Pruning, clearing and replanting are what September demands of gardeners. Here are some tips to make that spring garden glow.

Run down this list to prepare you and your garden for summer:

• Prune and shape any frost-damaged plants
• Towards the end of the month, pinch back plants like Fuchsia and Daisy bushes to encourage them to be become bushy.
• Prune back spring flowering shrubs when they have finished blooming.
• Remove old leaves and feed bearded irises, cannas and daylilies.
• This is the last chance to lift and divide perennials.
• Divide overcrowded water lilies and replant in rich soil.
• Remove old spent winter annuals and replant with summer annuals.
• Mulch soils to add organic matter.
• Service irrigation systems.
• Watch for aphids on new growth and treat with Aphid killer, RoseCare or an organic alternative.
• Early fruit trees should be sprayed with Lebacid when 80 percent of petals have dropped.
• Feed Strawberry plants with 3:1:5.
• Feed Roses with 5:1:5, 3:1:5 or Ludwigs Vigarosa.
• Feed spring flowering shrubs like Camellias, Azaleas and Gardenias with Phostrogen Acid Food.
• Feed lawns with 7:1:3 or 3:2:1 (SR), and increase your watering.
• Plant summer flowering bulbs like coloured arum lilies, amaryllis, clivia, eucomis, Nerine, Zephranthus (Storm Lily), Crocrosmia, dahlia, tigridia, gladioli, tuberose and others.
• Plant flower seedlings like alyssum, begonia, lobelia, marigolds, viola, pansies, impatiens, portulaca, schizanthus, petunias, zinnias and vinca.
• Sow vegetable seeds of cucumbers, tomatoes, marrows, carrots, peppers, chilies, Swiss Chard, beans, cabbages and brinjals — only once the danger of frost has passed.
• Sow flower seeds of alyssum, aster, begonia, impatiens, lavatera, linaria, marigold, portulaca, salivia and zinna — only once the danger of frost has passed.


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