliser improves the health of your lawn, which should help it look great in the spring. Mow your lawn, then apply the recommended dose of fertiliser to your lawn. 
• If you are looking to sow a new lawn, now is the ideal time!

What should I prune in September?

Autumn is a great time to get your trees, hedges and shrubs into shape. Cutting back dead stems and top growth with a sharp, clean cutting tool also reduces the risk of disease. It will also minimise organic debris blowing about in the wind and landing on your lawn, saving you time on scarifying and picking up dead leaves.

Your Autumn pruning checklist:

• Roses
• Fruit bushes 
• Flowering
• Hardy shrubs
• Deciduous trees
• Ornamental trees
• Perennial flowering plants (except ones with decorative seed heads, which can attract wildlife)

How do you prepare flower beds and border plants for autumn?

A cheery, colourful addition to a garden space. We recommend the following to keep your flower beds and borders in top form:

• Deadhead faded flowers: Deadheading faded flowers will help maintain the display throughout the month. 
• Apply mulch to your flower bed: Mulch, such as compost, keeps the soil moist and neatens up the appearance of your flower bed. 
• Remove or protect non-cold-hardy perennials: Certain plants and perennials are not built to withstand cooler climates and can be susceptible to damage in frosty conditions. 

Perennials vulnerable to frost include:

• Tender perennials (geraniums)
• Herbaceous perennials (peonies)
• Annuals (marigolds)
• Flower bed plants (begonias)
• Subtropical trees (palm trees, bougainvillea, lemon trees) 

If temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing, we recommend either bringing these plants indoors, wrapping them in a horticultural fleece, or removing them entirely.