The month of September is known as the gateway for a variety of events. Historically, it was the beginning of the public school year, but recent trends have made the starting date of classes dependent on a variety of factors.
The beginning of college football is this month, with all its spectacle and gridiron rivalry braggadocio. Tailgating in asphalt parking lots which reflect three-digit temperatures in the afternoon is a challenge even to those who have successfully completed desert survival training.
September is an important month for many native plants in north Florida. This ninth month of the year, with its dwindling hours of sun, is the time seeds mature and plant growth slows.
For the homeowner and/or landscape manager, this transition to seasonal completion has several implications. Depending on the species “going to seed” as early autumn approaches, it can portend either an expense or a saving in the spring inevitably to come.
Spanish needle (Bidens alba) is one of the many native annuals which are currently completing seed production. Soon the seeds will be scattered by a variety of methods, and a relatively few will germinate in spring.
For those who enjoy annual wildflowers, the production of seeds may eliminate the need and expense of reseeding. September and October are the months during which seeds are planted for these colorful species, and it is also the time when these plants naturally release seeds produced during the year.
To improve the chances for a successful bloom next year, many wildflower aficionados will overseed their wildflower beds this time of year. Only the following spring will reveal the results of their efforts.
A variety of annual weeds which cause consternation in the home lawn are finishing seed development now. To the perfectionist, these are nature’s blemishes which spoil the uniform monoculture of their green outdoor carpet-like turf.
At this late date (as it relates to the plant’s life cycle), there is only one immediate answer to minimizing the prospects of the problem next spring. The potentially arduous task of hand pulling and removal from the site is the answer.
Mowing the weeds with mature seeds will only exacerbate the problem by scattering the seeds. Enough will lodge in the lawn and make contact with the soil, assuring their germination next spring.
The use of post emergent herbicides will not help. Annuals are already dying and the weed-killer will have no effect on the seeds.
Preemergent herbicides can be used in the spring to inhibit the growth of some weeds, but there are challenges with this technique. Timing is critical to having success in preventing germination, and these chemicals will not discriminate between weeds and species valued by the homeowner.
Native shrubs and trees are producing seeds too. Most are large enough to be seen if scattered in the landscape. While many will be eaten by birds, insects and mammals during the fall, it is prudent to gather any which appear in places where their germination and establishment would be a problem.
This hand harvesting is especially important with exotic-invasive species. These offshore invaders are amazingly effective at producing large quantities of seeds.
In many cases the seeds of these non-native plants can remain viable in the soil for multiple years and sometimes several decades. When the environment is inviting, these seeds will sprout, flourish and produce even more seeds.
At least the temperatures are beginning to moderate. On those weekends where there are away games and the young students in the house have completed their homework, the family can spend quality time together gathering seeds in the home landscape. Well, at least it is a good suggestion.
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