Early September: Getting ready for fall

Hard to believe summer ends in a couple of weeks. There are a couple of important plant issues to consider before surprise! night temperatures in the low 40s or upper 30s. Houseplants, if they spent the summer outside, need attention before coming back inside. September is a good time to do this since day temperatures and day length are moderate, otherwise it might be a big shock when they come in and they drop leaves. Check plants for any signs of pest problems like scale insects along viens or mold on leaf tops and treat appropriately. Remove weeds that have grown in the pot. Even if it is not obvious, there may be ants who have made a home in your plant pot and you do not want to bring them inside, all my plants get a dose of malathion to the soil in the pot. Plants get to rest outside for a day or so then are moved indoors, the most tropical first and lastly the "North Carolina plants," plants that survive outdoors in NC but not through Ohio winters. Some of my tropicals include lemon, key lime, vanilla, and allspice, some NC plants are bamboo, sweet olive, gardenia, and camellia. When checking plants, some may need a trim after exuberant summer growth. If you do not put houseplants outside for the summer, this is a good time to give them a bath, put them outside in the rain to wash off dust and flush excess minerals from the soil. As you evaluate your houseplants, if you've made too many cuttings of airplane/spider plant or Christmas cactus, the Allen Eiry Center is having a fall plant sale and swap open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is a fine way to share your increased number of plants. The garden also needs attention since some plants are finished and need to be cleaned up. The first planting of summer squash is exhausted and will be pulled. Tomatoes plants are full of ripe tomatoes which are being eaten, frozen and given away. The second planting in early August is mostly successful. Summer squash plants look good, peas are flowering, carrots are germinated but spinach does not seem to have germinated. Only the second planting seeds have been watered during dry times. Tiffin's compost give-away beginning October first means three weeks to get planting beds empty and ready for fresh compost. Some plants have until a frost to be harvested like sweet potatoes and winter squash and the late planted peas and carrots. If you use and grow herbs in your garden now is a good time to harvest and dry fresh herbs and throw away old ones. Cuttings of basil put in water on your windowsill will provide leaves for a few months. There are stems of mint, sage, basil and lavender hanging to dry in my home. There is a lot to be done but a little each day gets it done. Enjoy. Susan Carty is professor emerita at Heidelberg University.