Gardening Jobs for September

As the summer warmth begins to wane and the first hints of autumn appear, September presents a crucial time for gardeners to prepare their outdoor spaces for the cooler months ahead. Let's explore the essential gardening tasks that will keep your garden thriving as we transition into autumn.

Planting: Setting the Stage for Spring

September is an excellent time to plant a variety of flora that will flourish in the coming months and provide a stunning display come spring. Here are some recommendations:

  • Garlic: Plant cloves about 2.5 cm deep and 25 cm apart in well-prepared soil. They'll begin growing before autumn and overwinter, ready to put on fresh growth in spring.
  • Spring Flowering Bulbs: Start planting daffodils, crocus, and hyacinths for a vibrant spring garden.
  • Biennials and Bedding Plants: Consider wallflowers, primroses, and violas for early spring colour.
  • Autumn Perennials: Plant lesser knapweed, ragged robin, and purple loosestrife for late-season blooms.
  • Shrubs: Add structure to your garden with nigella and echinops.

Pruning: Shaping Up for Autumn

Pruning in September helps maintain plant health and shape. Focus on:

  • Removing dead, diseased, or crossing branches from trees and shrubs
  • Cutting back perennials that have finished flowering
  • Trimming hedges one last time before winter

Remember, when pruning at height, safety should be your top priority. Our Henchman Fully Adjustable Tripod Ladders, fully certified to BS EN131 standards, offer unparalleled stability on uneven terrain, ensuring you can focus on your task without compromising your safety.

Weeding: Clearing the Way

September is an ideal time to tackle weeds before they set seed. Here's how to approach this task:

  • Hand-pull weeds, ensuring you remove the entire root system
  • Use a hoe to slice through weed stems just below the soil surface
  • Apply mulch to bare soil to suppress weed growth

Preparing for Autumn: Setting the Foundation

As we move towards cooler months, take these steps to prepare your garden:

Seasonal Pests: Stay Vigilant

September brings its own set of garden pests. Here's what to watch out for and how to manage them:

  • Slugs and Snails: Use physical barriers like crushed eggshells or copper tape. Beer traps can also be effective.
  • Aphids: Spray affected plants with a strong jet of water or introduce natural predators like ladybugs.
  • Whiteflies: Use glue traps to monitor and reduce populations. Insecticidal soap sprays can manage larger infestations.
  • Spider Mites: Increase humidity and regular watering to deter them. Apply water sprays to remove webs and mites from plants.

Early detection is key to managing these pests effectively.

Wildlife-friendly Gardening

Your green space can provide refuge to your local wildlife. Making a few additions in to your garden or leaving areas to 'go wild' will encourage a vast array of birds, insects, small mammals and even reptiles or amphibians.

Slithery, Slow Worms

September is a time when smaller, young slow worms have just recently emerged. Threatened by habitat loss, these protected reptiles rely on gardens for their survival. Set aside a small area in your garden where you can let the grass grow long. If you want to go as far as creating a small habitat, use rubber-backed carpet or metal trays within the long grass, these will become beloved heat traps and provide shelter from predators.

Autumn is Buzzin'

Autumn is still a time when you'll see bees buzzing around. Bumblebees will be in search of a new place to hibernate and honey bees will make a trip out to feed on warmer days. There are a couple of things you can do to help these great pollinators this September.

  • Foraging bees will appreciate a log pile as shelter from rain or bumblebees and solitary bees may use log piles as a new nesting site. Fill the space with twigs, dead leaves and moss.
  • Growing a range of late-flowering nectar-rich plants such as asters, dahlias and salvias will provide food, helping to build reserves before going into hibernation.

Embrace the Changing Season

September is a pivotal month in the gardening calendar, offering a perfect blend of maintenance and preparation. By tackling these tasks, you're setting the stage for a beautiful autumn garden and a vibrant spring display.

At Henchman, we're committed to providing safe and innovative solutions for all your gardening needs. Our range of ladders and platforms ensures you can work at height without worry, allowing you to focus on nurturing your garden through the changing seasons.