It's time for planting fall color, such as mums and asters, as well as sprucing up planter boxes. You also may be surprised to learn that it's the best time of year to plant perennials and shrubs (trees, too!) while plants still have an opportunity to establish their root systems before the ground freezes.
Late summer or early fall is an excellent time to plant mums, one of the symbolic flowers of the season. Practically any time in September that strikes your fancy is a good bet, so long as it's at least six weeks before the year's first frost.
Plant wallflowers, forget-me-not, Bellis, Primula, Viola (including winter pansies) and other spring bedding plants in prepared ground or pots.
For starters, spring-blooming bulbs should be planted in fall. Trust us: You'll be glad you planned ahead when you see them pop up after a long, dark winter! Get them in the ground any time before the ground freezes, which is from October to mid-December, depending on where you live.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.
Gardening in the fall provides a longer period with more 'good' days, as compared to the often tumultuous spring season. Plus, if you plant in fall you'll end up ahead of the game and won't have to rush to get everything done after winter. In fact, a good strategy is to plant perennials when you plant your fall bulbs.
Plant Flowers and Vegetables
If you live in a frost-free region, October is a great time to plant cool-weather flowers and vegetables in your garden. Crops such as kale, cabbage, collards, lettuce, carrots, mustard, onions, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, and garlic can all be planted in early to late October.
Violas and Pansies
These hardy little flowers not only have gorgeous blooms but can survive almost anything winter has to dish out. Violas and pansies grow best in partial shade but need a minimum of four hours of sunlight a day.
Flowers to plant in September
English marigold (Calendula) has deep orange petals, which are perfect for a hot border or for cutting. It's easy to grow – from an autumn sowing it should flower from May. Sow direct into shallow drills or on the surface of moist peat-free compost, in pots.
Autumn is a great season for annuals, perennials and evergreen shrubs to shine. In fact, some of the most popular flowers, like colorful mums, roses, dahlias, purple pansies and yes, even bright yellow sunflowers all bloom around September and October.
Fall is a great time to plant another crop of spring greens such as spinach, leaf lettuce, arugula, mustard greens, and mâche because they require cooler soil for seed germination and they mature quickly.
Flowers that come back up from their roots every year in the springtime are called “perennial” flowers. Some of the best perennial flowers to grow in a garden are peonies, daylilies, coneflowers, and hollyhocks.
For the plants, fall is a fine time for a flower-bed makeover. Cooler temperatures slow water loss from leaves, so plants can better tolerate being ripped out of the ground and roughed up before having their roots nestled back into dirt.
Grow an Edible Garden With Fall Vegetables
For a cool-weather vegetable harvest, plant lettuce, collards, carrots, Brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli, radish, and more. The general rule of thumb is to plant fall vegetables from seed 90 days before the first frost.
Fall-Planted Flower Bulbs, such as Tulips, Daffodils, Crocus, Hyacinths, Grape Hyacinths, Scilla, and Snowdrops, which bloom in spring, are loved by both beginner and master gardeners alike! They are easy to grow, so gardeners can put all the effort into the fun part of gardening – designing!
In Northern California:
Plant cool-season annuals such as African daisy, Iceland poppy, larkspur, lobelia, pansy, petunia, phlox, snapdragon, stock, sweet alyssum, sweet pea, and viola. Water them frequently, especially during hot spells. Fertilize and water your roses, but do not prune them yet.
Pansies. Remarkable as a winter plant, Pansies can survive freezing coldness and can thrive vigorously when summer returns. Its “smiling face” flowers are vibrant in color and fragrance that can fill up your space with so much joy.
Rudbeckia, also known as Black-Eyed Susans, are cold-hardy flowers that offer long-lasting blooms spring through fall. They're easy-to-grow, survive as perennials in zones 4-10, or can be grown as annuals. Cut back the stems and faded foliage when they naturally fade in winter, and they should return next spring.
Crabgrass, petunias, and snapdragons are types of annual that will not survive cold temperatures and will need to be cared for to survive winter.