September is one of the most important months in the garden. Cooler nights and shorter days give plants a break from the summer heat, while the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth. It’s the perfect time to give your lawn and garden some attention that will set the stage for a beautiful yard next spring. Here’s your September checklist:

✅ Lawn Care

• Reseed bare patches: Early fall is the best time to repair thin or bare spots in the lawn. The soil is warm, and fall rains will help grass seed establish.

• Aerate compacted soil: If your lawn has heavy foot traffic, aeration improves root growth and water absorption.

• Apply fall fertilizer: A slow-release fertilizer (like Scotts or Espoma Organic Lawn Food) strengthens roots and prepares your lawn for winter.

✅ Garden Cleanup

• Remove spent annuals: Pull out tired summer flowers and add them to the compost pile. This makes room for fall plantings like mums, kale, and pansies.

• Cut back perennials as needed: Trim plants that are finished for the season, but leave ornamental grasses and seed heads for winter interest and wildlife.

• Rake early leaf drop: A layer of leaves can smother grass—keep up with raking to maintain lawn health.

✅ Fertilizing & Soil Care

• Feed perennials and shrubs: A dose of organic fertilizer, like Espoma Plant-tone, will keep roots strong through winter.

• Amend garden beds: Add compost or Coast of Maine soils to refresh planting areas before putting in fall flowers or bulbs.

• Prepare for bulbs: September is the time to condition soil for daffodils, tulips, and other spring-flowering bulbs you’ll plant later in the fall.

✅ Plant for Fall Color

• Add cool-season annuals: Mums, asters, pansies, and ornamental cabbage bring vibrant color to porches and beds.

• Refresh containers: Swap out summer arrangements with fresh fall container gardens and hanging baskets.

🍂 With the right care now, your lawn and garden will thank you come spring. Stop by Nunan’s Florist & Garden Center in Georgetown, MA for fall lawn fertilizers, Espoma organics, Coast of Maine soils, mums, bulbs, and more.

📱 Don’t forget—download our Nunan’s app for exclusive seasonal deals, or shop live plants shipped direct to your door at NunansDirect.com.