The timing is ideal since September is a great month to work in the yard and add plants with days long, temperatures moderate, and the weather still generally dry so lets get to it. Its time to start transitioning your Yard, Garden or Planters for the third growing season of the year. Given a strong chance of an exceptionally wet El Nino, planting now may be your bet chance of getting things done before the weather gets wet.

During the Tree Sale, we will also be having, The Ugly Plant Sale runs at the same time so come to fetch some crazy good deals while they last.

For you gardeners who "grow your own", the choice this month is whether to extend the harvest of existing summer veg and flowers or to prep and start your fall and winter garden. I do both. First thing you should know though, is that

To extend summer harvest, remove all but the healthiest plants and trim back overgrown plants back to core blooming sections to allow sun and circulation. Any tomatoes or things that look diseased (black leaves, mildew, mite or heavy caterpillar damage) dispose in the trash! The remainder are for your compost pile- I recommend chopping them up (I run them over with my lawn mower) before adding into the compost. If you grew corn, salvage the stalks for Halloween decorations.

Fertilize the remaining cut flowers, peppers, pumpkins, fall squash, eggplant, tomatoes with a liquid fertilizer to give a final push for any developing fruit or buds. You will be pleasantly surprised by the yield you will get by end of October!

I always have a fallow row or two in the summer garden just so I can start fall garden plants early. Be selective in what you plant first, Leafy greens are ideal from arugula to Lettuce to spinach. Root veggies that can be seeded are next -Beets, carrots, turnips, radishes will all benefit from an early septemeber start. Other "root" types include onion (bulbs and seed types like scallions), garlic, potatoes. Hold off on cabbage until October since the Cabbage loopers are a bother late summer.

Fall veggies and color 6-packs are arriving this week! Come to the sale to save, and grab some discounted 2026 seed packs.

Speaking of seeds, we will be hosting a Seed Workshop on September 19. I'll be teaching about using seeds for the home (sprouts) yard (wildflower, sweet peas, and cover crops), and garden veggie and cut flower choices.

S.E.P.T.E.M.B.E.R

S: Seed your Future! September is the perfect time to plant cool season veg and flowers for transplant or directly. If you'd like to learn more about using seeds in your garden, sign up for the Seed Workshop I'll be hosting on September 19th. I'll cover topics including using seeds to start transplants, growing sprouts, using microgreens in the garden, What is best sown directly in the garden, seed onions, potatoes. Seeding wildflowers, or a winter cut flower array. Will start at 9 am and go till 10:30...

E: Evergreens and Conifers will be coming in later in the month so they can be planted when the weather cools a bit more. If you want something larger, come to the Fall Sale and find a remaining spruce or pine that have a year's growth already. Arrive early on the 5th and bring your truck as supplies are limited.

P: Plumeria and other tropical plants are available! Yes, September is a good time to buy plumeria, hibiscus and with the moderating temps and good sunlight, will like start to bloom since the sun intensity is less likely to scorch them! Plant Plumeria in a large but squat pots with a sandier soil to avoid root rot (use a sandy cactus or palm soil blend! The shorter pot provides good ballast to keep them from tipping in wind. Once temps go below 50 at night, move them inside by your brightest windows for the winter! Water deeply then let the top soil gets dry. Feed with a bloom fertilizer like 10-30-10. We have what you need here!

T: Tree Planting is a safer bet in the fall because early rains will help support tree roots and lower temperature reduce stress. That said, be sure to add a starter fertilizer, Vitamin B and soil amendments when you plant. The important thing is to stake your trees using a cross tie strap between two stakes since winter wind will be a worry.

E: Every NFL Team has colors, and Belmont has every color flower you need to represent your team! Niner fans need red cyclamen and gold calendulas to get things started on those front porch pots and planters. You can even use Red Lettuce! We will have a full range of annuals and perennials to help you get through past the Super Bowl! Seriously! Gold, white and Light Blue Pansies for the Chargers, Black pansies and jump up Violas with the silver dusty Miller and silver leaf dianthus for them Raider Fans! For Ram fans, there's certainly a Millennium Blue and Gold flower out there as well.

M: Make some Compost! Its that time of year to pull out tired summer garden plants and composting fresh material add scoops of soil in with the plant debris to inoculate the pile with good "bugs" and start breaking it down. You can also buy compost starter or use leftover organic fertilizer you have around. This gives composting a real boost when the rains come to help it compost quicker.

B: Bulbs! Tulips, Daffodils, Narcissus, hyacinths, I know its still hot, but stores and mail order dealers will be promoting them as will we so selection is going to be best this month. Plant sooner rather than later; so you can have the most fun designing that early spring show stopper!

E: End of Summer? Not yet... The Fall season will start this month but September can be HOT AND DRY so care for any plants you purchase with the same care and extra water you've been providing all summer. Before planting and trees or shrubs, soak the hole with some extra water before putting the well watered root ball in it. Then soak again after backfilling with both native soil and amendments. Check soil moisture every couple days and refresh as necessary.

Save water...Its time to reduce your sprinkler seasonal adjust back to normal. Its also time to ready lawns for winter by thatching Bermuda and overseeding with rye grass seed. If your fescue is looking patchy, thatch any Bermuda patches and reseed with fescue seed and top dress with good humus; since the next two months are an ideal time to rehab fescue lawns.

R: Root Crops! If there is one thing you can plant now that pays dividends its root crops. Radish and beets are ready to start using quickly and will supply your kitchen all winter. But carrots, turnips, rhubarb take longer. Root crops are best planted as seeds. The other root crops to consider are Onions, Garlic and Potatoes. Putting them in during fall will increase yield size next spring and summer.

Events Coming Up:

Sept. 19: Seed Workshop 9am - 11am. Register on the even page link below.

Oct. 3: Plan and Plan seminar at Harlan Ranch. It's an event setup by the Harlan Ranch folks, but our designers will be there to discuss your yard and options to have designs made for your properties.



November Wreath Making Workshops! Are just around the corner and fill up fast! Check the Belmont Nursery webpage to register for the early classes so you can make Thanksgiving or Christmas season wreaths. If you have a large group you can also arrange a private event. There are several dates on the schedule but class size is limited so we recommend you sign up early!

Don't miss out! Check out our websites event page for updates!