By Dan Weintritt and Friends
Created for use by the Louisiana Native Plant Society with the Acadiana Native Plant Project
Made in the style of Dan Gill's Month by Month Gardening in Louisiana, Cool Springs Press, Copyright 1999, 2006
Yes, it's September, i. e., the second month of August. Garden chores will be much the same as last month. Do not plant or move things that can wait a month, when cooler weather and shorter days will come. Keep in mind that plants installed now may need to be watered twice a day to stay alive. Happily, all our well-established natives should be able to handle the harsh weather. If we are experiencing drought, keep in mind that some of our natives are wetland plants, and our suburban yards are not natural wetlands. Moisture-dependent species like Dahoon and Inkberry Holly, Sweetbay Magnolia, and others may require extra water.
Deadheading can be done one final time, if desired, but isn't necessary. The impending shorter days will push plants that are capable of fall bloom to do so. I personally begin to leave all seedheads on plants from this point on, because they will provide food to the migrating birds soon to arrive here.
You should begin to see fall bloomers, like goldenrod, the perennial sunflowers, and ironweed, begin to flower. These are pollinator magnets. See if you are getting new insect visitors on these plants.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds should be beginning their fall migration. While we do have pairs that stay in our area year-round, hummers all the way from Canada will be making their way down here, either to spend the winter, or to fuel up in our nectar-filled gardens before crossing the Gulf into Mexico for winter. Malvaviscus arboreus, the Turk's Cap Hibiscus, should be at peak bloom to provide them with abundant food. Happily, this easy-to-grow native blooms in full sun to full shade, and in wet or dry soils. Scarlet Sage, Fall Obedient Plant, Coral Honeysuckle, and Crossvine are others that provide great nectar for hummers. If you have all the flowers and still have few hummingbirds, you might lack the trees and shrubs that give them shelter from weather and predators. Hummers expend lots of energy flapping those wings so quickly, and need to perch and rest often while feeding.
Areas where plants failed, or that have recently been purged of weeds, are best mulched and left absent of plants. Mulching these bare spots will help keep out unwanted invasive plants until you are able to plant what you like. Prime planting time for perennials is October through April, while this author really prefers January and February.
If you haven't yet, order seeds and bulbs now for future planting. Some need a period of cold-stratification of 6-12 weeks in the refrigerator (simulating winter conditions) before being ready to plant. Continue to check seedpods for just-papery, dried husks for spring sowing. Fall plant sale announcements should be popping up (see this newsletter) this month. Content yourself in this last month of summer with big plans for pleasant gardening in the near future!
If your Louisiana Irises have not been blooming well, and you did not divide them last month, you can still do that now. Lift an entire rhizome, and break off the vigorous parts with fresh growth to replant. This task will open up bed space for Irises to grow and bloom with renewed vigor. The older, woodier part of the rhizome can simply be composted, or tried somewhere new, though this part of the stem will not typically put out much new growth.
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