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| "Sweet Carolina Bronze" ornamental sweet potato adds fall color to late-summer gardens. |
September is a transitional month for New Orleans gardens. It’s too late for warm-season annuals and too early for cool-season varieties. However, you can introduce a bit of fall color to your landscape by planting one of the newest ornamental sweet potato vines, Sweet Carolina Bronze, pictured here. Wait til November to plant pansies, snapdragons and other cool-season favorites, but begin your bed preparation now.
Lawn care begins to wind down in September, but stay alert for signs of brown patch and chinch bug (see our Healthy Garden tips).
As we look forward to a more active gardening season in the weeks ahead, remember to mark your calendar to join us October 20-21 for the annual Fall Garden Show at the New Orleans Botanical Garden. The Master Gardeners will be on hand with another educational exhibit sharing tips on organic gardening plus several surprises and special giveaways. You'll also be able to view plant and garden exhibits, attend outstanding presentations on a variety of horticulture topics, explore the kids' discovery area and the new scarecrow trail introduced last year. Look for more details soon on this Web site.
Enjoy the many seasonal gardening tips we share in the September GNO Gardener!
The Flower Garden | The Edible Garden | The Healthy Garden | The Garden Shed
Favorite Field Trips | Plant Sales & Gardening Classes | General Information
It’s time to:
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Prune ever-blooming roses to about one-third their height in early September.
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Make a list of perennials, shrubs and trees you’d like to plant this fall.
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Replenish your mulch, maintaining at least a 2-inch layer of organic matter.
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Deadhead faded flowers from blooming perennials. Cut back bedding plants that have gotten leggy.
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Stake tall perennials to keep them upright.
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Sod or repair lawn with plugs by late October; it’s too late to seed lawn grasses such as centipede or St. Augustine.
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Continue monitoring your landscape for weak, rotting or dead tree branches … September is the height of hurricane season.
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Break off caladium flowers when they appear to encourage more foliage.
Early fall gardening tips from LSU AgCenter experts follow:
Fall Gardening: Preserve Your Lawn, Plant Some Flowers. Louisiana gardeners are just as active in the fall as they are the rest of the year. And the LSU AgCenter has a wealth of information to help you keep your landscaping green and blooming year-round. [Dan Gill, Thomas Koske and Linda Benedict, LSU AgCenter.]
Stressed Leaves Are Normal This Time Of Year. You might have noticed tree leaves that look diseased or sickly recently. What’s the problem and what should you do? LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to handle the situation in this segment of Get it Growing. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter, Audio]
Mulch Is A Valuable Tool In The Fight Against Weeds. Mulches are a valuable gardening tool for reducing weeds in beds. It is important to remember that mulch must be thick to work properly. If your mulch is looking thin, add another layer on top of the existing mulch. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter, Audio]
Prune And Fertlize Now, If Needed. In late summer gardeners need to think about two important points of landscape maintenance – fertilizing and pruning. This time of year is the latest we should fertilize lawns, hardy shrubs and ground covers. It also is the time to prune many shrubs, cut back overgrown tropicals and trim some bedding plants. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
It’s Time To Divide Louisiana Irises. Some of the most beautiful irises we can grow in our gardens are the hybrids of several species that grow right here in Louisiana. Called Louisiana irises, they are becoming increasingly popular in gardens all over the world. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
To Dig Or Not To Dig; That’s The Question With Caladiums This Time Of Year. Caladiums are among the most reliable summer bedding plants for providing color in shady areas. They stay attractive despite the intense heat of summer and are rarely bothered by insects or disease. By the end of September or beginning of October, however, they reach the end of their growing season and begin to decline in appearance. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
Lawn Care Slowing Down, But Don’t Forget Proper Care For Grass During Fall. Lawn care definitely changes as the weather begins to cool, and by October the growth of warm-season grasses like St. Augustine, centipede, bermuda and zoysia begins to slow down. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
It’s time to:
- Harvest: basil regularly. Most herbs can be planted this month for a fall and winter crop.
- Transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, peppers and tomatoes in early September.
- Plant seeds of squash, cucumbers, bush snap beans and bush lima beans in early September. And all month you can seed arugula, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, collards, endive, English peas, lettuce, mustard, kohlrabi, parsley, radishes, rutabaga, shallots,
spinach, Swiss chard, turnips and kale. In late September, plant garlic and onions.
Plant Green Onions In Your Fall Garden. Green onions are an important part of local cuisine in Louisiana. This is a great time of the year to plant them. You can find sets or small bulbs at local nurseries to plant into your garden. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
September Is A Transitional Month In The Vegetable Garden. A variety of both warm-season and cool-season vegetables can be planted in September in Louisiana. Transplants of tomatoes and bell peppers can be planted early in the month. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
Watch Out For Brown Patch In Fall. The arrival of cooler temperatures can favor the development of brown patch, the most common disease of turfgrasses in Louisiana lawns. [Donald Ferrin, LSU AgCenter]
September Weather Encourages Chinch Bug Damage. In September, it is still pretty hot, and it also can be pretty dry. These weather conditions can encourage chinch bug activity. These insects attack lawn grasses and prefer St. Augustine grass. They create circular brown areas and will kill the grass where they feed. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]
Looking For A Chipper/shredder Or Grinder? Here is a list of manufacturers of chippers, shredders and grinders used to chip, shred or grind leaves, yard waste, tree branches, etc., depending on size and capacity. This is intended to be a complete list, but there may be unintentional omissions. It does not constitute a recommendation of any of the companies or products; quality may vary. [Richard L. Parish, LSU AgCenter]
New Orleans Botanical Garden Field Trips
Bring your class to the New Orleans Botanical Garden and discover the fun and educational experience of a natural science tour both you and your students will enjoy. Our knowledgeable tour guides will share interesting and amazing facts about the plants, animals and insects encountered on a stroll through our newly restored garden and the Conservatory featuring fossils, insects and a tropical rainforest! In the event of bad weather, our tour leaders are prepared to share the wonders of the Botanical Garden with your students in an indoor setting.
Offered seasonally Spring and Fall. Kindergarten through 8th grade field trips offered Wednesday through Friday at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m., $3.00 per person. Call Tinky Watson at (504) 305-6691. Reservations required.
Support our local Farmer's Markets. There are several good ones in our area:
- Crescent City Farmer's Market
Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Uptown Square, 200 Broadway
Saturdays 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Downtown 700 Magazine Street at Girod
- Gretna Farmer's Market
Every Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Huey P. Long Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets in Gretna
- Upper 9th Ward Farmer's Market
Every Saturday
1 pm - 4 pm
3500 St Claude ("Holy Angels")
482- 5722
Plant Sale
New Orleans Botanical Garden
Saturday, October 6, 2007
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Shop unusual and native plants cultivated by volunteer growers at the New Orleans Botanical Garden. Admission to the sales area in the Botanical Garden is free. Bring a wagon; arrive early for best selection; check or cash only -- sorry, no credit cards. For more information call 504·483·9386.
New Orleans Best Trees
Thursday, September 20, 6 p.m.
New Orleans Botanical Garden - Garden Study Center
In a quandary about what tree to plant? Join us as Tom Campbell guides an exploration of mature trees in the New Orleans Botanical Garden. Learn what you need to know in order to pick the best trees for your site.
Tom Campbell, an Urban Forester with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, graduated from LSU in Forestry and Wildlife Management. For over twenty-five years, Campbell has been active in environmental education and reforestation. He spearheaded the development of the Couturie Forest Nature Trail and Arboretum.
Series sponsored by the Selley Foundation. $10.00 registration. Call (504) 483-9386. More educational events at the NOBG.
Seasonal Color for Your Garden
Tuesday, September 25th, 7 p.m.
New Orleans Botanical Garden - Garden Study Center
Melinda Taylor is the color expert for the New Orleans Botanical Garden, developing the beautiful flower beds you see all around you. She will reveal some of her secrets and tell you about the best plants for year round color so you can have your own showplace.
Melinda Taylor has almost thirty years experience as both a grower and retailer. Her firm, Dixielandscape, designs and installs residential gardens. Melinda earned a horticulture degree at LSU and was part of the Walt Disney World horticultural team for several years. $10.00 registration. Call (504) 483-9386. More educational events at the NOBG.
Best Modern Roses for our Hot, Humid Clinate
Tuesday, October 2, 7 p.m.
New Orleans Botanical Garden
Come hear New Orleans Botanical Garden’s own Patrick Youngblood share his knowledge in selecting, planting and growing spectacular modern roses.
Patrick Youngblood is a horticulturist who came to the New Orleans Botanical Garden from Disneyworld. He helped bring the garden back from Katrina’s devastating impact to the healthy state it is in today. $10.00 registration. Call (504) 483-9386. More educational events at the NOBG.
A Formal English Garden Using New Orleans Plants
Wednesday, October 3, 7 p.m.
New Orleans Botanical Garden - Garden Study Center
Rosemary Sims will show you how to achieve the look of an English garden using plants that will thrive in our hot subtropical climate.
Rosemary Sims, a New Orleans Botanical Garden employee, is an expert grower, gardener and connoisseur of rare plants and has been involved in horticulture for over thirty years. $10.00 registration. Call (504) 483-9386. More educational events at the NOBG.
We know what it means to garden in Orleans ... Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard too!
Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans
Serving Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes