September Gardening Checklist

September Gardening Checklist

Arizona's Low to Mid Elevations 

• Plant Desert-adapted landscape plants such as trees, shrubs, vines, ground covers, ornamental grasses, perennials, cacti and succulents. Remember to space according to their mature height and width, allowing room to grow without interference and unnecessary pruning.

• Vegetables: Sow seeds directly in garden soil for cool-season root crops such as beets, carrots, radishes, and turnips. Start seeds indoors for cabbage-family plants such as bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. By starting these seeds indoors you can avoid heat stress and white flies, transplant outdoors next month. Mid elevation gardeners may still have time to sow seeds of cool-season leafy greens.

• Herbs: Sow seeds for chives, cilantro, dill and parsley.

• Flowers: Blue or purple fall bloomers that attract bees and butterflies consist of Texas Sage varieties, especially Houdini Texas Sage (Leucophyllum revolutum 'Houdini') which blooms later than its relatives. "Monterrey Blue" Dalea takes full sun and minimal water and grows quickly to a mound that reaches up to 6 feet wide and high though it is deciduous in cold weather it rejuvenates after being cut back in late winter/early spring. Both of these plants are hardy to 10 degrees F. A late bloomer that is hardy to minus 15 degrees F is the west-Texas native Salvia reptans with cobalt-blue flowers.

• Enrich garden soil by layering 4 to 6 inches of compost on top of beds.

• Trim up Roses to prepare them for a second bloom cycle. Just as new growth begins, remove any dead or damaged canes. Lightly trim any weak top growth and remove suckers that start from below the bud union. Do not remove more than one third of the total bush.  Use a slow-release fertilizer that will last through the fall.

• Fertilize Citrus - Spread the third and final nitrogen application of the year around the outer edges of the tree's entire drip line or canopy edge. Immediately water deeply through the root zone which is approximately 3 feet down for mature trees.

• Harvest Tepary Beans - As soon as the pods begin to dry start harvesting. If they are left too long the pods will burst open and disperse the seeds. These, if critters don't get them first, may start to germinate with next season's monsoon rains.

• Remove spent flower heads by pinching or clipping to extend their blooming season. 

• Harvest Herbs - Dry any excess for winter use or to give away as holiday gifts. Use rosemary stems as skewers for extra flavor to grilled items.