SUPPORT LATE-SEASON POLLINATORS

SUSTAINABLE GARDENING: Planting Tips to Support Late-Season Pollinators

​September is the ideal time to get your landscape ready for the cooler months ahead. The soil remains warm enough to encourage strong root growth, while air temperatures start to cool, reducing stress on new plantings. This combination helps native trees and shrubs establish deep roots before winter arrives.

Consider incorporating late-blooming native flowers such as New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and goldenrod (Solidago spp.). These plants provide crucial nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators preparing for winter, making your garden a vital stopover.

Mulching your beds with organic material like shredded leaves or bark helps conserve soil moisture during drier autumn weeks and suppresses weeds naturally. Over time, mulch breaks down to enrich the soil, supporting healthy microbial life.

By working with nature’s rhythm this September, your sustainable landscape will thrive, offering beauty and ecological benefits well into the next season.