September Garden Checklist

What a wonderful time of the year when spring is here. Mother nature puts on one of her most breathtaking shows, with South African spring wildflowers carpeting parts of the Western and Northern Cape. But don’t forget to look closer to home—your own garden may hold just as much magic. The bulbs you planted in autumn and winter are likely bringing your space to life, filling it with joy and colour. Ah, springtime—it’s a feast for the sights and soul. While tending to your flowers is rewarding work, this season also reminds us to take time to pause and to play. Here’s our September Garden Checklist to help you nurture both your garden and your spirit.

Play / pause

Kick the September Garden Checklist off with some play and pause time. Take pleasure in the precious petals you’ve nurtured this season and savour the moments spent in your garden. If you’re feeling adventurous, plan a trip to see the wildflowers in full bloom. Or, if you simply want to breathe in the fresh spring air, pack a picnic with the season’s best produce and head outdoors for a delightful escape.

Visit Bastion House on 7 & 8 September to learn all about growing spring and summer bulbs with an expert talk by Melanie Walker! The best part, you’ll be learning surrounded by the best of this season’s spring blooms and with a glass of bubbly in hand. Get your tickets here .

Plant summer bulbs 

With warm weather comes the perfect opportunity to unleash the beauty of summer bulbs. Whether you choose your favourite varieties or something new, you can find them online or at your local garden center or nursery. Spring is even more rewarding when you’re collecting bulbs and plants to care for in your garden. Create a haven of perennial beauty with these summer-loving bulbs, that bees, butterflies and other beautiful garden creatures will love (and don’t forget to mulch).

• Agapanthus

• Asparagus

• Begonia

• Canna

• Crocosmia (falling stars)

• Cyrtanthus

• Dierama

• Galtonia (berg lily)

• Gladiolus (sword lily)

• Gloriosa (flame lily)

• Haemanthus

• Hemerocallis (daylily)

• Hippeastrum (amaryllis)

• Hymenocallis (spider lily)

• Nerine

• Nymphaea (water lily)

• Polianthes (tuberose)

• Tigridia (one day lily)

• Turmeric

• Watsonia

• Zantedeschia (calla lily)

• Zephyranthes (rain lily)

• Zingiber (ginger)

Feed your flowers

Flowers are food for our souls, but remember that they need to be fed too. We recommend a generous serving of Hadeco Bulb Food at planting time, and every second week during growth and also after flowering. After all, to flourish your plants need to be nourished, and then they will bring you joy year after year.

Care for your spring flowers

Just because your winter and spring bulbs are having their moment in the spotlight doesn’t mean the show is over once the flowers fade. Think of the post-flowering phase as the behind-the-scenes prep for next season’s grand performance! Sure, things may start to look a bit rough, but hey, even bulbs have bad hair days. Keep watering them and give them a little snack every two weeks until their leaves naturally die back. When summer rolls around, that’s your cue to let them rest. Trim back the leaves, lift those bulbs, and store them for their next big debut. Alternatively, if the conditions allow, you can leave them in the ground year round.

Got questions about bulb TLC after the bloom? Feel free to email petalpixies@hadeco.co.za for some helpful tips (and maybe a sprinkle of pixie dust).

Let your creative juices flow with summer bulbs 

Creativity blossoms under constraints! Maybe your garden is full, too small, or you don’t have one at all—don’t let that stop you from enjoying a blooming oasis. Instead, try creating a mini garden in large pots or experiment with a vertical container garden. For a space-saving twist, hydroponic Hippeastrum (amaryllis) is a fantastic choice—it requires minimal space and no soil!

Here’s how to grow hydroponic Hipps 

• In a container, scatter small stones to a depth of about 10-15cm, then place your amaryllis bulb on top. 

• Fill the container with water to just below the base of the bulb.
• Add Chrysal Flower Food to the water and place the container in a warm spot with indirect sunlight.

• Rotate your container every few days to ensure even growth.

• Top up water when necessary.

• After blooming, your bulb can be repotted in soil.

Police pests organically 

As the weather warms pests start to come out to play. Sure, they can be real party-poopers, but they’ve got to eat too! For a more natural approach to pest control, try planting Nasturtiums as a sacrificial plant in your vegetable garden for example—they’ll lure the pests away. If you’re feeling hands-on, get up close and personal with your plants and pick the critters off yourself. Or, for a bit of extra help, Neem Oil works wonders when you stay on top of it. Keep a watchful eye out on your plants, catch those pests early, all while keeping harmful chemicals out of your garden.

Feed your feathered friends

Finally, feed your feathered friends and top up bird baths. Not only will you feel wonderful by caring for these free-spirited garden dwellers, but you will get to see them more frequently.

Start September the right way, surrounded by a sea of blooms, and the sweet sounds of nature!

Happy springtime!