Fruit & vegetable growing guide for September

September is the end of summer and the start of the autumn season and whilst we can often enjoy blue skies and sunshine during the month, the weather is not a certainty. Despite the weather being up and down, it is still a hugely popular time of the year for people to spend in their garden.

The rush to sow and plant vegetables and fruits slows down during the month but it is one of the busiest months for harvesting. Those of you with mobility issues who need to use aids such as stair lifts and walking aids can still try your hand at planting fruits and vegetables as it is not too late in the year.

This guide takes a look at the fruits and vegetables to plant in September and what you need to harvest.

Vegetables to plant in September in the UK

There are a few things that you can sow during the month and this ranges from turnips and spinach to winter lettuce, onions and broad beans. Below are some of the vegetables you could plant in September.

Cabbages, salads, peas and beans

Although many people think of lettuce as a summer crop it doesn’t like too much heat and they are hardier than they get credit for. Arctic King lettuce can be sowed during the month and by planting the seeds now it should be ready in early spring. Spring cabbages can also be planted in September, and they will slowly develop and be ready for next year.

Pete from Real Men Sow, a cheery allotment blog, said: “September gardening is my favourite! It's when I start preparing for next spring. What better way to reward yourself after a cold winter than with veggie goodness from your own garden? 

“September is the perfect time to plant your leafy greens such as cabbages and salad crops. Don't forget to add peas and beans to your planting list: they'll be ready for sowing early next spring.”

Garlic

Garlic planted in autumn can grow larger bulbs and the best time to plant them is from September until early December. Garlic can be sowed in spring but if you are planning to do this you will need to do your research and pick a variety that is suitable for spring planting.

Mandy runs her own gardening blog called Mandy Can U Dig It and she recommends planting garlic in September.

“September is the start of the autumn planting garlic season, so they can get established before the cold weather hits.

“Grow failsafe crops like garlic. As long as your soil is rich, just plant them and leave them until the spring.”

Turnips and radish

Turnips are a fast-growing crop and they can be sown in September as they enjoy cool, moist conditions. You can then harvest them in around six weeks when they are the size of a golf ball, making it perfect for the Christmas table.

Radishes are also worth planting during this time of the year as they mature in just a couple of weeks, so by sowing a late batch of seeds now, you will be able to enjoy a late crop.

Pete from Real Men Sow adds: “Lastly, I love adding turnips and radishes to my vegetable arsenal. Both are fast-growing plants that do well in winter conditions.

“Although some of these above-mentioned veggies are quite hardy and enjoy autumn, I do suggest throwing a fleece over them during extremely cold days (especially those leafy greens!).”

Onions, spring onions and shallots

If you suffer from mobility problems and have to use aids like walk in baths, stairlifts or mobility scooters, then one way to make gardening easier is to have raised beds in your garden and onions are one vegetable that you can plant in them. If you plant onion sets in autumn you can get an earlier crop next year, but you should choose a variety that is appropriate for autumn sowing such as ‘Radar’ or ‘Troy’.

Spring onions are a popular vegetable to sow at this time of year as they will be ready to harvest in spring. They are an easy to grow vegetable from seed and will grow in any well-drained, fertile soil. The other huge benefit of spring onions is the fact that they are a delicious addition to a whole range of dishes, from stir-fries to salads.

Mandy from the Mandy Can U Dig It blog, says that onions and spring onions are great vegetables to sow in September and she shares some ideas about other vegetables you could plant at this time of year.

“If you'd like to sow veg from seed, try broad beans, beetroot, radishes, spring onions, calabrese, spring greens, turnips for their green tops, Swiss chard, winter spinach and hardy Japanese onions. Be prepared to overwinter these young plants in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse.”

All the vegetables you can plant in September

•Onions

•Spring onions

•Shallots

•Turnips

•Radish

•Garlic

•Cabbages

•Salads

•Peas

•Runner beans and French beans

READ MORE: Fruit & vegetable growing guide for August

Fruit to plant in September

There are still plenty of jobs you can do in September if you are growing fruit. Those of you who are growing raspberries should look to cut off the canes that have fruited and should tie in the new shoots that will bear next year’s fruit. You should also look to prune fruit trees and bushes during this time of year.

Strawberries

Strawberries are one of the easier fruits to grow in the UK as they can be grown in a wide range of soils, from heavy clay to light sand. The fruit grows best when it is out of the wind and in areas that get a lot of sun.

Strawberry planting season generally runs from late June to September, but from August to September is considered the best time to plant the fruit as it will give the plants enough time to develop a good rooting system before winter hits.

If you plant your strawberries in September, you may be able to harvest a crop in June or July the following year. Something to remember when planting strawberries is that you sow them in an area of your garden where you haven’t grown strawberries for three years or more as this will help avoid disease.

If you are planting strawberries for the first time it is recommended that you prepare the soil by digging over, removing perennial weeds and then adding manure. The next step is to place the strawberry plants around 35cm apart in rows that are 75cm apart. Once you’ve planted the crown at soil level you will need to water them well and place a net over the plants to protect them from birds and other animals.

READ MORE: Fruit & vegetable growing guide for July

Other gardening jobs to be done in September

There are lots of jobs that can be done in September and as previously mentioned in the guide the bulk of the harvest comes home now.

Potatoes are likely to be ready to harvest now and it is important that you don’t leave any as they will become a weed. It is therefore recommended that you fork over a few days after harvesting your potatoes to see if there are any more.

Runner beans, French beans and peas will also be ready to harvest, and they will continue to produce until frost strikes.

If you are growing vegetables in the greenhouse, then the likes of aubergines, cucumbers, tomatoes, chilli and sweet peppers will be ready to be picked.

Crops that are ready to be harvested in September:

•Potatoes

•Runner beans

•French beans

•Peas

•Aubergines

•Cucumbers

•Tomatoes

•Chilli

•Sweet peppers

•Leeks

•Marrows

•Onions

•Pumpkins

•Radishes

•Spring Onions

•Spinach

•Turnips

•Beetroot

•Sweetcorn

•Carrots

•Cauliflowers

•Kale

•Courgette

This article looks at just some of the fruit and vegetables you can plant in September and the jobs you should consider doing during the month. For more tips and blogs like these then head to our news section.