Gardening guide for September planting and sowing

September offers a strategic window for gardeners to prepare for both the upcoming winter and the following spring. By utilizing cooler temperatures and relatively warm ground levels, gardeners can plant a variety of crops that thrive in autumn conditions.

For vegetable gardening, planting greens, oriental leaves, spring cabbage, and Japanese onions can lead to successful harvests. Slow-growing brassicas, such as collard greens, benefit from the current growth period to bulk up before winter. These hardy greens often improve in flavor after exposure to frost.

In terms of floral displays, sowing hardy annuals and perennials in September allows plants to establish strong root systems before winter. Popular choices for early spring and summer blooms include sweet peas, lupines, larkspur, coneflower, and columbine. Starting sweet peas in mid-to-late September can lead to earlier displays, provided the young plants are overwintered in a frost-free environment like a cold frame or unheated greenhouse.