SEPTEMBER GARDENING CALENDER

First week in September:
• Have soil tested to determine the amount of lime and fertilizer required and apply to lawn area.
• Space strawberry runner plants about six inches apart. Pull out extra plants.
• Start tomato plant indoors in a peat pot. Select a short-day variety such as ‘Pixie.’ When large enough, transplant into 3 ½ -inch or larger pot and place in the sunniest window. Water and feed it regularly, and tomatoes will be ready for Christmas dinner.

Second Week:
• Collect and dry herb blossoms, grasses and seed pods to decorate holiday wreaths.
• Start cuttings from geraniums and begonias.
• Start new begonias by digging and dividing roots. Use a sharp knife to slice through the root system. When dividing, each division should have three or four buds (the small pinkish-colored buds at the crown of the roots). When planting new roots and buds, do not place the tops deeper than two inches below the soil surface; otherwise, the plant will produce foliage but may seldom bloom. Provide moisture to promote new root growth.

Third Week:
• Clean up garden debris and add to compost pile, or turn under vegetation. To improve soil structure and decrease erosion during the winter, plant a cover crop. These winter cover crops can be planted from Sept. 1 through Nov. 1.
• Take in Thanksgiving or Christmas cactus and place on a cool porch or cool part of the house. Do not water for four weeks so that buds can set. After that time, fertilize well and resume weekly watering.

Final Week:
• Keep strawberry beds weed free. Every weed pulled now will make weeding much easier next spring.
• When planting spring bulbs, the depth of planting varies with the size of the bulb; for example, tulips are about 5-6 inches; for daffodils, 5-7 inches; 3-4 inches for hyacinths; and 1 ½ -3 inches for small bulbs. A good rule of thumb when planting bulbs is to set them three times as deep as the bulbs’ greatest width.
• Take poinsettia inside. It is best to repot into a similar but slightly larger container, using a regular commercial potting soil. Place in a warm sunny window.
• Don’t wait for frost warnings to take houseplants indoors. For many tropical houseplants, night temperatures of 50 deg. or lower can cause damage. Check all houseplants for pests and diseases and repot if needed.