I’m a gardening expert and here’s the four jobs you need to do in September – it’s all about bringing in autumn colour

WHILE the outdoor furniture may be getting packed away, September can still be a busy month for gardeners.

Garden experts have advised that it’s time to prep for autumn colour and get your bulbs and spring flowering plants organised for next spring.

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There’s four September jobs you need to do to keep on top of your garden[/caption]

But if you’re unsure about where to start, Lucie Bradley – from gardening and greenhouse experts Two Wests and Elliott – has revealed which jobs you should be prioritising over the coming weeks. 

Take care

Lucie says taking care of your hanging baskets, tubs, containers, and border plants is key.

She added: “Maintaining them encourages them to flower for longer and keeps your gardening looking lush when there’s still a hint of summer around. 

“Deadheading plants such as dahlias, delphiniums, and roses with sharp snips encourage them to prolong their display.”

But it’s also important to hydrate your plants too, paying close attention to tubs and baskets and focusing on watering the soil rather than plants.

Lucie continued: “To prevent water from evaporating by the sun, water plants when it is cooler, ideally in the early morning or late evening.”

Divide them up

“Throughout September, and October, you should divide up clumps of perennials [longer-living plants] in your garden”, says Lucie.

“It’s a great opportunity to pass on plants to friends and neighbours or spread plants around.”

Indeed, dividing perennial plants every two or three years is a great way to help plants remain healthy as it encourages vigorous growth. 

As a rough guide, if plants have flowered before June 21, the longest day of the year, they can be divided in autumn.

Perennials that can be divided include coneflowers, daylilies, delphiniums, hardy geraniums, hostas, primulas and salvia.

To get started, dig up the whole plant before shaking off as much loose soil as possible and placing it on a ground sheet.

Some plants, such as hostas, can be divided using your hands but if the roots are more solid you can use a sharp-edged tool to cut through them.

Lucie advises: “Divide perennials when the soil is dry enough to work in. If we have a wet September/October, this will have to be delayed until next spring. 

“And when replanting these newly divided plants, use the hole dug up to add garden compost or fertiliser to give them the best start in their new locations.”

Autumn colour

Green-fingered Lucie also insists that gardening fans should start arranging and planting new autumn/winter hanging baskets and containers ready for a gorgeous display of autumn colour.

She recommends looking for plants that are well suited to smaller spaces and cooler temperatures.

Here’s a quick guide to some suitable plants to get you started:

• Hardy Chrysanthemums – For hanging baskets, stick to miniature varieties. There is usually a huge range of colours to choose from 
• Hardy Cyclamen – Perfect to add a touch of colour with their healthy green leaves, slim stems and bold blooms (white, pink and red) this autumn
• Primroses – Robust little plants, perfect for compact spaces that pack a punch with brighter shades
• Winter Heathers –  Heathers flower through winter, adding a touch of colour and texture to your basket

For contrast and texture, add some foliage plants to containers too – such as ivies, cineraria, heuchera and ornamental cabbages and grasses.

Spring prep

Depending on which part of the UK you live in and what you are sowing, the weather can affect whether you can sow hardy annuals directly into the ground or start them off in a greenhouse or cold frame. 

Hardy annuals that can normally be sown directly into your garden:

• Calendula / Pot Marigolds
• Candytuft
• Cerinthe / Honeywort
• Clary
• Cornflowers / Scabiosa
• Eschscholzia / California Poppy
• Larkspur
• Love-In-This-Mist / Nigella
• Lupin
• Salvia

Success at sowing directly into the ground is very weather-dependent, but it does result in big, strong plants in spring that have developed a healthy root system.

Use garden fleece or cloches to protect plants from cold weather spells.

Lucie says: “To help sown seeds germinate successfully, ensure the soil is free from weeds and stones.

“Break up the soil with a hand fork (or soil rake) so it is fine and crumbly, helping young seedlings reach the surface for light. 

“Use plant labels to record the name of the plant that has been planted. Include additional information, like the date the plant was sown, to track when it should germinate.”