Gardening in the Month of September

For Ottawa – Zone 5

• Stop pruning and fertilizing, as you don’t want to encourage new, tender growth just before cold weather arrives.
• Continue watering plants such as fall vegetables that are still actively growing.
• Plant spring bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, and hyacinth (once planted, add a layer of blood meal to keep the squirrels at bay).
• Plant fall-flowering annuals, which you can find at garden nurseries at bargain prices this month; they will only last until the first frost, but will provide great color well into October.
• Stop watering both evergreen and deciduous trees in late September to help them prepare for winter.
• Divide perennials such as hostas, peonies, cone flowers, etc. as needed to fill in bare spots or to give away to friends and neighbors.
• Dig and store bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, and elephant ears by cutting back the green stems, drying them out, and storing them in peat moss in your basement.
• Bring in any houseplants that you have had outdoors during the summer when/if frosty nights are forecasted; just be careful to inspect them first for insects that you don’t want to bring inside.