Growing Calendar - September

Clear your schedule because if August was a chance to enjoy the fruits of your labours, September is perhaps one of the busiest months of the year in the garden! It’s all hands to the pump as you start to clear the beds, harvest the veg. You may have to dodge the showers later on in the month (and remember that the nights are starting to draw in so you’ll need to plan your time carefully), but that’s no excuse – there’s far too much to do to sit indoors with your feet up!

• Plant onion sets of an over-wintering variety from the middle of the month.
• A few cut-and-come again salad varieties could be planted in pots for tasty leaves in the autumn.
• Lift maincrop potatoes and allow to dry prior to storing in wooden trays in a dark, cool, frost-free shed or garage.
• Transplant spring cabbage into their final positions.
• Crops should be picked regularly ensuring they are always fresh and tender, and items such as courgettes and beans shouldn’t be left too long prior to picking.
• Tomatoes and chillies in greenhouses should still be watered during late summer.
• Celery plants reaching required size can be lifted carefully with a hand fork.