September is a month of transition between the seasons for many. It often provides sun and warmer day temperatures for the summer lovers and cooler night temperatures and foliage starting to change for the fall lovers. Not to mention pumpkin spice lattes! September is also a transition period for your garden. Special care is needed to ensure a smooth transition for your yard into fall and thereafter winter. Here are some things you can do in and around the garden in September.

Assessment

Inspect your lawn and garden for damage from the warm summer months. Identify and remove any dead garden plants and annuals. Locate dead or damaged areas of turf to repair this month or October.

Plant, Plant, Plant

September is one of the best months to do any type of planting. You can plant fall blooming perennials like mums or annuals such as ornamental cabbages or kale. Now is also a great time to plant fall bulbs like daffodils and tulips. Other perennials can also be planted at this time. You can also divide perennials and/or transplant perennials around the garden. Trees can be planted at this time.

Aerate Your Lawn

Core lawn aeration is one of the best things you can do to establish a healthy lawn. Core aeration pulls plugs out of your soil, which allows air, water and nutrients to better reach grass plant roots. It also stimulates new growth that will increase the density of your turf. Aeration can be done in conjunction with overseeding to provide a pocket in the soil for the grass seed to germinate in.

Repair Your Existing Lawn or Start Over

Now is a great time to spot repair dead spots in a lawn or start a new lawn from scratch. The cooler temps will allow more grass seed to germinate and grow in comparison to the last few months.