By Connie Doyle
September has arrived, and according to the calendar, fall is here. Tell that to your garden.
Here in Northeast Florida, September is more of a transition than a true change of seasons. While gardeners farther north may be enjoying crisp mornings and the first hints of autumn color, our gardens are still dealing with heat, humidity and plenty of sunshine. But as the days slowly become a little shorter and nighttime temperatures begin to moderate, our plants know that something is changing.
September can actually be one of the most rewarding months to take a fresh look at your landscape.
Many of our perennial plants that struggled through the hottest part of summer may begin to perk up as the extreme heat eases. Some will produce fresh growth, while others may reward us with another flush of flowers. Pentas, salvia, plumbago and firespike can continue providing color well into fall, while ornamental grasses such as muhly grass are preparing for their spectacular seasonal display.
This is also a good time to look critically at your perennial beds. Are plants becoming overcrowded? Has something outgrown its space? Is a perennial receiving too much — or too little — sun? September is a good month to begin planning where plants might be divided or relocated as temperatures become more comfortable. Sometimes the best thing we can do for a garden isn’t to add another plant, but to give the plants we already have a little more room to thrive.
And don’t be too quick to remove plants simply because they look tired after summer. Some perennials need a little time to recover from our brutal July and August weather. A plant that looks less than impressive now may surprise you once the worst of the heat has passed.
September is also the beginning of our fall planting season. The warm soil gives newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials an opportunity to establish their roots before next summer’s heat arrives. For Florida gardeners, this is one of the advantages of having a gardening calendar that doesn’t quite follow the rest of the country.
So while September may announce the arrival of fall, don’t be too quick to put away your gardening gloves. In Northeast Florida, fall doesn’t mean the garden is going to sleep. It simply means the garden is changing gears — and there is still plenty to enjoy.
Out into the garden we go, to lose our minds and find our souls.
Connie Doyle writes The Good Earth, a gardening column inspired by a lifelong passion for plants, nature, and the peaceful rhythm of the garden. With more time in retirement, she has been inspired to take that passion to the next level — learning, growing, and sharing with others in our community by way of earning her Master Gardener Certification. Connie can be reached by email to mail@floridanewsline.com.
