Gardening Checklists - September and October
Gardening in Colorado is a year round hobby. The following gardening calendar will help you maximize your gardening pleasure by making sure all the major garden tasks are done at the right time of year and by spreading them throughout the year so you will have time to really relax and enjoy the garden during the growing season. If you want to see the year-long checklists, CLICK on this LINK.
September
Trees and Shrubs:
Start to cut back on watering of trees, shrubs, and perennials. This will help push them into dormancy and will improve survival.
Remove snow build up from branches of trees and shrubs in the event of an early heavy snow fall.
Flowers, Ground Covers, and Ornamental Grasses:
Continue watering, weeding, and dead heading, as needed.
In late August or early September, divide early season perennials, Siberian iris, daylilies, and peonies. Plant perennial beds in late August and early September. This will assure good establishment and use less water to do so.
Remove and discard plants that have proven to be too disease susceptible.
Lawns:
Core-aerate the cool season turf lawns unless they are severely drought stressed and cannot be irrigated.
Over-seed or sod thin areas of cool season turf.
If yours is a clay soil, late September is the last time you will fertilize your cool season turf. Apply 1.0 -1.5 lbs. Nitrogen/1000 sq. ft. This is the most important fertilizer application of the year for turf on clay soils, so DO NOT skip it!
Vegetables and Miscellaneous:
Make a list of desired renovations for next year.
October
Trees and Shrubs:
Add mulch where needed.
Remove snow build up from branches of trees and shrubs in the event of an early heavy snow fall.
Flowers, Ground Covers, and Ornamental Grasses:
Remove diseased plants/dead head as needed.
Cut back perennials that don’t contribute to winter interest.
Dig up tender bulbs like dahlias or gladioli and store for next season.
Add mulch where needed.
Rough spade annual beds and then apply a light layer of compost to the bed. This will make soil preparation in the spring a breeze, will help control pests and diseases, and will allow compost to mellow over the winter. For new (1-3 year old) annual beds apply 1.5-2” of compost. For older beds (3+ years old) apply no more than 1” of compost per year.
Plant spring bulbs as soon as they arrive.
Lawns:
Mow and water as needed;
Vegetables:
Rough spade annual and vegetable beds, apply a much of compost now. Apply 1.5-2” of compost in newly constructed bed (years 1-3) and no more than 1” of compost in established bed (3+ years old). For vegetable gardens use only approved non-biosolid composts.
Rough spade vegetable beds and then apply a light layer of NON-biosolids compost to the bed. This will make soil preparation in the spring a breeze, will help control pests and diseases and will allow compost to mellow over the winter. For new (1-3 year old) annual beds apply 1.5-2” of compost. For older beds (3+ years old) apply no more than 1” of compost per year.
Miscellaneous:
Turn off and drain sprinkler system. After this, water by hand if soil is dry.
Clean up leaves and yard debris.
For more information on gardening in autumn and early winter, contact your nearest CNGA-affiliated garden center. SEARCH for retail locations in your area by location or name.