5 Things to Clear From Your Yard in September Before Fall Makes Them Harder to Deal With
Gardening pros share what they tackle first in late summer
Now that September has arrived, we gardeners turn our attention to tidying up after summer and preparing the garden for the coldest months ahead. Although the frostiest dates are a little while off, it's best not to delay the essential clean-up tasks that only become trickier once the ground freezes.
At the same time, you might choose to take some things off your fall gardening checklist, like leaving faded flowerheads to support wildlife. However, for those eager to get things in order before the depths of winter, there are plenty of areas to tidy now so you have less work later on.
From giving certain plants a quick trim to weeding and removing spent annuals, there are several things to clear from your yard in September. Here, gardening pros share their list of priorities – having the Fiskars micro-tip pruning snips from Amazon to hand may be useful.
1. Summer Annuals
Late summer is the best time to clear out dead summer annuals to instantly give your garden a refresh. While it is beneficial to leave some plants for seed heads that feed birds (like sunflowers), deteriorating plant material can encourage pests and diseases.
If any of your flowering annuals, like sweet peas, zinnias, and nasturtiums, are looking brown, turning mushy, and are generally weathered, now is the time to pull them up and dispose of them – you can even use them to make compost.
'In many areas, annual vines such as sweet peas and morning glories are much easier to remove before hard frosts arrive, making fall clean-up simpler and more manageable,' says Wendy Hanson Mazet, horticulturist at the University of Nevada.
Once the ground freezes, it will be harder to dig up the roots and wetter conditions may bring issues like powdery mildew, which spreads easily.
A hori hori knife (like this one from Amazon) can help lift deep taproots.
Wendy Hanson Mazet is a certified arborist and horticulturist and the plant diagnostician at the University of Nevada, Reno Extension. She is an expert in gardening, landscaping, and defensible space for wildfires.
2. Spent Crops
'No matter your location, vegetable gardens require attention at this time of year,' Wendy says. 'Plants that are no longer productive, declining in vigor, or showing signs of disease should be removed and properly disposed of.'
This will largely be warm-season crops, vining crops like indeterminate tomatoes, and tender herbs that won't survive frost, like basil.
If you still have some green tomatoes, you can use methods to ripen tomatoes on the vine or take them indoors to ripen tomatoes off the vine.
Of course, if you're growing vegetables under cover, like in a greenhouse, you will have longer to keep them going. But you may want to move them out soon to make room for the vegetables to sow in September.
3. Spent Blooms
Another way to tidy up your yard in late summer is by deadheading.
'Summer-blooming perennials such as dahlias, hydrangeas, lavender, yarrow and roses benefit from late summer and early fall deadheading. Removing spent blooms encourages a tidier appearance, in some plants reblooming potential and supports continued plant vigor,' Wendy explains.
Use clean, sharp pruning tools and clean your tools once you're finished with a plant to reduce the risk of pests and diseases spreading. These Felco F2 pruning shears from Lowe's are a good choice.
The general rule of thumb is to follow the spent bloom's stem down to a healthy set of leaves and make a clean cut just above. This will ensure the plant continues to grow from this point.
When pruning lavender, avoid cutting into the woody parts of the stem, as it could stop returning growth.
Our guide to what hydrangeas need in fall also has some more guidance on pruning.
4. Old Mulch
Something else to clear away and refresh before fall frost arrives is your mulch.
There are lots of reasons to put down mulch in summer, as it helps retain moisture and regulate soil temperature, ideal for protecting plants in a heatwave. However, watering and deterioration can cause mulch levels to deplete over time. In early fall, it's worth replenishing it with new organic material to provide insulation for frost.
'September is a great time to remove old, decomposing pine straw and replace it with a fresh layer. It’s also an ideal time to add mulch to your garden beds if they’re looking a little bare,' says garden designer Kate Schneider.
'Think of mulch as a warm blanket for your plants during winter. It helps insulate the soil, moderate temperature swings, retain moisture, and reduce erosion. This is especially helpful in warmer climates, including the South, where fluctuating temperatures can create repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles that can stress or damage plants.'
'Just don’t pile it directly against the trunks or stems of your plants. A little breathing room goes a long way,' Kate advises.
The good news is there are lots of free mulch materials in fall you can gather from your yard, including fallen leaves. Or, if needed, you can purchase brown mulch from Lowe's.
Kate is a former attorney whose passion for gardening caused her to leave her 9-5 in order to start Ibis Coastal Landscapes. Her vision for a gardening service that focuses on retaining historic Southern design and native species sets her apart immediately, with each project growing more beautiful and resilient over time.
5. Weeds
You may have noticed a lot of weeds spring up after the rain returns following summer heatwaves. Before frost arrives, it's best to get rid of weeds that will go to seed, overwinter, and take over when it warms up in spring.
'Take advantage of the rain. Weeding is much easier when the soil is damp, so get out there shortly after a good rainfall and pull those weeds while the roots are willing to cooperate,' Kate says.
There are lots of weeding tools you can use to remove different types of weeds from your yard. This paver weeding kit from Amazon can help with tight spots, while the long-handled Grampa's weeding tool (from Walmart) is ideal for pulling up weeds in your lawn.
Fall is also a good time to get new plants in the ground. You can use plants for a weed-free border and reduce the number of weeds that pop up next year.
What to Shop
As mentioned, there is also a reason not to over-tidy your yard in fall. Hollow plant stems, seed heads, and leaf piles can provide vital food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife.
The best plants for seed heads also create sculptural moments in your garden during fall and winter, especially dazzling when touched by frost. So, where possible, be selective about which faded plants you pull out and which you leave be.
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