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The Southern Lifestyle - living abundantly throughout the seasons.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Ecc. 3:1

The Southern Lifestyle - living abundantly throughout the seasons.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Ecc. 3:1

In the Yard

Summer may be slipping away but there is still plenty to do in the yard and to your indoor plants.

Refresh your outdoor container gardens with pansies and mums, which should be showing up at garden centers about now. The mums will provide fall color, and the pansies can bloom well into the winter. Flowering kale and ornamental cabbage are also colorful additions.

Give your lawn beds a fresh look by replenishing mulch that has faded or broken down. It will also help soil retain moisture and reduce weeds.

September is the time to plant peonies. I’ve always heard you should do it during the full moon. But if you can’t do it during the full moon, don’t let that stop you. Plant them in a well-drained area that gets full sun to part shade. Work organic matter into the soil before planting, and plant so that the eyes on the tubers are no more than 2” below the soil surface. Cover with 2 – 3 inches of mulch.

This is also time to dig and divide spring and summer flowering perennials, such as bearded iris..

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti start setting buds this month in response to day length. Plants that sit outdoors for summer on a porch or shady deck will set buds naturally as days start to shorten. For plants kept indoors year-round, cover plants at night or slip them into a dark closet to provide 14 to 16 hours of darkness daily for one week. Do this approximately six to eight weeks before you want plants to bloom.

Hummingbirds are preparing to start their annual migration, so keep their feeders filled and clean by replacing the nectar every 2 – 3 days. The recipe is 1 part sugar to 3 parts water. Don’t use any nectar that has red die in it.

While night time temps are above the 40’s, harvest basil to make pesto. It freezes well and provides summer-fresh flavor in the heart of winter. Freeze pesto in an ice cube tray and put the frozen cubes into a zipper bag for easy access.

From HGTV