This week in the garden: Sept. 13 - 19

Chitalpas are decidious trees that bloom for several months during the summer. They can be planted this time of year. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Tasks

• Repair damaged spots in cool-season lawns (such as tall fescue) by scratching with a rake, seeding and covering with mulch. Keep moist until the new grass seedlings are well established. Warm-season lawns like Bermuda grass will soon be entering their dormant season, so bare patches should be covered with mulch to discourage winter weeds.
• Use spent vegetable plants and summer annuals to start a compost pile.

Pruning

• Divide and thin perennials.
• Sharpen your pruning tools in preparation for fall pruning.

Fertilizing

• To avoid a flush of new growth late in the growing season, do not apply fertilizer to citrus, avocados or other frost?tender plants.

Planting

• If the weather is cool enough, plant spring bulbs and annuals.
• Annuals: calendula, Canterbury bell (Campanula), pansy (Viola).
• Perennials: catmint (Nepeta), dianthus, fortnight lily (Dietes), Lantana.
• Fruits and vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, parsley.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: barberry (Berberis), redbud (Cercis), fringe tree (Chionanthus), chitalpa.
• Tender leafy vegetables are best planted later in the month, and even then may require daily watering until they are well established.

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: fibrous begonia.
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: cyclamen.
• Trees, shrubs, vines: beautyberry (Callicarpa), bottlebrush (Callistemon), chitalpa.
• Fruits and vegetables: garlic, gourds, grapes, peaches.
• Fall color: Raywood ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), maidenhair (Ginkgo biloba).

Things to ponder

• Cover remaining tomato and pepper plants with a garden blanket to extend the harvest season into November.
• Limit the size of fall vegetable gardens to avoid over-production. Plant only the varieties that you know you will use and enjoy, or that you can share with others.