September Garden Checklist: What to Plant, Enjoy & Prepare for This Fall
Contrary to popular belief, September is a busy month in the garden. Summer may be winding down, but there is still plenty to plant, enjoy and prepare for!
For gardeners in Vancouver, Surrey and the Lower Mainland, cooler temperatures and warm soil create excellent conditions for planting, while many fall-loving plants are just getting started.
Keep reading for 8 things to do in the garden now.
1. Enjoy Fresh Fall Colour & Texture
You don’t have to wait until spring to enjoy a beautiful garden. Garden mums, pansies, violas, heather and heucheras are thriving as temperatures begin to cool.
Add them to garden beds, containers, patios and entryways for fresh colour and texture that can carry your garden through fall.
Tip: Combine plants with different colours, foliage and textures to create containers that look great even as summer flowers fade.
2. Plant Spring-Flowering Bulbs
Want colour in your garden next spring? Start planting spring-flowering bulbs this fall.
Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and other spring bulbs need a period of cool temperatures to prepare for spring growth. Choose a location with good drainage and follow the recommended planting depth for each variety.
3. Plant Trees, Shrubs & Perennials
Fall is an excellent time to plant many trees, shrubs and perennials. Cooler air and warm soil allow plants to focus on establishing their roots before winter. This is a great time to add new plants to your landscape or fill spaces that need a little more colour, structure or interest.
4. Keep Your Vegetable Garden Growing
Your vegetable garden doesn’t have to end with summer! In fact, September is a great time to grow cool-season crops such as lettuce, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Swiss chard. These vegetables are well suited to cooler fall conditions.
If you have empty spaces after harvesting your summer crops? Fill them with fall vegetables and keep growing.
5. Refresh Your Garden Beds
September is a good time to give your garden beds some attention. Pull weeds, add compost or other organic matter where needed, and apply mulch to help protect the soil and regulate moisture as temperatures change. A little preparation now can make your garden easier to manage through fall and ready for spring.
6. Divide & Transplant Perennials
Early fall can be a good time to divide or move established perennials that have become overcrowded or outgrown their space. Water plants well after dividing or transplanting and give them time to establish before winter.
7. Clean Up (But Don’t Clean Up Everything)
As summer flowers fade, it can be tempting to cut everything back. A little cleanup is helpful, but don’t rush to remove everything.
Healthy perennial stems and seed heads can provide food and shelter for birds and beneficial insects while adding winter interest to the garden.
Remove diseased plant material and finished annuals, but consider leaving healthy stems and seed heads until later in the fall or spring.
8. Start Planning for Spring
Some of the work you do in September won’t pay off until next year. Take a walk around your garden and look for areas that could use more colour, structure or seasonal interest. September is a great time to plan while planting conditions are still favourable.
Keep Gardening This Fall
September isn’t the end of gardening season… if anything, it’s one of the best times out there! Fall a chance to enjoy a new season of colour while preparing your garden for what’s ahead. Plant something new, refresh a tired container, grow another crop of vegetables or start planning for spring.
Visit Hunters Garden Centre in Vancouver or Surrey for seasonal plants, bulbs, garden supplies and advice to help you make the most of your garden this fall.
September 9, 2026
