Your guide to September gardening

September marks the gentle shift from summer into autumn, with shorter days and cooler evenings. While some plants are winding down, others are just getting started. This month, you can enjoy the last of the late summer flowers, continue to harvest crops, and prepare your garden for the cooler months ahead. Here we’ll cover what you can sow and plant now, which crops are ready for harvest, and how best to care for your garden during this transitional time. 

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What to Sow and Plant 

The soil is still warm enough in early September for late sowings, but it’s also a good time to plant hardy crops for winter and spring. 

Vegetables: Sow fast-maturing crops like radishes, spinach, pak choi, and salad leaves for a quick harvest. You can also now plant cabbages, overwintering onions, and garlic for next year’s harvest. 

Herbs: You can still sow parsley now to overwinter for an early spring crop.  

Flowers: Keep planting biennials such as foxgloves. This is also a good time to plant new shrubs and perennials, as the soil is still warm and moist, encouraging root growth. 

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Harvesting This Month 

Vegetables: Tomatoes, courgettes, sweetcorn, runner beans, beetroot, and potatoes are all at their peak. 

Fruits: Apples, pears, plums, blackberries, and late raspberries are ready to pick. 

Ideas for using your harvest: 

• Turn surplus courgettes into chutney or soup. 

• Bake crumbles, pies, or tarts with apples and blackberries. 

• Try roasting beetroot with herbs for a hearty side dish 

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Garden Maintenance 

Watering: Keep newly planted shrubs and perennials well watered. Pots and containers may still dry out quickly on warm days. 

Weeding: Stay on top of weeds before they set seed. 

Pruning: Cut back summer fruiting raspberries and other fruit bushes. 

Soil care: Clear spent crops and add compost or manure ready for spring planting next year. 

Pest checks: Watch for blight on tomatoes and potatoes. 

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Seasonal Highlights 

Staking tall plants: Dahlias and late-flowering perennials may need extra support. 

September flowers: Sedums turning red and purple give a wonderful richness when the majority of colour starts to die down. 

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Final Tip of the Month 

Use September as a month of preparation. A little effort now (clearing, mulching, and planning) will reward you with a healthier, more resilient garden come spring!

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