Toddlers one day, high school graduates the next day. This time of year, Sacramento gardens evolve from summer heat into fall with that type of astonishing speed.
The autumnal equinox begins Sept. 22. Around that date concerns germinate about cool season gardening. Is it too late to plant? Do I have enough time to order? Up go hands in surrender and disappointment.
Extending the gardening season into fall and winter requires mindfulness and follow-through. No need to pull up tomatoes and peppers quite yet, but if you want home-grown, cool-season vegetables or to replace dead or dying perennials, shrubs and trees, roll off the hammock and get busy.
Fall is the preferred time to replace landscape plants and trees. The benefit is the development of root systems so plants become established by spring. Ideally, plants will take off when temperatures warm.
Unfortunately, selections can be limited in late summer. Most buying happens in spring and early summer. We’re faced with leftovers and root-bound plants as fall nears.
Shop wisely. Pop the plant out of its nursery container, if possible, and examine the roots. If roots wrap around the bottom in a thick, tangled mass, look for another.
Root pruning, or cutting off a portion of the encircling roots, and untangling the mess is possible. If that sounds like too much work, order the preferred plant for spring, the second-best season to plant.
Consider adding low-maintenance native plants to landscapes and look for fall plant sales, like the UC Davis Arboretum fall sale.
Tired summer annuals in patio and deck containers can be swapped out with fall annuals in late September if the weather cooperates. It’s easy and the results are spectacular. Pansies, calendula, primrose, violas and Iceland poppies are good choices.
If discarded summer annuals are not diseased or infested with insect pests, trim them into 4- or 5-inch pieces and toss them into a compost pile for homemade soil amendments. The same can be accomplished with summer vegetables.
Cool season edibles that can be seeded directly into soil this time of year are carrots, beets, kale, peas, radishes and turnips. Seedlings of leaf lettuce, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage, chard, mustard and spinach are ready for planting, too.
Before planting, amend the soil. After planting, spread leaf or straw mulch to help retain soil moisture and discourage weeds from competing with seedlings.
Purchase garlic, shallots and onion sets. I plant these later in September or early October. Grow bags or large containers accommodate all of the above if in-ground planting and winter maintenance seems more of a chore.
Garlic takes eight or nine months to mature, so keep that in mind if limited planting space is a concern. Home-grown garlic is significantly better than grocery store garlic. The many amazing varieties of garlic are another bonus.
Keep an eye on watering needs of newly planted fruit trees and citrus. September is often hot and regular watering and heavy mulching is essential to keep them healthy and bearing fruit. Citrus is especially welcomed in winter. Sweet navel oranges and mandarins are amazing when December rolls around.
Spring blooming bulbs inject a cheery blast of color. If you order bulbs, get busy now before favorites sell out. Or get to the nursery once it stocks bulbs.
Watsonia, sparaxis, Dutch and bearded iris, daffodil, ranunculus, freesia and crocus are among the bulbs that can be planted in September. Locally, tulips are best planted in November and December.
Gardeners are drawn to certain bulbs for assorted reasons. My current favorites are sparaxis and ranunculus. Let me know your favorites!
Heavily trafficked lawn areas may benefit from aeration where soil cores are removed to allow for air and water penetration. Also ask the landscape team (or do it yourself) to fertilizer the lawn.
A nitrogen-heavy fertilizer, such as a 10-5-5 or 12-6-6 is best. The three numbers, in order, stand for nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium.
Chores galore. Gardeners, start your engines!
Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County. He can be reached at masterg29@gmail.com. For answers to gardening questions, contact UCCE Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338, email mgsacramento@ucanr.edu or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
