Prepare your Garden in September: What to Prune and Plant?

A common assumption among beginner gardeners is that the end of summer marks the end of the growth in the garden. While this sort of thinking is understandable, the truth is that a lot of great gardening work can be done in September – and not all of it is tidying and cleaning work.

The beginning of Autumn is actually a fantastic time to start planting small trees and shrubs, and to prune existing ones. Planting at this time will give the plant a chance to establish themselves before the cold weather begins to really kick in.

Among the most important things for newly-planted shrubs and trees is a steady supply of water, and with higher levels of rainfall in September, the job is made slightly easier (though you’ll still need to occasionally venture outside with a watering-can in hand). Moreover, the soil will remain warmer even as the air temperature drops, which will promote faster root growth. Our objective should be to establish the tree underneath the garden; this will give it a stable base from which to grow the following year.

So, what sort of trees benefit from being planted in September? There are too many to list exhaustively, but trees such as the following tend to stand the best chance of thriving:

Horse Chestnut
Maple
Ash
Pine
Sycamore
Elm

If you’re planting into sandy soil, then be sure to incorporate some biomatter to nourish the tree as it takes root. It’s also worth thinking about how much sunlight a given area is going to receive, and how much competition there will be for soil space. You don’t want to have to move the tree later down the line.

Another important activity for this time of year is pruning. This exercise allows the plant to conserve energy, as it won’t have to maintain such a large mass throughout the winter. However, pruning some shrubs too late might encourage a flush of growth, which won’t harden sufficiently to last through the first frost. Chop off any dead heads and check the buds. Note that some flowering shrubs will respond better to pruning than others. Poppies are notoriously stingy.

The same applies to trimming trees. Branches can be removed with a suitable chainsaw, from a reputable company like SGS. You’ll need a little bit of expertise to wield a chainsaw safely; if you’re remotely unsure, call in a professional tree surgeon. A tree is a complicated and interconnected system, and if you don’t know what you’re doing you can easily inflict irreparable damage. For example, removing the leafing branches near the top of a tree might weaken the entire structure, while removing branches which shade the trunk might lead to the bark being exposed to too much heat, which ultimately reduces the lifespan of the tree. If in doubt, get help rather than doing it yourself.