September is marked by earlier nights and stunted growth in the garden, but this doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do.
Much of what is achieved this month will serve as preparation for the growing phases of next spring.
According to experts at the Middle-Sized Garden, forgetting to mulch dahlias could stunt their growth or result in their death.
The gardening enthusiast discovered the hard way that forgetting to complete this task in autumn has dire consequences for the plant.
Mulching dahlias will protect them for months to come
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“You can’t fault September gardens on colour,” the green-thumbed enthusiast said in a blog post. “I’m passionate about dahlias and they are at their best now. But I have learned some very useful lessons about them this year.”
The dahlias enthusiast, who lives in Kent, continued: “I don’t dig up dahlias. I cut them down and mulch them.
“However last year I got distracted halfway through and only mulched half of them.
“The mulched dahlias survived, bigger and better than ever. The dahlias that weren’t mulched either died or emerged late, looking very much small.
“After I talked about this on my August garden video tour, several fellow bloggers commented that their dahlias had also suffered from the nine-week drought through the summer.”
She added: “Healthy plants which have been mulched or fed survive droughts better than those which are a bit underfed.”
It’s not just dahlias that require attention in September. All tender plants can be cut back, lifted and stored in a dormant state, or protected with a covering or organic matter.
The decision on whether to lift and store or leave them outside under mulch hinges mainly on the plant and the local climate.
One of the benefits of mulching is that it prevents weed growth and keeps the water and any liquid feed available to the plants for longer.
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The National Dahlia Society stresses the importance of mulching can also stabilise temperatures around the roots.
“Many dahlia growers grow their plants through a mulch material,” they explained. “This can be a weed membrane or organic material such as straw or compost.”
This prevents the soil from cooling too quickly after the sun has gone in, and gives a more even temperature all around.
This means the flower opens consistently over the 25-plus days of development.
