VOLUME 12, ISSUE 32 • September 8, 2016

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

September is a fabulous time for gardening here in Texas, and I've brought some information that can make it still better at your house.

• Beautiful little oxblood lilies
• Ryegrass for green lawns all winter
• "Winterizer" fertilizers
• Late-season pests
• And, our most-viewed page of them all, "Gardening This Weekend." Mid-September is the most critical time of the entire gardening year. This weekend's tips will explain why.

Looking for a really thorough Texas gardening reference? Why, I think we have one. But you won't find it in stores. Click for details.

Photo: Oxblood lilies are in the starring role at the Sperry place this week.

Gardening This Weekend

The middle of September is like the fulcrum of a teeter-totter. It's like the Continental Divide. It's a dividing time by which some jobs must be finished and when others can be begun. Confused? I'll straighten it all out.

Photo: Naked lady lilies (Lycoris squamigera) bloom without leaves around this time each fall.

Overseeding Warm-Season Turf

Like the looks of a well-groomed green lawn in the winter? It won't come from bermuda or St. Augustine. Both of those turn brown with the first freeze. You must overseed with ryegrass, and that time is here now. I have the details.

If you like the looks of green turf all winter, it's time to plant rye.

Great Little Source of Fall Color

The first time I saw this beautiful little bulb blooming, it was in front of an abandoned farmhouse alongside the old McKinney airport. It's become one of my personal favorites in our landscape, and I'll share details.

Photo: Oxblood lily blooming in the Sperry landscape today.

Question of the Week #1

"Neil, do I need a 'winterizer' fertilizer?"

You'll see that term in every nursery, and everybody says that it's critical. But what is it that makes a plant food a "winterizer?" You might be surprised.

Fall feeding is critical. But do you need a "winterizer" fertilizer?

Question of the Week #2

"Neil, something has eaten holes in my plants' leaves. Should I treat for the problem?"

Good question, and I'll have an answer that will apply to almost all of your plants.

Photo: Elm leaf beetle larvae have been feeding all summer. Are they worth treating now?

And, in closing…

That's it for e-gardens for this week. In the meantime, please help me grow our subscriber base. Simply copy http://neilsperry.com/e-gardens/ and paste it into a couple of emails to friends along with an invitation for them to join us here every week. Thanks in advance!

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Until next week, happy gardening!

Neil