SEPTEMBER In the Rogue Valley

Avg. low 47.4° F, ‑‑ Avg. high 82.8° F. ‑‑ 0.75" ppt.

9/1: 47 DAYS TO AVERAGE DATE OF FIRST FROST

DIRECT SEED: Chervil ‑ to 9/15 See August. Corn salad ‑ to 9/15. See August. Garden cress ‑ all month. See August. Kale ‑ to 9/15. Lettuce, leaf ‑ all month. Will take light frost. Mustard greens ‑ to 9/15. See August. Onions, over‑wintering ‑ to 9/15. See August. Onion sets ‑ all month and to 10/15. Radishes, fall ‑ to 9/15. See August. Radishes, spring varieties ‑ all month. Rich soil, constant moisture. Rocket (Arugula) ‑ all month. Spinach ‑ to 9/10. See August.

TRANSPLANT:

Broccoli ‑ all month. Broccoli, over‑wintering ‑ to 9/15.
Cabbage, Chinese ‑ to 9/15. Pekinensis (heading).,
Cabbage, Chinese ‑ all month. Chinensis (non‑heading).
auliflower, over‑wintering ‑ when plants are 4‑5 weeks old.
Garlic cloves ‑ 9/15 through November. Separate bulbs day of planting. The larger
cloves are preferred for planting. Plant in bed with good drainage or in raised bed 6‑8"
above the natural level of the garden. Before planting: mix a complete fertilizer low in
nitrogen and high in phosphorus in the top 8‑10" of soil. Plant so the top of the cloves
are 2" below the top of soil, 3‑4" apart, with rows 6‑8" apart. Elephant garlic is planted
4‑6" apart (these are minimum spacings). Keep weed‑free and watered until fall rains.
No further fertilizer is needed until late February or March of next year.
Shallot bulbs ‑ 9/15 through November. Soil preparation is same as for garlic. In
contrast to garlic, planting small bulbs will produce larger shallot bulbs. Plant with the tips
above soil level, 3‑4 bulbs per foot of row.

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN:
Late maturing corn should be protected from earworms.
Transplant raspberry starts from "suckers" of healthy plants. Cut back to 10".
Sow cover crops this month (see pg. 55), timing them just before the fall rains, if possible. They can be sown among the late producing summer crops and between the rows of cane berries.The beginning of the fall rains starts the breeding season of slugs and snails. Baiting for the next two months produces good control.

*Coryneum blight of peaches is controlled by copper sprays (with spreader‑sticker) in September or October. Coverage is easier after the leaves drop. Also controls peach leaf curl.

*Bacterial canker is a problem of apricots, blueberries, cherries, peaches, plums and prunes. Although it is not a positive control, the use of copper sprays, starting just before the rainy season in the fall, and repeated early January, should help protect. Use a spreader‑sticker with the spray and thoroughly cover trunks as well as upper portions of the trees.

To increase or start a strawberry bed, transplant rooted runners of plants obtained locally. Be sure they are free of disease. Dormant, bare‑root plants are available from garden supply outlets only in the early spring.

Time to cover the flower heads of sunflowers to protect from birds.

Check grapes for bunch rot of ripening fruit. If present, spray with Captan or Benlate. If you have followed the sulfur spraying schedule (May), mildew should not be a problem.

Figs are easy to propagate. Cuttings may be taken this month and rooted in water. Another method of propagation is to take a 5‑6" cutting early next spring just before the sap starts to rise (late February) of healthy previous year's growth.

About mid‑month, pick off blossoms and very small fruits from peppers and eggplants to allow maturing of the rest. Allow some sweet bell peppers to turn red, gold or orange, according to variety.

Prune growing tips and flowers from tomatoes to allow the plant to concentrate its' energy toward maturing the remaining fruits.

Select and pick apples and pears you want for storing. *After harvest, spray for pear psylla and blister mite.

Those living at higher elevations should be prepared to protect plants from early frosts.

'Recommended spray ingredients are listed in Spray Schedule for Home Orchards, available at Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center.

VEGETABLE BLANCHING

Some vegetables are definitely improved by blanching (shutting out sunlight; therefor, preventing the formation of chlorophyll).

CAULIFLOWER
Except for the purple varieties, cauliflower heads need to be covered to keep the bud
white, tender and mild flavored. Start blanching when the developing heads are 2‑3"
across. The simplest method is to crack a stem of a leaf and bend the blade over the
head. Some gardeners tie the tips of the leaves together over the head with strips of
cloth; others use clothespins. Some varieties are " self‑wrapping" or "self‑blanching".
Even these will benefit from an extra leaf tucked in and across the head. Check often
for stage of maturity to prevent heads from becoming "ricey" due to being too mature.

CELERY

Un‑blanched, celery has a stronger flavor. If you prefer it to be milder, there are several methods: Prop a pair of boards running the length of the row. Individual plants can be blanched by wrapping a folded newspaper around the plant, below the leaf level and securing with a rubber band. Be sure there is no excessive moisture on the plant when doing this. The plant will blanch in 12‑15 days in warm weather. After September, allow at least 3 weeks.

ENDIVE or ESCAROLE
Either is a pretty bitter plant without blanching. When well‑formed, use a wide rubber
band, strip of cloth, or nylon stocking and gather the leaves together and secure at the
top. The heads will blanch in two weeks in warm weather ‑ three weeks in cool weather.

FLORENCE FENNEL

The bulb of fennel is more delicate in flavor and texture when blanched. When the bulb begins to swell, use a hoe and pull loose soil up around the base of the plants.

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