Garden Tasks for September in Acadiana: By Dan Weintritt and friends

Adapted from Month-by-Month Gardening in Louisiana by Dan Gill

Yes, it's September, i. e., the second month of August. Garden chores will

be much the same as last month. Do not plant or move things that can wait a

month, when cooler weather and shorter days will come. Keep in mind that

plants installed now may need to be watered twice a day to stay alive. Happily,

all our well-established natives should be able to handle the harsh weather. If

we are experiencing drought, keep in mind that some of our natives are

wetland plants, and our suburban yards are not natural wetlands. Moisture-

dependent species like Dahoon and Inkberry Holly, Sweetbay Magnolia, and

others may require extra water.

Deadheading can be done one final time, if desired, but isn't necessary. The

impending shorter days will push plants that are capable of fall bloom to do so.

I personally begin to leave all seedheads on plants from this point on, because

they will provide food to the migrating birds soon to arrive here.

You should begin to see fall bloomers, like goldenrod, the perennial

sunflowers, and ironweed, begin to flower. These are pollinator magnets. See

if you are getting new insect visitors on these plants.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds should be beginning their fall migration. While

we do have pairs that stay in our area year-round, hummers all the way from

Canada will be making their way down here, either to spend the winter, or to

fuel up in our nectar-filled gardens before crossing the Gulf into Mexico for

winter. Malvaviscus arboreus, the Turk's Cap Hibiscus, should be at peak

bloom to provide them with abundant food. Happily, this easy-to-grow native

blooms in full sun to full shade, and in wet or dry soils. Scarlet Sage, Fall

Obedient Plant, Coral Honeysuckle, and Crossvine are others that provide

great nectar for hummers. If you have all the flowers and still have few

hummingbirds, you might lack the trees and shrubs that give them shelter from

weather and predators. Hummers expend lots of energy flapping those wings

so quickly, and need to perch and rest often while feeding.

Areas where plants failed, or that have recently been purged of weeds, are

best mulched and left absent of plants. Mulching these bare spots will help

keep out unwanted invasive plants until you are able to plant what you like.

Prime planting time for perennials is October through April, while this author

really prefers January and February.

If you haven't yet, order seeds and bulbs now for future planting. Some need

a period of cold-stratification of 6-12 weeks in the refrigerator (simulating

winter conditions) before being ready to plant. Continue to check seedpods for

just-papery, dried husks for spring sowing. Fall plant sale announcements

should be popping up (see this newsletter) this month. Content yourself in this

last month of summer with big plans for pleasant gardening in the near future!

If your Louisiana Irises have not been blooming well, and you did not divide

them last month, you can still do that now. Lift an entire rhizome, and break off

the vigorous parts with fresh growth to replant. This task will open up bed

space for Irises to grow and bloom with renewed vigor. The older, woodier part

of the rhizome can simply be composted, or tried somewhere new, though this

part of the stem will not typically put out much new growth.