September is the best month to plant any new trees and shrubs. You still have plenty of time to get them in the ground. Root growth continues into late fall, and plants won’t dry out due to the heat of spring or summer.

Be sure you water at planting time and each week until they go dormant with the onset of frost. If you don’t have any space for your new additions right now, submerge your tree or plant’s roots in your vegetable garden — pot and all.

Get weeds out of your garden during September or they will make it even harder next spring. Since bare soil is an invitation for weeds, consider covering your soil with a mulch. You could try layers of wet newspaper covered with straw, compost, or manure.

Coverage will control late fall and early spring weed growth, while providing organic matter. Fall weeding works best as the weeds are done growing for the year.

There are two strategies for building your garden soil for the year ahead: consider spreading compost or planting cover crops. Before you spread your compost, dig or lightly till in any plants that aren’t diseased so they will return nutrients to the soil.

Spread your compost, even if it’s not well decomposed. This will protect your soil over the winter. Or consider planting cover crops such as buckwheat or annual rye. Your cover crops will grow this fall and early spring.

Winter won’t wait on your houseplants. Make sure your houseplants are ready for winter by inspecting for insects, trimming dead foliage and stems, and re-potting if needed. Gradually move houseplants into shadier conditions. This allows them to adjust to less sunlight before bringing them inside out of the freezing temperatures.

What have you been doing to get your garden ready for Winter? We are interested in finding out any strategies homeowners are using.

Feel free to share your ideas anytime! If you have any questions or need help in your yard, just let us know.