Gardens And Verses: September Tips

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have rose.” 

— Abraham Lincoln

• Reduce watering so plants can begin their hardening-off process in preparation for dormancy. 

• Direct-seed fall-season crops including lettuce, spinach, radishes, Swiss chard, kale and arugula.

• Pinch off new yellow tomato flowers since these blossoms won’t have time to mature; the plant will then focus on ripening existing fruit.

• Continue to harvest crops, and watch for frost in the forecast.

• A dry summer is conducive to powdery mildew; remove and destroy seriously infected plants to prevent spread next season.

• Aerate your lawn, fertilize, add seed, and control weeds to give you a beautiful green yard next spring. 

• Amend soil with organic compost or manure.

• Shop for flower bulbs.

• Collect seed pods of plants you wish to propagate or share at seed exchanges.

Monthly garden tips are submitted by Park Hill Garden Walk organizer Kate Blanas. The Garden Walk, held every June, includes tours of some of the neighborhood’s most interesting and beautiful gardens. To suggest gardens or artists that could be featured, contact Paula Marinelli at paulagardenwalk@gmail.com.

Common Ground Screening

On Sunday, Sept. 15 Saint Thomas Episcopal Church will host a free screening of the star-studded documentary Common Ground (commongroundfilm.org) at 4 p.m. in their community room at 2201 Dexter St. The film explores unjust practices in the current farm system and farmers who are utilizing regenerative models of agriculture to balance the climate. Please RSVP at saintthomasdenver.org. Check out Happenings on page 5 for more about the documentary.