Will we get an Indian summer after a soggy July? Time will tell. September is the time to enjoy the final flourish of your garden while preparing it for the autumn and winter ahead. Here are the September gardening jobs that should be on your to-do list.
General September gardening jobs
Get your lawn ready for winter
Now is a good time to look after your lawn, ready for winter. Especially if it’s borne the brunt of summer games and parties in the garden. Give your lawn a good rake to remove any moss and debris that’s making it look a little tired. Apply some feed with some weed and moss killer to restore it back to health.
Keep on weeding
Speaking of weeds, they can still be a problem at this time of the year. Try to do some weeding once per week to keep on top of things.
Remove shading from your greenhouse
If you’ve used paint or netting to protect your plants from the excessive heat of summer, now is the time to remove it. As the days get shorter and cooler, any plants in your greenhouse will need as much light as they can get.
Veg September gardening jobs
Bring in the harvest
September is a time for harvest and now is the time to raise veg like pumpkins and squash off the ground. Leave them to ripen in the Autumn sun before harvesting and enjoying them in some warming soup.
Sow late veg
The first week of September is prime time for sowing spring onions and cabbage. You can either sow them directly into the soil or in modules. If you plant them in modules, they’ll need to be planted outside in early October.
Plants and flowers September gardening jobs
Stock up on bulbs
September is the perfect time to plant bulbs. However, if you want to plant tulips, leave them until November as early planting leaves them prone to disease.
Think about Spring
There may be a long dark winter to get through but that doesn’t mean you can’t think about the coming spring. Plant colourful bedding plants like pansies and give them a good watering during any dry spells.
Deadhead and feed container plants
Are your container plants starting to look past their best? Deadheading them often should be on your list of September gardening jobs. This will encourage them to flourish for a while longer, as will watering them and giving them a dose of liquid fertiliser each week.
Hate autumn or love it, it’s still an interesting time in the garden. The height of summer is gone, but there’s still time to enjoy your garden and get it in good shape for the months ahead. For more interesting articles on making the most of your outside space, check out the rest of our blog.
