What Are September Garden Tasks?
A New Season Is Ahead
Fall is around the corner, and it's the perfect time to put something new in the ground: spring-blooming bulbs, cool-season veggies, trees and shrubs, seasonal color, and more. Plant now and let seasonal rain help establish strong roots before the heat of next summer. Make time for a little bit of maintenance this month: check in on your lawn, adjust irrigation watering schedules, and refresh mulch.
Fall Is For Planting!
A strengthening El Niño may bring a wetter-than-normal fall and winter, making September a great time to plant trees, shrubs, roses, natives, and cool-season veggies. Get them in the ground now and let the seasonal rains help establish strong roots before next summer's heat arrives.
Bountiful Bulbs
September is the start of bulb season, and next spring's flowers begin with the bulbs you plant today. Explore favorites like daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, and more, to create a spectacular spring display. Be sure and refrigerate your tulips six weeks before planting.
Cool-Season Veggies
Direct sow veggie seeds this month: lettuce, beets, carrots, kale, mustard greens, peas, spinach, turnips, parsnips, arugula, and radishes. Warm soil helps seeds sprout quickly, while cooler nights encourage strong, healthy growth.
Plant A Tree!
September kicks off the best tree-planting season in Zone 9B. The soil is still warm from summer, encouraging roots to grow quickly, while slightly cooler air temperatures reduce stress on newly planted trees. Trees will add beauty, shade, wildlife habitat, energy savings, and value to your landscape for decades to come.
Fall Blooms
September brings the first wave of fall flowers to the nursery. Cheerful, cool-season annuals like calendula, snapdragon, pansy, and paludosum daisy are ready to fill your garden with color through fall, winter, and into next spring.
Love Your Lawn
It’s lawn renewal time! Dethatch to remove built up dead grass, aerate compacted soil, and overseed bare areas for a thicker, greener lawn this fall.
Other Timely Tasks for September
- Keep harvesting those last tomatoes, peppers, and summer squash while they last. As garden beds open, top them with compost and get them ready for cool season veggies.
- As September days grow shorter and temperatures begin to cool, your garden's thirst starts to slow down too. Take a few minutes to reduce irrigation run times and adjust watering schedules as needed.
- September is a great time to welcome birds to your garden. Plant California natives such as California fuchsia, ceanothus, and manzanita, provide fresh water, and remember to clean and refill bird feeders regularly.
- Refresh mulch around trees, shrubs, and garden beds. A 2”-3” layer helps conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and protect soil biology.
- Thinking about planting a citrus tree? September is the sweet spot! Warm soil helps roots grow fast, while cooler days make it easier for young trees to settle in before next summer's heat. Your future oranges, lemons, and mandarins will thank you!
- September is a great time to give houseplants a little TLC. Clean dusty leaves, ease up on watering as growth slows, and watch for pests before bringing outdoor plants inside.
- September is rose recovery season. Continue to deadhead, remove spent blooms, and give roses a light feeding if needed. As nights cool, many roses begin gearing up for their spectacular fall bloom cycle.
