September is the perfect month for a fresh start and look. After a long, hot summer I’m sure there are a lot of us with a few sad looking plants. Don’t give up on them just yet. With shorter days and cooler nights, now is a great time to give your plants a major haircut. They’ve got plenty of time left before the threat of frost comes which will allow them time to fill back out.
By cutting back your plants you’ll lose all or most of your blooms, but that’s ok. Plants like petunias, verbena, diascia, lobelia, and calibrachoa do really well with a good trim. Don’t be afraid to cut them back by as much as half their size. The fresh, new growth will help them look as good as they did at the beginning of summer.
Plants like coleus, salvia, osteospermums, cosmos, daisies, and snapdragons may or may not need as heavy of a cut. I often cut back floppy or unruly stems, leaving the good ones alone. We get a lot of wind, which causes damage to many of my bigger plants. I usually end up cutting them back more than I normally would, to even things up a bit.
No matter what you’re cutting back, make sure to do it during the cooler part of the day. Mornings are always ideal.
Adding in new items is also beneficial. Now through October is a great time to plant for a fresh new look. There is still enough day length and warmth to allow healthy roots of pansies, snapdragons, ornamental kale, mums, and perennials to take hold before the winter months set in. To learn more join us for our fall planting class Sept 14th @ 10am. The class is free but you do need to call to sign up at 541-482-2866.
