September Fix It by Emma Ray Garrett Fall will be here before we know it. It's amazing! I've been doing these Fix It articles for almost a year! Wow, time sure does fly!! So, I asked some of my fellow authors what they'd like to see in September's contribution. They answered, overwhelmingly, "How do we get our ravaged yards/gardens/flower beds ready for next year?" It seems this spring and summer the weather has been fairly chaotic all over. From drastic and dangerous droughts, to extensive flooding, to severe weather, a lot of folks are wondering what to do in order to get their green spaces prepared for next year.

If you live in the northern states, by that I mean the northeast, northwest, upper Midwest, and northern Ohio River Valley, you'll want do some basic clean up as the leaves change and fall. Make sure if you're the composting-for-fertilizer type that you don't compost with leaves infected by black spot. Now is the time to fertilize your roses, too. Be careful to do this no LATER than six weeks before the first forecasted frost. In October you can mulch your beds and get them ready for the hard frost. If you use ash as a cover, keep it away from acid loving plants like azaleas, rhododendron, and blueberry. After the hard freeze, which usually comes in November, you'll want to cut back your perennials to about three inches tall so they will survive the winter. Some perennials, like dahlias and cannas, do better if you cut them back to an inch in height and actually remove the bulb from the ground. Dry the tuber out and store for winter. Oh, and don't cover the tree trunks with mulch.

For most of the rest of the country, September means migrating birds, so make sure the birdbaths and feeders are cleaned up. Aerate your lawn in the fall, and OVERSEED to renovate and thicken your grass. Keep mowing until the hard freeze, if possible. You can also plant mums and things like pansies and sweet alyssum to give you color into the colder months. Once October begins, it's time to take care of some of the more tropical plants that you may have. Wash the leaves and the plants in a basic soap and water solution, no antibacterial or degreasing stuff, just plain old soap, to prepare them for the move indoors. November is the time to sow your spring flowers and plants into your beds. That way, the spring seeds are all ready in the ground when it comes time to plant your bulbs. Don't forget to plant the early bulb bloomers like crocus, for color in February. Keep in mind, too, if you've planted those pansies or snapdragons, that they are voracious eaters. Treat them with a bloom booster every couple of weeks throughout the month.

Basically, fall is the time to get the beds cleaned up, seeded, fed and put to bed, LOL! Your hard work will net you a lush, vibrant spring and summer garden, I guarantee! Until next month, be naughty and love it!

Emma Ray