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September Weather

Temperatures begin to drop a bit this month, especially at night, and rainfall usually decreases (but that might not be true this year, due to Harvey). According to homefacts.com, the average September temperature in Thomasville is 76.6 degrees. U.S.climatedata.com gives us an average high of 87 degrees, an average low of 67 degrees and an average precipitation of 4.53 inches.

September Dates

Friday, Sept. 22 — the autumnal equinox (night and day are almost exactly the same length) occurs at 4:02 p.m. EDT. Interesting fact: the fastest sunsets (and sunrises) occur at or near the equinoxes (March and September). This phenomenon is true in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Sept. 26 — Johnny Appleseed Day. John Chapman spent more than 50 years traveling and introducing apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Popularly renamed Johnny Appleseed while still alive, he became  an American legend because of his kind and generous ways and his leadership in conservation.

In bloom

Besides the usual warm-season bloomers, add autumn clematis and autumn sage, chrysanthemums, goldenrod and Mexican sage and pineapple sage to the list. Then, add the calendulas, dianthus, pansies, petunias, snapdragons and violas that we plant this month (see below).

To do

1) Control mosquitoes

Between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15, West Nile virus transmission hits a high in Georgia, so we are in the middle of it now. The bad news is that this season is likely to be more active than the past two years because of all the rain we have had. Add hot weather to this equation and we get lots of mosquitoes and mosquito larvae. The best way to thwart mosquitoes and prevent West Nile virus is to eliminate standing water. “Extreme diligence is required” to achieve that result. Search for and dump standing water at least once a week in your yarden, potted plants and their trays, pet dishes, etc. If you have standing water that cannot be eliminated (ponds and the like) on your property, treat it with a product that is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. These products can be found at garden centers and supply stores. Also, remember to prevent mosquito bites by wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and using repellents containing DEET. Did you know that children as young as 2 months old can use products containing DEET? However, it must always be applied first to the hands of an adult and then applied to the child’s skin.

The good news: I am glad to learn that other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as Zika, are not a problem in Georgia. Not only have Zika infections decreased around the world, but Georgia’s population of the Zika-bearing mosquito is inconsequential.

2) Control Skunkvine

Betty Jinright reminded me to tell you that Skunkvine is in flower now. It is a horribly invasive plant that spreads voraciously and is very difficult to completely remove, once it gets a foothold on your property. It creates dense carpets and canopies that cover and smother lawns and landscapes. It adapts to almost any type of soil and light conditions. Betty says that if you cannot dig it out, at least remove all its flowers before they set seeds. You will need to be vigilant about ridding the plants of seeds regularly; do not just do the job once and forget about it. Seeds quickly develop roots where they drop; so do vine fragments. Therefore, be certain to pick up and bag any cuttings, as well as seeds.

Skunkvine has a twining habit. Leaves are opposite and have an elongated oval shape. The flowers are actually pretty, a very deceptive feature! They are small and pink and tubular in shape. The fruit is shiny brown and round and each contains two black seeds — both the fruit and the seeds are things you do not want to see! Cut off and securely bag those flowers first.

3) Plant

This month, you can:

• sow seeds of perennials;

• plant winter pansies and violas and fall annuals (calendula, dianthus, ornamental cabbage and kale);

• plant chrysanthemums, petunias, snapdragons and marigolds. They will brighten not only our autumn days but they will continue to bloom on through many of our winter days, as well;

• plant broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, onions (bulb) and radishes;

• set out a second crop of tomato and pepper plants;

• sow seeds of green beans, squash, pumpkins and cucumbers;

• plant garlic. Around Sept. 26, we can take our cloves apart and plant the “toes” about three to four inches deep. To be sure this is the right date, it is recommended that we use a soil thermometer before planting each year. When the soil temperature is 60 degrees at a depth of four inches, then we know we can plant our garlic;

• do not slack on weeding; we do not want them setting and dropping seeds to re-emerge next spring.

Ego buster

As you are well aware by now, I receive daily emails from earthsky news. Some recent news is so hilariously surprising that I have to share it with you, although it has nothing whatsoever to do with yardening!

Wouldn’t you expect humans, one of the most complex creatures on Earth, to have the most elaborate set of genes? However, it turns out that we have fewer than are in a banana! Approximately 20,000 (human) vs. 36,000 (banana). Isn’t that astonishing and funny? If you want to learn more, google “How many genes do humans have?” You will find several interesting websites to explore.

Reminder

Continue to be on the lookout for school children

Pat Pankey writes this column for Thomasville Garden Club Inc. as a service to the community. Thomasville Garden Club Inc. welcomes new members. If you are interested, please contact Membership Chair Karen Wilks at 226-0312 or any current member. The Garden Center has a library of books about gardening that are available not only to garden club members but also to the general public. To access the library or to visit the Garden Center, please contact Julia Singletary at 226-5291 (the Garden Center telephone number) or any current member.

You may contact Carla Inman at (229 -403-6048) if you are interested in renting the Garden Center for an event.

The Garden Center is always open to the public on the Wednesday before the first Friday of every month, September through May.

Please visit our website at www.thomasvillegardenclub.org and find us on Facebook.