With Summer winding down, your garden can look a bit tired, but with some love your flowerbeds and veggies can keep going through this month and into next. So pull on your Dig It gloves and get out there! 

FLOWERS

September is the perfect month to divide perennials. Any clumping perennial like hostas, black-eyed Susans and grasses are simple to divide and will thrive while the soil is still warm but the baking sun is easing off a little.

Roses and dahlias can still bloom well into October, so keep deadheading to keep the blooms coming. A visit to your garden centre can score you some perennial bargains at this time of year and it’s a great time to spot the gaps in your flowerbeds.

Don’t forget your Dig It gloves when you’re planting and dividing. They’ll keep your hands and nails free from dirt debris and damage.

VEGGIES

Veggies like peas and beans, once they stop producing, can be left to rot into the soil providing nutritious nitrogen. Just pick all the stragglers and cut off the tops before you let them go.

Vegetables like marrows and your Halloween pumpkins need to harden up so they don’t rot before Halloween. So pick them at the end of the month, but leave them in a sunny spot for a few days. They may start to rot if left on the vine too long. Make sure you’re wearing your Dig It Gloves when harvesting.. some of the vines and leaves can be quite prickly!

LAWN

Your grass is having a growth-spurt right now… like a lanky teenager! Also like a teenager, any stress should be worked out before winter sets in. Now is the time to over-seed or lay new turn on bare spots.

Aerating and raking out thatch is a job for September too, especially if you have some waterlogged or mossy areas where getting some air down into the roots can help.

Raking and replacing sod can be hard on hands and nails, so protect yours with Dig It gloves!