Gardening Jobs in September: What to Do and Seeds to Sow

September ushers in a period of transition in the garden, marking the end of summer and the beginning of fall. While the warmth of summer still lingers, there's a crispness in the air that indicates change is on the horizon. It's an ideal time to start prepping your garden for the colder months ahead and to sow certain seeds for both fall and spring harvests.

Gardening Tasks for September:

General Maintenance:

• Clearing: Remove spent summer crops and any diseased plant material to avoid pests and diseases next year.
• Composting: Add the plants you've removed to your compost, but ensure no diseased material is included.
• Mulching: Apply a fresh layer of mulch around perennials, shrubs, and trees to protect roots from the upcoming winter cold and conserve moisture.

Lawn Care:

• Aerate compacted lawns to improve water penetration.
• Reseed any bare patches.
• Apply an autumn lawn fertilizer which is high in potassium.

Preparing for Winter:

• Bring tender plants indoors or into the greenhouse.
• Start planting spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths.
• Protect late crops with cloches or fleece if early frosts are predicted.

Fruit & Vegetables:

• Harvest apples, pears, and late summer fruits.
• Plant autumn garlic and onion sets.
• Net ponds to keep falling leaves out.

Pruning & Training:

• Prune late-summer flowering shrubs.
• Cut back perennials that have faded.

Seeds to Sow in September:

Vegetables:

• Fast-growing salad crops: Rocket, lettuce, and radishes can give you a quick harvest before the frost.
• Spring Cabbages: These will be ready for an early spring harvest.
• Overwintering onions: They'll provide you with an early crop in spring.
• Broad beans: Sowing now can lead to an earlier harvest next year.
• Winter-hardy peas: Like 'Meteor' or 'Feltham First' for a spring harvest.

Flowers:

• Hardy annuals: Such as cornflowers, Nigella, and calendula. These can be sown directly into the ground or in pots for a burst of early spring color.
• Sweet peas: Get a head start by sowing them in September. They'll flower earlier next year and provide beautiful, fragrant blooms.

Herbs:

• Coriander: Sow directly in pots or in a sheltered spot in the garden.
• Parsley: Sow in pots for a continuous supply throughout winter if protected.

September may feel like the beginning of the end for the gardening year, but in reality, it's filled with opportunities. Embrace the changes this month brings, sow seeds for the promise of future harvests, and enjoy the bounty of your current harvest. Here's to a productive September in the garden!