SERIES: Jobs in the Garden - September 2022

The month of September generally brings a slight drop in temperature and the start of longer nights. September is a bumper time for harvesting, with many crops reaching their peak. Now’s also the time to be out planting your spring-flowering bulbs for next year and also collecting seeds for next summer’s blooms.

Top 10 Jobs This Month:

1. Pick the seedpods and heads of any open-pollinated flowers you want to grow again next year. Make sure to store your seeds in brown paper bags, in a dry spot for sowing next Spring.

2. Plant spring bulbs including crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and bluebells. These can be planted in pots and borders. The ground will still be warm from the summer months and it gives new roots plenty of time to bed.

3. Reap the rewards of your harvest. Fruit and veg to harvest this month include:

Onions

Apples

Runner Beans

Autumn-fruiting Raspberries

Tomatoes

Courgettes

Potatoes

Herbs

If you have a glut of fruit and veg try freezing, drying, pickling and storing so that you can benefit from them at a later date. 

4. Any houseplants that you moved outside, bring inside now the temperature has started to drop. Also start to reduce the frequency of houseplant watering.

5. Net over ponds and water features before the leaves start to fall. This prevents any fallen debris from rotting and forming blockages. Remove any rotting aquatic plant debris too, this will keep the water clean for pond life.

6. Start planting Autumn and Winter vegetable for harvest during the colder months. You can start planting:

Winter and Spring Cabbage

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Little Gem Lettuce

Chicory

Over-wintering Onions

Hardy varieties of Broad beans and Peas

7. Create a compost bin in preparation for fallen leaves, grass clippings, plant debris, eggshells and coffee grinds. These all make for a rich organic compost that can be used for next Spring’s planting.

8. Plant evergreen trees and shrubs. This will allow them to become established whilst the soil is still warm. Keep watering well after planting.

9. Create a new lawn from turf or seed. Autumn weather is favourable for good lawn establishment.

10. Clean out your greenhouse, close vents and doors and remove any shading. This will reduce the risks of pests and diseases, helps to trap heat and allow your plants to get the maximum light available.