How Does Your Garden Grow: What To Plant In September

As autumn beckons, don’t forget these garden jobs for a tasty, floral and abundant season – and year – ahead.

A summer idled pleasurably away in a garden we’ve tended all through the colder months is one of the chief joys of the year. September can, then, feel like a wistful moment in which we must bid farewell to such sun-drenched delights: to al fresco feasting and frolics, as well as to our trusty gardening gloves. And yet, there is still plenty to enjoy in the garden on the days upon which the golden days of autumnal sunlight shines upon us – not least the spectacular show of dahlias still to come, the last jewel-like hurrah of the season. But it’s not a time to completely pack away the gardening apron, either. There is much still to do in the garden in terms of planting, tending and prepping. Here are the jobs to do now.

What To Plant and Sow

The roses may be over, the sunflowers and hollyhocks keeling over and – with any luck – self-seeding for an excellent show next year, and the buddleia past its best. But there is still planting to do and things to look forward to.

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Turnip, spinach, lamb’s lettuce, winter lettuce, onion sets and Oriential vegetables are all ones to plant to keep the veg patch thriving over winter. And if you’re looking for new floral additions for splashes of colour to enliven the colder months, hardy geraniums, annual poppies, larkspur and nigella can all be direct sown, as can delphinium seeds, which will flower next summer.

Meanwhile, hyacinth is a good one for some Christmas colour and, looking ahead to spring, daffodils and crocus bulbs should all be planted now.

Find out more via The RHS here.

What To Harvest Now

Reaping what you have sown is the name of the game in September, and while many of the crops came in over the summer months, there is still much bounty to be had. In fact, it is perhaps the most abundant time in the vegetable garden.

Indeed, gardeners can enjoy the best of both worlds, gathering up the last of the still flourishing summer crops – think salads, tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers and runner beans – while also beginning to bring in those associated with autumn too – all of which spells an interesting time in the kitchen. In the latter camp, you can also expect to gather and fill your trug with squash, leeks, apples and pears. And that’s not all: plums and damsons, raspberries, figs and blueberries – we’ll be plucking them all off by the armful. Evenings of roasts and crumble are offically on their way.

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Looking for ways to use your glut of damsons (as well as to learn more about September’s bounty?) Do check out The National Trust’s excellent and informative blog here.

5 Jobs To Do This Month

As we flock back to work in September, so too is it a moment which calls for industry in the garden in order to prep for the cooler months ahead. These are the jobs that should be on your to-do list now.

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1. Harvest and sow seeds from perennials and hardy annuals in readiness for a good show next year – without having to spend a fortune on new plants.

2. Dig up the last of any potatoes now.

3. Bird-proof leafy veg with netting.

4. Plant spring flowering bulbs.

5. Divide your herbaceous borders to keep them healthy for the year ahead.

Check out a full list of September gardening jobs on RHS’ blog here.

5 Buys To Help Enjoy Your Garden Now

We love little more than eking out our pleasure in the garden by sitting amidst the fruits of our labours, even as the nights begin to draw in. These garden buys help us to enjoy the last al fresco hurrah, as well as a spot of star-gazing, as a cool nip creeps into the night air.