In this issue:
- September in the Garden – Welcoming Fall
- Video: How to Prune Woody Herbs to Prevent Deadwood
- Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Fall Planning Guide
- Gardenerd Product of the Month: Bolting to Seed – a New Novel
1. September in the Garden – Welcoming Fall
Well, that’s summer, done and dusted. It doesn’t mean the hot weather is over for us in SoCal, but the increasingly long shadows make me hopeful that cooler weather is close at hand. You’ve heard me say it before, “fall is my favorite growing season”. I look forward to fewer pests, cool season crops, and rain. A lot of rain (looking at you, Super El Niño).
At Gardenerd HQ this week, the fall garden is done on paper, and now it’s time to start seeds indoors for brassicas, parsley, celery, and other cool-season crops. By the time it cools down they will be ready to plant out. We offer help planning your garden if you need it, here. Now is a good time for late summer pruning of stone fruit trees. And if you haven’t cleaned your pruning shears in a while, do that first.
In this newsletter, you’ll find a video on how to prune woody herbs to avoid deadwood, as well as our fall planting guide. Don’t forget my new novel, Bolting to Seed is available anywhere books are sold. Check out the options below. Readers say the really enjoyed it!
Happy gardening,
Christy
2. Video: How to Prune Woody Herbs to Prevent Deadwood
Rosemary, lavender, and thyme are notorious for growing into huge balls with loads of deadwood inside. Keep them in check by pruning them properly (and in a timely fashion). We’ll show you how in our latest video:
How to Prune Woody Herbs
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Fall Planning Guide
Plan Your Fall Garden First!
It’s your roadmap for a successful garden. Sure, you can wing it, but it’s best to plan ahead so you can avoid over seeding, keep plant families together, and rotate crops for a healthier garden. Here are several ways we offer to help you along the way:
Fall Planning Guide – our list of cool season crops to grow this fall
How to Plan Your Fall Garden – a sneak peak into the in-depth process we use to plot out crops each season for the most efficient, productive garden ever.
Plan Your Abundant Edible Garden – the full online course that will walk you through the process, step-by-step. You’ll use this every season for the rest of your gardening days. (use the discount code FALL25OFF for savings!)
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Bolting to Seed – 2026 Murder & Mayhem Award Long List!
Long Listed for an Award! Christy’s new novel, Bolting to Seed just made the Long List for Chanticleer’s Murder & Mayhem Cozy Mystery Awards.
You can order autographed copies from Gardenerd directly (makes a great gift!), or from your favorite independent bookseller. Ebooks are also available wherever you get your digital books. Continue the story of Lizzie, Jared, and the rest of the crew at Vista Mar Community Garden. Our first review came in:
It’s a fun, fast read with plenty of heart, humor, and mystery. If you enjoyed the first book, you’ll be happy to be back in the garden. And if you haven’t discovered this series yet, you’re in for a treat.
~~Lynn J.
And don’t forget…
Get your copy of High Yield Small Space Organic Gardening at your favorite bookseller, or order an autographed copy for the gardenerd in your life (even if that’s you!). We’re here to help you start off on the right foot this fall.
Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. Join us in welcoming fall this season. We’re here to help you have your best garden yet!
Search our archives here.