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Gardening Galore
September is a
busy month in the garden, with lots going on.
Sow seed of all
the summer flowering annuals in a well drained soil mix, preferably
sterilized with boiling water or baked in a cool oven. With disease
and weed free seed and compost, success rates are quadrupled. When
sowing seeds, sow thinly so the seedlings have space to develop and
to ensure good air circulation which reduces damping off.
Many perennials
can be lifted and split up to increase your stock and generally
promote vigour to the divided plants Before replanting, dig in
plenty of compost but make sure you water thoroughly before lifting,
preferably a day or so before so that the soil is not soggy. Big
clumps can be split up using two forks back to back in the middle of
the clump to force the roots apart. Some tough roots will have to be
cut with a knife or secateurs. Choose young growth from the outer
perimeter of big clumps. Discard the old woody centre parts.
Pull up winter
flowering annuals as they finish flowering.
Use plenty of
compost when preparing new ground for annuals and re-planting
perennials
If you have a
water feature, this is a good time to clean it out and divide water
lilies and other aquatic plants that are overgrown. If there are
fish in the pond, catch them in a net and transfer to a bath or
drum. Drain the pond, taking out aquatic plants as you go. Keep
water lilies covered with wet sacks. The pond should be scrubbed
with a wire brush then rinsed out. Replace water and reported
plants. Wait a day before replacing the fish so that the water can
warm up and plants resettle.
Winter flowering
bulbs need to be watered until they die down after which they can be
lifted and stored to be replanted next year.
Cannas can be
lifted, split and replanted. They are very greedy feeders so plenty
of compost or manure and kept well watered.
All vigorous
growing plants need to be top dressed with compost and manure at
least monthly, preferably fortnightly.
Pot plants need
feeding as growth increase. Compost or manure works well. A
two-hundred litre drum with the top cut out, suspend a bag of
compost or manure on a pole over the opening. Fill to the top with
water and agitate daily. Dilute to the colour of weak tea. This can
be used in the garden as well as on pot plants.
This month can
also be very busy in the vegetable garden with planting warm season
vegetables.
Fruit trees need
a good soaking at least once a month. Top dress with compost/manure.
Flowering and fruit development needs a lot of energy from the tree.
Try to keep the reserves of water and nutrients high so that there
is no stress. Thinning of the fruit crop will give you better
quality fruits and not take too much from the reserves.
Strawberries need
to be mulched as the fruiting is starting. This lifts the fruits off
the soil, reducing fruit damage. |
September 2004