September Calendar for La Voz

Darrell Blackwelder

August 15, 2005

September

*September is the month to start fertilizing cool season lawns. Slow release fertilizers work best; those that have a 4-1-2 ratio work best.  Those that prefer to use grade or a combination should split applications of 10-10-10 fertilizer again in October and November.  Use about 5 pounds each month.  Use the holidays as a rule of thumb to fertilize lawns-Labor Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

*Core aerate cool season lawns when the soil is damp and soft.  Irrigation may be necessary to allow easy penetration of plugs.

*Reseed thin areas of cool season turf with 3-4 pounds of turf type fescue per 1000 square feet.  Completely bare areas or new lawns should be seeded with 5-7 pounds of turf type fescue per 1000 square feet.

*Continue to irrigate fall garden during dry periods.  Side dress leafy vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower with a complete fertilizer to promote growth during the early fall.

*Yellow jackets can be a serious pest for tail-gaiters or those that want to grill-out before cold weather arrives.  Workers searching for food will challenge you for a bit of your hot dog or soft drink.  Find the nest and destroy with over the counter aerosol wasp and hornet sprays.

*Harvest pumpkins and gourds when the stems are brown and rinds are hardened.  Wash pumpkins with 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to extend the life by killing bacteria and fungi.

*Dig sweet potatoes before hard frost.  Cure at a high temperature, around 80 degrees for a few days and then store in a cool, dry location.  These roots should last many months.

*Plant pansies when temperatures begin to cool.  Use a starter solution to high phosphorus liquid house plant fertilizer to give them an extra boost of growth before cold weather arrives. Keep the dead heads pinched back.

*Mums are a favorite fall flower in Rowan County.  Yellow seems to be the favorite color, but there are a host of brilliant fall colored mums.  Select late bloomers for full season color.  Rowan County has very, good mum producers.

*Perennials such as liriope, daylilies and hosta can be divided this month.  Plants should be healthy and at least three years old.

*Hot peppers can be harvested by pulling entire plant and hanging in cool dry location.  Peppers will dry and can be used in cooking or for decoration.

Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. For archived garden columns or other information, visit the Rowan County Master Gardener web site at www.rowanmastergardener.com , e-mail Darrell_Blackwelder@ncsu.edu