Burn Out in the Garden?

I have heard of plenty of people trying to offload their garden harvests to friends, families and near perfect strangers. We have had a great year for gardens, full of steady,( sometimes unwanted rains) and nice warm sunny weather. If you are in the crowd of abundance, you may already be worn out on tomatoes and cucumbers. I know better than to complain, but I also know better than to plant more than one cherry tomato plant, and yet I have three in my garden. I know I am already planning my garden for next year: less tomatoes, more flowers and more staggered harvests!

I am here to motivate ourselves to carry on and finish the growing season strong. Summer is not over, and we can extend our growing season of our gardens and prep our gardens and landscapes for another great year next year.

First, I will be hosting a class on dividing fall perennials in home landscapes on Sept. 17, at the Crawfordsville District Public Library at 6 p.m. Class is free and open to the public. I hope to see you there! “Dividing Perennials” class can help you in preparation for the Master Gardeners Fall Plant Exchange at the Fairgrounds on Sept. 27.  JOIN US FOR BOTH EVENTS!

September Lawn and Garden Tasks

• Prepare storage areas for overwintering tender flower bulbs and garden produce.
• Dig and repot herbs or take cuttings for growing indoors over the winter.
• Store leftover garden seed in a cool, dry place.  A sealable jar with a layer of silica gel or powdered milk in the bottom works well.
• Bring houseplants that were moved outside for the summer back indoors before night temperatures drop below 55˚F.  Gradually decrease the amount of light to acclimate the plants and help reduce leaf drop.  Be sure to control insects and diseases before putting the plants near other houseplants.
• To promote the lawn’s recovery from summer stress, apply high-nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 1 pound actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Early fall is a good time to apply broadleaf weed killers. Be sure to follow all label directions, and choose a calm day to prevent spray drift.
• Mow lawn to maintain a 2 to 2 1/2-inch height, removing no more than 1/3 of the height of the grass at any one time.
• Leave clippings on the lawn or add them to the compost pile. If needed, vertical thinning or power raking of the lawn will help control thatch build-up. Reseed bare spots or new lawns with a good quality seed mixture.
• The density of many lawns can be improved by introducing seed into the lawn and allowing these plants to germinate. The optimum time to seed cool-season turfgrasses is between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15^th. Watering so the seed does not dry out is still necessary, but ideally with this time of year, optimal rains and cooler temperatures reduce the number of waterings needed daily until the seed germinates.

Woody Ornamental Landscape Plants and Tree Fruits – September

• Harvest apples when flavor is sweet but before fruits soften. Harvest pears when the dots on the skin begin to turn brown.  Pears are best ripened to yellow off the tree.
• Clean up fallen fruits, twigs, and leaves around apple (including crabapple) and other fruit trees to reduce disease and insect carry-over.
  • For more information check out Purdue Publications:
    • Maintenance Calendar for Indiana Lawns AY-27
    • The Fall Vegetable Garden HO-66-W
    • Autumn Garden Calendar HO-93-W

Upcoming Events:

• Dividing Perennials – Sept. 17 at CDPL from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Donnelley Room
• Master Gardener Fall Plant Exchange – Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Fairgounds

Tricia Herr is the Extension Educator | Agriculture & Natural Resources. Email her at triciaherr@purdue.edu