• Stake large-flowered chrysanthemum plants and remove some buds for
larger blooms.
• Cut back annuals as they finish blooming.
Houseplants. Bring in all houseplants by mid-month. Be sure to check for
insects, spraying them if necessary, before bringing them indoors. Take cuttings to start
new plants of geraniums, coleus, and other annuals that you want to keep as
houseplants or plant outside next summer. Start covering Christmas cactus nightly to ensure
they get the necessary 12 hours of darkness every night that will bring them to bloom
in December.
Watering. Begin to cut back on watering; plants need to start going dormant
soon. Too much water at this time can force tender growth—just what you don't want.
Planting.
• Begin planting spring-blooming bulbs and lilies that you are dividing.
• Plant peonies, pansies, and ornamental cole crops (kale, cabbage, etc.)
Continue planting perennials and seeds of hardy annuals including Chrysanthemums
and pansies.
• Planting cool-weather vegetables in a cold frame or protected area will give you
an early winter harvest and a head start for spring: lettuce, spinach, radishes,
carrots, onions, broccoli, and snow peas are good candidates.
• Identify seedlings and offshoots like Penstemon, poppies, lemon balm, statice,
and strawberries that have appeared in your garden. Move them or give them away by
the 15th so they will have time to become established before winter.
Lawns.
• NOW is the time to fertilize cool season grasses with a high nitrogen product.
The weather has cooled and the grasses are revitalized. Fertilizer will improve
the appearance of grass and promote healthy root growth.
• Reseed where necessary to fill in bare patches.
• Begin to cut back on lawn watering (except newly seeded areas) to
encourage hardening off for the winter.
Around Town in September
The big agricultural event in September is the NEW MEXICO STATE
FAIR and with it, a variety of horticultural exhibits. Flower, fruit, and vegetable
exhibitions and competitions are scheduled throughout the fair; check the newspaper or at
the fairgrounds. Most local garden clubs and plant societies provide special exhibits
and sponsor shows; advance information about these is available at the
Albuquerque Garden Center (296-6020).
Weather
September weather is slightly cooler, but it's two months too soon to put away your summer
clothes. (Exception: white shoes!) Average nighttime lows are in the 50's, and the daytime highs are in the low
80's with plenty of sunshine. The monsoon pattern is ending. September will get less than one inch of rain
on average.
What's Blooming
Lots of things! September is the garden finale. Shrubs and trees begin to provide color and texture.
It is a BIG blooming month - think May! Asters, Ageratum, cock's comb
(Celosia), Cosmos, Chrysanthemum, Dahlias, Gladiola, globe amaranth, goldenrod
(Solidago), marigolds (Tagetes), petunias, Salvias, spider
lily (Lycoris), and Zinnias. Roses, of course!
All of the annuals you seeded in June will bloom this month, and early season perennials like
delphinium and Maltese cross will re-bloom if they were deadheaded after their first bloom.
Xeric Blooms
Giant hyssop (Agastache cana), `Autumn Joy'
(Sedum telephium) and other Sedums are strong in
the garden. New England Aster (Aster
novaeangliae), New Mexican sunflower (Helianthus
maximiliana), and rabbitbrush chamisa (Chrysothamnus
nauseosus) are seen in gardens and on the roadside. Many
earlier bloomers continue or rebloom.
To Do List
• Plan ahead to force bulbs for winter flowering indoors. Some bulbs, such as tulips, need 12 to 14 weeks
of chilling before they will bloom. A chart of chill time requirements is usually available in bulb catalogs
and books.
• Use only phosphate fertilizers on perennials and bulbs, no nitrogen at this point. Do not fertilize annuals
or roses.
The COUNCIL OF ALBUQUERQUE GARDEN CLUBS sponsors standard flower shows, a rose show, and
two youth shows at the Fair. Any non-commercial gardener or designer may enter I, II, AND IV in the following divisions:
• DIVISION I: HORTICULTURE AWARDS - Includes the following sections: Annuals; Perennials;
Biennials; Hardy Annuals and Tender Perennials; Bulbs, Corms, Rhizomes, and Tubers; Salvia; Shrubs and Trees; Seeds,
Pods, and Foliage; Fruits and Vegetables; Herbs and Container Plants; Dahlias; Orchids.
• DIVISION II: DESIGN COMPETITION - There are several sections in the design competition.
• DIVISION III: YOUTH COMPETITION - Horticulture and design sections for ages pre-school through 17.
• DIVISION IV: ROSES
• DIVISION V: EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS - Non-competitive exhibits by clubs, businesses, and
plant societies.
All events take place at the flower building on the Fair Grounds. For complete information and rules
for exhibitors, contact the Albuquerque Garden Center (296-6020) and ask for a State Fair Flower Show Schedule.
PLANTS OF THE SOUTHWEST, a local nursery, features a free speaker series each fall (August to November).
Local experts offer advice on a wide range of topics including how to start and maintain a vegetable garden and how
to handle "trouble spots" in the garden. Call 344-8830 for details.
Santa Fe Greenhouses will be hosting a series of weekly GARDENING TALKS. These are held every
Saturday afternoon at the nursery, 2904 Rufino Street, Santa Fe. Admission is free and reservations are not required.
There is also a GARDEN ART SHOW this month at Santa Fe Greenhouses. The show features art and
handicrafts. There are garden tours, demonstrations, drawings, food and entertainment.
The RIO GRANDE BOTANIC GARDEN changes the color beds late this month, taking out summer
flowers and putting in pots of chrysanthemums of many different sizes, colors, and shapes. Pansies and violas go in at this
time for fall through spring display.
As the weather cools it will be time to plant SPRING-BLOOMING BULBS, which begin to turn up at
the nurseries this month. Shop early for good selection. Store in a cool place until you are ready to plant.
On the first Saturday of September, THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL publishes "The Journal Garden
Planner" for fall in the "Home Style" section. This seasonal feature is offered quarterly.
SOUTHWEST YARD & GARDEN, hosted by Curtis Smith and John White, is aired weekly on the
following public television stations: KRWG-TV (Las Cruces), KENW-TV (Portales), and KNME-TV (Albuquerque). Check
a
local TV schedule for days of the week and times, or contact the Bernalillo County
Cooperative Extension Office at 243-1386.
"SHARE THE PRODUCE" continues through October. Take any excess good
quality produce to any of the Albuquerque area ROWLAND NURSERIES. Produce is
accepted Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and is distributed through the
"Storehouse" to those in need. Another pick-up site for "Share the Produce" is RIO
RANCHO GARDEN CENTER.
(book excerpt used by permission) | 
