I’m a gardening expert and these are the four chores you need to do in September

While the garden furniture may be put away, September can still be a busy month for garden lovers.

Garden experts advise that it’s time to prepare for the fall colors and get your flower bulbs and spring flowering plants ready for next spring.

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But if you’re not sure where to start, Lucie Bradley – from Garden and Greenhouse Experts Two Wests and Elliott – revealed which tasks you should prioritize in the coming weeks.

Greetings

Lucie says it is important to take good care of your hanging baskets, tubs, pots and border plants.

She added: “If you look after them properly, they will flower for longer and keep your garden looking lush, even when the summer is still a bit sunny.

“Removing faded plants such as dahlias, delphiniums and roses with sharp scissors will keep them looking beautiful for longer.”

But it is also important to give your plants enough water. Pay a lot of attention to the containers and baskets and concentrate on watering the soil instead of the plants.

Lucie continues: “To prevent water from evaporating in the sun, you should water the plants when it is cooler, preferably early in the morning or late in the evening.”

Divide them

“During the months of September and October you should distribute pollen from perennials [longer-living plants] “in your garden,” says Lucie.

“It’s a great opportunity to pass plants on to friends and neighbors, or to propagate plants.”

Dividing perennials every two or three years is a good way to keep them healthy, as it encourages vigorous growth.

As a rule of thumb, if plants have flowered before June 21, the longest day of the year, they can be divided in the fall.

Perennials that can be divided include coneflowers, daylilies, larkspur, hardy geraniums, hostas, primroses and salvia.

Start by digging up the entire plant, shaking off as much loose soil as possible, and place the plant on a ground sheet.

Some plants, like hostas, can be divided with your hands. However, if the roots are more robust, you can use a sharp tool to cut them.

Lucie advises: “Divide perennials when the ground is dry enough to work. If we have a wet September/October this should be postponed until next spring.

“And when you replant the newly divided plants, you can use the dug hole to add garden compost or fertilizer. This will give them the best start in their new location.”

Autumn colour

Lucie, who has green fingers, also believes that garden lovers should start setting up and planting new autumn/winter hanging baskets and containers so that they can enjoy a beautiful autumn colour show.

She advises looking for plants that are suited to smaller spaces and cooler temperatures.

Here’s a quick guide to suitable plants to get you started:

• Hardy Chrysanthemums – For hanging baskets, stick to miniature varieties. There is usually a huge range of colors to choose from
• Hardy Cyclamen – Perfect for adding a splash of colour with their healthy green leaves, slender stems and striking flowers (white, pink and red) this autumn
• Primroses – Robust little plants, perfect for compact spaces that have a powerful presence with bright hues
• Winter Heather – Heather blooms all winter long, adding a splash of colour and texture to your basket

For contrast and texture, you can also add some foliage plants to the pots, such as ivy, asparagus, heuchera and ornamental cabbage and grasses.

Spring preparation

Depending on where in the UK you live and what you sow, the weather may dictate whether you can sow hardy annuals directly into the ground or germinate them in a greenhouse or propagator.

Hardy annuals that you can normally sow directly in your garden:

• Marigold / Marigold
• Candy
• Cerinthe / Honeywort
• Bright
• Cornflowers / Scabiosa
• Eschscholzia / Californian poppy
• Delphinium
• Love in the Mist / Nigella
• She-wolf
• Sage

Whether sowing directly in the open ground will work depends largely on the weather. In the spring, however, you will get large, strong plants with a healthy root system.

Use fleece or cloches to protect your plants from cold weather.

Lucie says: “To ensure that sown seeds germinate successfully, you need to make sure the soil is free of weeds and stones.

“Loosen the soil with a hand fork (or soil rake) so that it becomes fine and crumbly, so that young seedlings can more easily reach the surface to get light.

“Use plant tags to record the name of the plant you planted. Add additional information, such as the date the plant was planted, to keep track of when it should germinate.”