Gardening This Weekend: September 10, 2026
The unbelievable thing is that the average date for the first killing frost in many parts of Texas is only 6 or 7 weeks away. Still, there are many late-summer/early fall jobs you’ll want to accomplish as we near the mid-point of September.
PLANT
• Absolutely the last call for “safe” planting of new bermudagrass lawns from seed (risky) or sod (risky with St. Augustine). One of those early first freezes could really hurt.
• Fall color from mums, Mexican bush salvia, petunias, celosia and other annual and fall-flowering perennial plants.
• Best time for planting new trees, shrubs begins as soon as the temperatures break. Fall plantings allow maximum time for them to establish new roots before next summer’s hot weather. Watch for special fall sales at your favorite nursery.
PRUNE
• Dead or damaged stalks from perennials to keep garden tidy.
• Mow lawn at recommended height. Allowing grass to grow taller does not improve its winter hardiness. It weakens grass and allows weeds to invade. Texas lawns are looking quite ragged after this summer’s heat and drought.
• Dead or damaged branches from shade trees. Do so while you can still identify those that need to be removed – before the trees start shedding their leaves.
FERTILIZE
• Lawn with all-nitrogen (or very high-N) fertilizer with half or more of that nitrogen in slow-release form. Follow feeding up with a deep watering.
• Patio pots and hanging baskets with high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food. Begin deciding which plants you’ll be bringing indoors for the winter. You’ll want to cut back on their feedings when you do.
ON THE LOOKOUT
• Chinch bugs have hung around unusually late this year. If you have browned areas in the hottest, sunniest parts of your St. Augustine turf, get down on your knees and check for signs of these small black insects with irregular white diamonds on their wings. They’ll be around the outer edges of the dying grass. Treat with a labeled insecticide to stop further damage.
• Ragweed grew tall in spring’s wet weather. It may be wilted now, but it will rebound with heavy blooms if we get any fall rains. Eliminate it before the pollen starts to fly. Remember that it’s not the plant with bright golden blooms – that’s harmless goldenrod. It’s pollinated by bees. See the photo of ragweed on the Main page this issue.
• Webworms have been epidemic in my part of Texas this year, perhaps in yours, too. The good news is that they do little damage to pecans and persimmons. Leave them alone. They’ll fall to the ground soon when the trees’ leaves come down.