Harvest, pick, prune and prepare your garden this September.
September is a busy month in the garden as you harvest crops, prune and divide, and prepare for autumn and beyond.
Harvest time
Because the month of September is a transitional month for the weather and the seasons, it is a busy month for gardeners, especially as they harvest the fruits of their labours.
Summer fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, courgettes, and runner beans are still going strong this month gracing our tables and making us think of different ways of preserving our bounty. Whilst beans do freeze well, tomatoes do not unless you make sauces so consider more traditional methods of preserving such as picking or bottling.
Blackberries and plums should still be cropping whilst autumn fruiting raspberries are coming into their own. Squashes are just starting to crop, but until they are picked ensure larger fruits are kept well clear of the ground with straw.
Looking forward
Take cuttings – September is the perfect month to take cuttings from plants such as fuchsias and hebe because hormone levels are high and this will encourage them to take.
Divide plants – herbaceous perennials such as geums divide easily. Geums come in a huge variety of colours and are a really great value plant as you can divide them and get more and more. Simply lift the plant out of the ground and it should divide up quite readily. You could easily get six smaller plants from one large one. Geums grow tall so add a brilliant extra dimension to the border.
Gather seeds – harvesting the seeds from flowering plants can save you money and is hugely satisfying. Sunflowers are perhaps one of the easiest flowers to gather seeds from as the seeds and heads are so big. Simply wait until the head dries and then cut it off, hang it upside down and shake, or rub the head until the seeds come out.
Lay a new lawn
September is a good month to lay a new lawn because the soil is still warm and there is usually enough rain to allow it to grow. You can create a new lawn by either using seed or buying turf. Using seed is the cheaper option but you will need patience, and it is best to start early in the month unless the weather is very hot and dry. Turf offers a quicker result, but it can be hard physical work and possibly the job for a professional. Both seed and turf come in numerous choices that include popular wildflower lawns.
Some other September jobs
Weeds are still growing vigorously in gardens so tackle them regularly. Depending on the weather, slugs and snails could still be abundant too so be watchful. To make sure your beautiful pots and hanging baskets continue flowering until the first frosts, dead head them and water regularly. Ponds need to be netted to stop leaves falling in, and clean and tidy greenhouses and cold frames in readiness for autumn use.
