Fall gardening can be glorious
September is a great month to garden in the Bay Area, as our mild Mediterranean climate offers ideal growing conditions. Warm soil and cooler evenings in Orinda create the perfect opportunity to plant, refresh landscapes, and prepare gardens for a beautiful autumn and productive spring.
Planning your winter vegetable garden
This month, cool-season vegetables will start to arrive at the nursery. Even though September can still bring plenty of warm days, now is the perfect time to start planning your fall vegetable garden.
In early September, you can sow seeds for carrots, beets, radishes and other root crops that thrive in cooler weather. If your garden is still producing tomatoes, peppers and squash, keep harvesting and enjoying your summer bounty while making room for what’s next.
As temperatures begin to moderate, it’s time to plant cool-weather favorites like lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and peas. With a little planning now, you’ll be harvesting fresh vegetables well into fall.
Fertilizing
There is still time to give most plants another round of food for the season. We recommend a mild organic fertilizer to keep plants healthy without forcing too much growth. Plants such as azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons benefit from a bloom fertilizer this time of year to stimulate bud formation for their winter and spring blooms. This also helps them develop a stronger root system to help them through the winter.
Deadhead and prune carefully
Continue removing spent flowers from roses, zinnias, cosmos and other summer bloomers to encourage another flush of color. Avoid heavy pruning of shrubs or trees until the cooler months, but remove any dead, damaged or diseased branches.
Refresh flower beds
If your summer annuals are starting to look tired, you can begin to replace them with colorful fall favorites like pansies, violas, snapdragons, calendulas, and ornamental cabbage and kale. These plants provide vibrant color through the cooler months and often bloom well into spring.
Divide overgrown perennials
Many perennials, including daylilies, irises, agapanthus and ornamental grasses, benefit from dividing in early fall. Dividing rejuvenates plants, encourages better flowering and gives you extra plants to share or expand your garden.
Prepare for spring blooms
We will begin receiving spring-flowering bulbs this month. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and iris are popular choices. While most bulbs are planted later in fall when the soil has cooled, purchasing early ensures the best selection.
Stay on top of watering
Although mornings and evenings may be cooler, September can still bring some very hot days. Continue watering deeply and less frequently to encourage strong root systems. Check irrigation systems for leaks or clogged emitters to make sure plants are getting the water they need before the rain comes.
Final thoughts
September is a month of transition and planning. Whether you’re growing vegetables, refreshing containers or planting new trees and shrubs, the work you do now will reward you with healthier plants and a more beautiful garden throughout fall, winter and next spring.
Your hometown third generation McDonnell Nursery knows the area and what to plant, prune or feed. Stop by at 196 Moraga Way, Orinda, call 925.254.3713 or email info@mcdonnellnursery.com.
