🏈 September '24
The fall garden, ragweed season, a full market, and the comfort of college football.
September marks the beginning of Fall. The days are becoming shorter. The world around us continues an inevitable march towards a winter’s sleep. I love September. It’s my favorite month.
One reason I love September is college football swings back into action. A few nights ago, Morgan and I were on the couch watching one of the first college football games of the season. Morgan, cup of tea in hand, said, “college football is so comforting to me.” I said, “Really?!” I was surprised because this was the same girl who had student tickets during the 2010 Auburn football season when we went undefeated. She never once went to a game. She replied that it isn’t the actual game that is comforting to her. It is the sounds of the crowd, the whistle blowing, the lights, the announcers. It awakens memories of childhood. Of going to Nana’s. Eating comfort foods. Playing with cousins. Every Saturday in the fall. Like many in the south, it runs deep for both of us. It’s a comforting part of this season.
Gardening in September
September is to the fall garden what April is to the spring garden. There is a lot of planting going on!
✔️Planting/Transplanting - Arugula, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, radishes, spinach, and turnips
🌱Any seeds that we started indoors during August will likely be ready to transplant into the garden this month. Before doing so, it’s vital that we harden them off. This means we slowly introduce them to their new home. Seedlings are tender and will need to be slowly introduced to the “real world.” To do this, I like to use the simple method of putting outside for 1 hour the first day, 2 the second day, 3 the third day, and so forth until its been about a week of doing this. There are a few very important points here that we must remember: 1) Do not put in the direct sunlight. Particularly on the first day. 2) Do NOT let your seedlings dry out. Keep them well watered throughout this process of hardening off. 3) Don’t let your starts get rained on, eaten by your pets or rabbits, or knocked around by heavy wind. Seems complicated, but its not. Set a reminder on your phone to pull them in. Keep them watered and protected. Once they are hardened, they will thrive in your garden.
🍂 Mulch replenishing! If you have been on gardening auto-pilot the last couple months like our family, you might want to check your mulch levels. Keep them up so they will help you maintain steady moisture and keep your garden weed-free while you stay cool inside, in the shade, or by the pool.
🧹September will most likely be the last month of harvesting our warm season crops. It’s tempting to let fruit rot in the garden. Please don’t! It will harbor diseases and pests and make next year harder on you. Now is not the time to let up! Keep your garden clean.
🧹🧹Speaking of clean - summer weeds are going to seed right now. They were all created to do whatever it takes to keep coming back every year and we should be thankful for that. However, they can flower and reproduce on the side of highways - not our gardens. What this means is, we have to keep pulling weeds that appear because they know their time is short. At this time of the year, they will start producing flowers (which become seeds) almost immediately upon popping out of the ground. Don’t let up on weeding.
✖️For perennial plants (plants that grow year round, or come back every year), avoid fertilizing this late in the season. Watering is encouraged, but a late application of rich fertilizer could encourage extra growth late into the season which will delay their dormancy. This sets them up for a potential injury from an early freeze.
💩In the garden however, September is a great time to layer on some compost or composted manure underneath your mulch. (Remember to keep mulch on top of the soil, never incoorporated into the soil). Other amendments like wood ash, rock dust, greensand, and fish emulsion can also be added during this month. This will feed your fall garden and continue to feed for the following seasons as well. Once added, move your mulch back over the soil to protect against the elements - particularly rains. The last thing you want is a heavy down pour from a late summer thunderstorm or hurricane washing away all of your gardens fertility. Mulch, mulch, mulch!
🌿If you aren’t planning on keeping a fall garden, September will be your last chance (kinda) to plant a cover crop.
💧Be sure and keep an eye on the moisture levels in your garden (and elsewhere) during this month. This will apply for October as well. These two months are typically some of the dryest months of the year. Remember to water more deeply as opposed to more frequently.
🤧 Its Ragweed Season
Ragweed is blooming in north Alabama. If you are one of the many people impacted by it’s pollen, get started with your remedies now!
🍅 Eating In Season
September will likely be the last month this year with the full selection of local summer produce at markets in the southeast.
This is a comment on this video that I found interesting.
“Nothing better than preserving a harvest from your own garden! I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and do not have air conditioning in my home, because usually it's cool evenings in our mountain home.....but the thought of heating up my home by cooking up a storm in mid summer is just not going to happen. So instead I core my tomatoes as they ripen, packing them into gallon size freezer bags and stick into a chest freezer to wait until January/February. Canning them in the dead of winter is the coziest thing I get to do! Pulling bags of bright summer out of the freezer is like opening bottled sunshine Plus once they start to thaw, much of the water has separated from the solids and is actually easy to pour off the tomatoes! Thanks for another beautiful video!”
Here is what is at the market right now:
🌕 Lunar Calendar
The Full Harvest Moon is always the full moon nearest to the fall equinox. It rises shortly after sunset in the northern hemisphere. This brilliant moonlight provides invaluable assistance to farmers during the harvest of their summer crops. Among Native American tribes, it's often affectionately termed the Big Moon. It is also known as the Corn Moon.
This year, the Harvest Moon will be on the evening of September 17th!
📅 Dates to Remember
The Autumnal Equinox happens in September every year. This officially marks the beginning of Autumn. After this day, nights will be longer than days. Daytime will continue to shrink and nightime will continue to lengthen until it peaks during the winter solstice in December.
This year the autumn equinox is on September 22nd.
📆 Calendar of Firsts
A calendar of firsts serves as a meaningful tool to celebrate and connect with the ever-changing rhythms of nature throughout the year. Its purpose is to document and acknowledge the first occurrences of various events and natural phenomena that mark the transition of seasons. By recording the first blooming flowers, migrating birds, or changing foliage, individuals deepen their awareness of the subtle shifts that unfold in the natural world. This heightened observation cultivates a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our environment. Moreover, a calendar of firsts invites us to engage in a deeper relationship with the natural world, fostering a sense of connection, mindfulness, and gratitude. It allows us to truly immerse ourselves in the present moment and develop a greater understanding of the intricate cycles that shape our lives and the world around us.
September firsts to be looking for:
Remember these are general examples for zone 7 in the southeast US. Specific occurances will depend on your regional climate and conditions. Keeping a personal calendar or journal will allow you to capture the unique experiences and observations of each month in your region.
First signs of leaves changing colors (first red, yellow, orange, purple)
First harvest of apples, pumpkins, and winter squash
First fall dip into the 40s
First sighting of geese flying south for the winter
Before you go!
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