Changing Seasons: What Do in Your Seattle Garden for September

Don’t let the last gasps of Seattle summer fool you, the days are getting shorter and the turn of the seasons is here. September is a month of transitions. And while the lingering heat of summer may keep some plants going, it’s not too soon to start planning for the months to come.

Maintain through the heat

The first half of September can feel like the Pacific Northwest is making up for lost summer. Take advantage of this by continuing to harvest warm-weather crops like green beans and zucchini. As long as you keep them well maintained — picked and watered — you can expect them to keep producing while the weather is good. Don’t get lulled into complacency by the changing seasons, good watering is still crucial! Check out our August blog for more information on how to water smart.

Get a start on cold weather maintenance 

As temperatures start to drop later in the month, do yourself a favor and begin your winter preparations so you aren’t overwhelmed next month. Finish up pruning so trees and plants can heal before the cold.

This is also a time when it’s important to keep up with your weeding. Do it while it’s still nice out and save yourself the pain of having to root out thousands of seedlings months down the road.

If you have lawns to maintain, now is the time to do it: both because of the weather, and because of the reduced traffic from badminton or other summer activities. Seed sparse areas and aerate as necessary.

Plant cold-weather vegetables

Just because the weather is getting colder, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on edible crops. Broccoli, garlic, carrots and other cool-season crops offer rich nutrients and fresh flavors grown in the dark days of fall and winter. Washington State University has put together a guide of fall and winter crops that gives you the rundown on when to plant and harvest. Make sure you don’t wait too long: cold-weather crops need time to get up their strength for the colder months to come.

Prepare your flower garden 

On that note, it’s important to start your preparations for a colorful spring now. Give yourself something to look forward to by planting bulbs for tulips, daffodils and other perennials now. In the meantime, you can make up for the lack of leafy color among the evergreens by planting seasonal colors like asters or chrysanthemums.

If this all sounds like a lot of work to figure out, give us a call at 206-551-9872 to schedule a consultation on a PNW garden that looks good — year-round.