Smart Gardening in September:
 

• Need more space to garden? Many councils allow residents to plant nature strips within certain conditions – see guidelines for Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong and Moonee Valley.
• Are you renting? Listen to the inspirational story of rental food gardener Justin Calverley
• Nutritious vegies need nutritious soil – so before you get stuck into your spring plantings add an inch or two of compost to your vegie beds. Digging in the compost can damage your soil structure (and your back!), so instead try gently mixing the compost into the top few inches using a levering action with a garden fork. This also aerates the soil for better root and water penetration. Some hungry crops like zucchini, tomatoes, corn and broccoli will appreciate extra fertiliser such as blood and bone or chook manure for best results.
• You can plant seeds and seedlings for most summer vegies now, but the soil is still not warm enough for capsicum, eggplant, chilli and basil so raise them in punnets in a warm microclimate and wait til October before planting into beds. Growing from seed will give you the best quality plants and value for money.
• Are holes appearing in your seedlings? It’s important to check young plants regularly – if you can’t find the culprit during the day then check at night because many pests are nocturnal to avoid birds.
• Did you have problems with caterpillars, aphids and whiteflies last year? Plant some flowers to attract beneficial insects like predatory wasps, hoverflies, ladybirds and lacewings that will keep their numbers under control. A mix of daisy shaped flowers like calendula or native Brachyscome daisies, umbrella shaped flowers like parsley or yarrow, and other small flowers like alyssum will do the trick.
• If you’ve been keeping a garden diary, now is the time to review your Winter patch. What did you learn? Which plants were most productive? What did you need more or less of? Draw up a plan now so you remember what to plant next year.
• Many varieties of citrus ripen in Winter and Spring when almost no other fruits are ready. Now is the time to plant citrus and prune existing trees for shape and to let light into the centre. We have so many lemons in Melbourne – why not grow oranges or mandarins and swap with your neighbours? Citrus trees are more demanding to establish than many other fruit trees but we have some notes to help. Also check out this fantastic in-depth local guide to growing citrus and a guide to diagnosing nutrient deficiencies in citrus.
• It’s during the Spring ‘hungry gap’ that perennial vegetables really shine. Asparagus, globe artichokes, chokos, wild rocket, walking onions, sorrel, and perennial leeks are just a few examples of plants that are ready to harvest now. If there’s nothing ready to harvest in your patch right now, why not plant some of these reliable perennials for next year?
• For a list of what to plant in September, see Gardening Australia’s Vegie Guide.

My Smart Garden Events

Local Sustainability News and Events

Please note these are not My Smart Garden events/programs. Refer to events for organiser details.

Recommended Reading: