For gardeners in Rosewood Atascosa Estates, September can feel like a season caught between two calendars. Fall is approaching, but the heat often has other plans.

That makes this month less about making one dramatic change in the garden and more about staying attentive: keeping thirsty plants watered, protecting young vegetables from intense sun and pests, refreshing tired flowerbeds and beginning a few carefully timed fall plantings.

The guidance comes from a September seasonal gardening checklist prepared by Tom Harris, Ph.D., an honorary Bexar County Master Gardener, with checklist design by Sandra Hernández-Lascurain, BCMG. The Bexar County Master Gardeners work in support of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, helping provide residents with locally relevant, research-based horticulture education.

The broader Texas Master Gardener Program has supported Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service since 1978. Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who help extend horticultural education into their communities, while Texas A&M AgriLife Extension maintains a statewide network of county offices, educators and volunteers providing research-based information on agriculture, gardening, natural resources, health and other everyday concerns.

For local gardeners, that matters because South Texas growing conditions do not always follow the same timetable as gardening advice written for cooler parts of the country.

Give September Flowers a Boost

Flowerbeds that have been working through months of heat may benefit from a little attention now.

The Bexar County Master Gardeners recommend adding compost to flowerbeds to give tired flowers an extra boost. Patio plants and hanging baskets should continue receiving a water-soluble fertilizer, such as Hasta-Gro or a 20-20-20 fertilizer, and roses can receive one final fertilization to encourage continued blooming.

Several flowering annuals can also be transplanted during September, including alyssum, calendula, dianthus, flowering cabbage and kale, pansies, petunias, phlox, Shasta daisies, snapdragons and stocks.

Gardeners should continue watering thoroughly as conditions require.

One caution is particularly relevant for anyone browsing fall bulb catalogs: planting recommendations from northern growers may not match local conditions. Cooler climates experience fall temperatures much earlier than the San Antonio and South Texas region, so gardeners should consider local timing rather than relying solely on national planting calendars.

September Is Bluebonnet Planting Time

Residents hoping for Texas bluebonnets next spring can get started now.

The checklist recommends planting bluebonnet seeds about one-half inch deep during September so they have an opportunity to germinate during the fall.

That makes September an important month for homeowners who want to add native Texas color to gardens, naturalized landscape areas or sunny portions of their property.

Vegetables Need Protection as Fall Planting Begins

September also brings opportunities to expand the vegetable garden, although young plants may still need protection from summerlike conditions.

Tender seedlings and transplants should be protected from intense sun as well as spider mites, stinkbugs, deer and grasshoppers. The Master Gardeners note that old sheer curtains can provide useful protection, while oak leaves can work well as mulch.

Vegetable crops may also benefit from a side dressing of fertilizer to support continued growth and production.

Among the vegetables recommended for September planting are squash, bush beans, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, beets, sweet corn and potatoes.

Gardeners using drip irrigation should check their systems to make sure vegetables are receiving the right amount of moisture when they need it.

For families growing food at home in Rosewood Atascosa Estates, September is therefore both a maintenance month and the beginning of another productive planting window.

Trees and Shrubs Can Go In — but October May Be Better

Trees and shrubs can be planted in September, although the Bexar County Master Gardeners note that the following month may provide even better planting conditions.

Homeowners who prune oak trees should paint pruning cuts as soon as they are made.

Residents struggling to grow turf beneath dense tree cover may also consider selective pruning to open portions of the canopy and allow more sunlight to reach the lawn.

The goal is not necessarily aggressive pruning, but thoughtful management of shade where grass is having difficulty receiving enough light.

Start Cutting Back on Lawn Irrigation

September lawn care also begins to shift.

The checklist recommends cutting back significantly on lawn irrigation during the month rather than continuing midsummer watering habits unchanged.

September can also be a good time to establish Bermuda grass before winter. When planting Bermuda from seed, gardeners should keep the seed moist for roughly 10 days while it becomes established.

As always, actual watering needs can vary with rainfall, soil conditions and the specific landscape.

Blackberries, Caladiums and Container Plants Still Need Attention

Blackberry growers can cut back their bushes this month and maintain new canes at approximately three to four feet.

Caladiums, meanwhile, continue to need plenty of water in September.

Container gardens should not be forgotten simply because fall is approaching. Cooler weather may be on the horizon, but the checklist advises gardeners to continue watering and feeding container plants with liquid fertilizer while checking them frequently for insect problems.

It is not yet necessarily time to treat the landscape as though cool-season weather has fully arrived.

Keep Water Available for Birds and Watch for Hummingbirds

September changes are not limited to plants.

Bird baths should remain filled with fresh water, particularly while warm weather continues.

Residents may also begin noticing hummingbirds moving through the region as they make their way south during fall migration.

For backyard wildlife watchers, keeping water available can turn an ordinary garden into a useful stopping point during this seasonal transition.

Why Local Gardening Advice Matters

The source behind this September checklist is part of a larger horticultural education network.

Bexar County Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who support the educational horticulture work of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County. Their activities include answering gardening questions, sharing information about planting and irrigation, supporting demonstration and educational gardens and helping residents learn about water conservation, plant selection and environmentally responsible gardening.

The Texas Master Gardener Association supports county Master Gardener organizations across the state, while the Texas Master Gardener Program itself is administered through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. AgriLife Extension has served Texans for more than a century and today operates through a statewide network of county offices, professional educators and trained volunteers.

That locally grounded approach is especially useful in Texas, where growing seasons, rainfall, heat and soil conditions can vary considerably from gardening guidance written for other parts of the country.

A September Garden Is Already Preparing for What Comes Next

For residents in Rosewood Atascosa Estates, the most useful September gardening strategy may simply be to recognize the month for what it is: a transition.

Summer plants still need water. Young vegetables still need protection from heat. Lawns can begin using less irrigation. Bluebonnets can go into the soil. Trees and shrubs are approaching a favorable planting period. And hummingbirds may soon be passing through the backyard on their seasonal journey south.

A little work now can help gardens move more smoothly from the demanding Texas summer into the cooler growing opportunities of fall.

Residents can continue following My Neighborhood News for seasonal gardening guidance, local events and other updates that matter close to home.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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