Warm Days, Cool Nights.
September is a transitional month for gardening in Georgia. While still warm, our evening temperatures are cooling down, allowing our soil temperatures and plant roots to get a break from the heat.
Supportive Strategies for the Changing Season:
- Cool-season transplants may be planted after your vegetable gardens have been cleaned.
- Add amendments to ensure your vegetables have adequate nutrients for fruits and flowers.
- Trim back tired perennials. Feel free to leave some seed heads for the birds.
- Divide perennials that are getting too large for their location or are no longer blooming. Move any plants that are unhappy in their current location. Get as many roots as possible when transplanting, and be sure to keep them watered for optimal success.
- Plant spring-blooming bulbs, like daffodils, crocus, hyacinth and tulips, in late September or October.
- If you plan to overwinter tender plants inside, you should watch for insects and treat them with a systemic insecticide before bringing them indoors.
- Adjust your watering schedule as temperatures cool. Continue watering deeply to encourage roots to grow deeper into the soil.
- Mulch is still an essential part of the landscape, so refresh as needed. Mulch helps keep soil temperatures and roots cool in warm months and warm in cold months.
Fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Our soil is warm enough in the Fall to help your plants get established before Winter dormancy sets in. Water is crucial during this time, so be sure to monitor your plants and water as needed. For planting/care/watering guidelines click on Planting Guide, or you can stop by one of our registers for a brochure.
Consider removing leaf litter and mulch under Roses and Camellias to prevent disease. Refresh mulch after clean-up chores are complete. Fall color can be beautiful in our area. If you don’t have enough Fall and Winter interest in your landscape, you may want to add plants like Japanese Maples, Dogwoods, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Beautyberry and Blueberries.
We have many varieties of trees and shrubs that put on a Fall show for you to choose from. Hollies and other plants with berries will frequently continue their show into the Winter, giving you four seasons of interest.
We are cultivating a variety of annuals for your fall and winter beds and containers, including pansies, violas, snapdragons and other ornamental plants to add vibrant color to your outdoor spaces. Allow our plant professionals to assist you in selecting the perfect plants and color combinations, while our custom container department can also create stunning arrangements tailored to your personal style.
Our Garden Club will meet on September 16th at 10:00 a.m. in the Event Pavilion. Jeanne will host a demonstration on how to create dramatic Fall containers that can easily transition into Christmas and Winter arrangements. Come see the process and learn how you can create something unique for your containers.
We look forward to helping you keep your landscapes beautiful this Fall!
Join us on Saturday, September 21st, for Scottsdale Farms Customer Appreciation Day! Festivities begin at 9:45 a.m. with an informative talk from WSB Radio’s Green & Growing host Ashley Frasca, music from up-and-coming country artist Neena Elliott and a book signing event with local author Bob Meyers. Stop by and enjoy complimentary hamburgers on the grill served with lemonade and chips to thank you for your support.