September Is NOT Fall in Texas

The calendar says September. The stores have pumpkins out. There’s cinnamon in everything. Somewhere, someone has already put on a sweater. Meanwhile, here in North Texas, it is still 96 degrees outside.

September is not necessarily fall in Texas.

One of the biggest mistakes we make in our landscapes is gardening by the calendar instead of gardening by the conditions around us. Plants do not know it’s September. They know soil temperature, daylight, moisture, nighttime temperatures, and whether Mother Nature is still trying to cook them by 4:00 in the afternoon.

This is a transition month.

As our days slowly get shorter and nighttime temperatures begin to drop, many plants that looked absolutely exhausted in August will start showing signs of life again. Perennials may push new growth. Flowers may return. Plants that spent the summer simply trying to survive can suddenly look much happier. Give them a chance. Do not assume that everything crispy, tired, or ugly after summer needs to be ripped out. September is actually a great time to walk your landscape and observe what survived, what struggled, what thrived, and what might need to change. And do not turn off the irrigation just because “fall is here.” At the same time, do not keep watering like it is July. Check the soil.  My favorite way of doing this is with a soil moisture meter.  Invest in this inexpensive tool that gives you eyes in the soil where we cannot see moisture hiding out.

Fall is one of our favorite planting seasons in North Texas, but that does not mean we have to race outside on September 1st with a shovel. Cooler air and cooler soil make transplanting easier on plants, and sometimes waiting a few weeks can make all the difference. So, enjoy the pumpkins. Put out the fall decorations. Drink the pumpkin spice whatever. Just remember: Your garden does not own a calendar.

Watch the weather. Check the soil. Observe your plants.

THEY will tell you when fall arrives.