September Gardening Calendar and Signs of Fall

What landscaping and gardening tasks should you be performing in September? Well, that depends on what region you inhabit. That's the beauty of regional gardening calendars. Consult this regional gardening calendar for September to see what you can be doing to ensure that your yard will remain the best it can be as we enter the autumn season.

What I love to do in my September yard here in New England is to keep an eye out for signs of fall. Not that I'm rushing the summer, mind you; I just think of my exercises in anticipation as a way of enjoying the autumn season to the fullest. Here are some of the signs of fall I've already witnessed:

• Sumac is starting to turn shades of pink and orange.
• The orange fruit of the bittersweet berries is showing.
• Virginia creeper leaves are becoming reddish.
• The volunteer butternut squash in my compost bin is turning tan.
• The fruit on my neighbor's apple trees is ripening.
• Yellow jackets are stepping up their activity.

How about you? If you've seen some signs of fall you'd like to report, please use the Comments section below.

_{Photo of bittersweet berries ©2006 David Beaulieu (licensed to About.com)}