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SEPTEMBER 2026
A Note from Amy
The Fall Planting Window
September is when we want to take advantage of the warm soil temperatures from summer to plant, transplant, and divide. I've got a calendar of September webinars lined up — details below. I'd also love to hear your thoughts on what topics you'd like to see in future webinars, so check out the section below to share your feedback. And remember: no pruning of woody trees and shrubs for the rest of the year, since they're readying for winter — birches are the exception, and they should be pruned after the leaves have dropped off in late fall/early winter.
New Webinar
Series Launching!
After the success of my Native Garden webinar in August, I created a brand-new presentation on preparing your garden for fall. Click below to register, and be sure to scroll down to share the topics you'd like to see covered in future webinars.
What Should We Cover Next?
What would you like me to cover? Click through to share the topics you'd like to see in future webinars — it takes a minute, and your answers shape what I present next.
Now is The Time...
Now is the time to transplant, divide, and plant warm season perennials — the ones that bloom in the Summer. While the soil temperature is still warm from August, you need to do any work on your warm season plants like coneflower, native grasses and hyssop. Spring and Fall bloomers are especially active when temperatures are cool, so you can work on those later in the Fall.
In My Garden
I'm finally tackling the hellstrip in my yard. Arlington Heights restricts plantings there to 10 inches or under, so I'm being challenged to find something that fits that height limit while also tolerating hot, dry conditions and road salt. Stay tuned!
September Garden Checklist
Native Plant Spotlight
Turtlehead
Amy's Design Tip: I use this plant where downspouts drain all of their water — it could also be used at the bottom of a rain garden. This is a great middle or back-of-the-border plant with a very vertical shape. You'd want a lower mounding plant in front of it like Pennsylvania Sedge, Prairie Alumroot, Eastern Star Sedge, or Small Yellow Wild Indigo.
Fun Fact: Its flower is said to resemble a turtle's head poking out from its shell.
Did You Know?
Bumblebee queens are preparing for Winter.
Bumblebee colonies produce new queens every season. Those new queens mate and feed heavily on flowers in Late Summer and Fall to build the energy reserves they need to survive Winter underground. The old queens, workers and males generally die by Winter — most colonies basically start from one queen every year.
Pollinator of the Month
Great Black Wasp
Plants They Love: They target soft, pliable leaves like roses and lilacs.
Amy's Favorite Question This Month
Which native plants are best for swampy, wet areas of my yard?
My favorite plants for these areas are Swamp Milkweed, Pink or White Turtlehead, Sneezeweed, Eastern Star Sedge, Rosy Sedge, Joe Pye Weed, Queen of the Prairie, Swamp Rose Mallow, Prairie Blazing Star and Culver's Root.
Amy Recommends
30" Mini Spear Head Spade
You all know how much I love the 40" D-Handle Spear Head Spade. The company sent me the 30" Mini and told me I'd love it — I thought they were crazy, since I never imagined using a mini shovel. Turns out I do! At just 2 pounds, it's perfect for small garden tasks like planting perennials and digging out invasives like Lily of the Valley.
This Month's Videos
Coming Next Month
Hopefully next month I'll have a plan for a native plant bed surrounding the mailbox in my hellstrip.
