What to Do in Your Garden in September

MSU Extension Service

A group of yellow, orange and red flowers.

It’s best to stop feeding mums when the buds start showing color. (Photo by Gary Bachman)

How is it already September? I know I’m not the only one in disbelief that fall is right around the corner! Now’s a good time to prep your garden for the upcoming cooler temps.

Get Ready

Make sure you’ve ordered daffodils and other spring bulbs for October planting.
Build or buy a compost bin in anticipation of autumn leaves.

Plant

Plant cool-season leafy root vegetables: carrots, beets, turnips, lettuce, and spinach.
Sow hardy annuals: sweet alyssum, calendula, annual pinks, snapdragons, and sweet peas.
Sow ryegrass seed in winter lawns.

Fertilize

Stop feeding mums when the buds start showing color.
Acidify azaleas and camelias.

Water

Slow down watering of azaleas and hydrangeas to allow them to harden against winter freezes.
Spray foliage of camelias in anticipation of their bloom.
Water potted plants and hanging baskets frequently.

Prune

Disbud camellias, dahlias, and chrysanthemums to produce specimen blooms. It is generally not a good idea to prune this late in the year, because new growth will be more susceptible to winter freezes.

Miscellaneous

Turn compost pile.
Pick flowers in bloom and dry for future arrangements. Bundle flowers together and hang upside down in a dry, sheltered area.
Repot houseplants. Prune away damaged foliage and give a good dose of food.

In Bloom

Canna, cosmos, copper plant, marigolds, periwinkle, plumbago, crape myrtle, althea, four-o’clocks, salvia, ageratum, coleus, lycoris, aster, bonia, celosia, chrysanthemum, coral vine, ginger lily, gladiolus, jacobina, liriope, morning glory, petunia, phlox, rattle box, bose, spider lily, torenia, vinca, white zephyranthes lily, zinnia, buddleia, franklin tree

Fall Color