Things To Do In September In Your Garden

In September it may feel as though the gardening season is coming to an end. But there is plenty to do still, from continuing to enjoy your harvest, to preparing for the coming months and thinking ahead to next year. Here are just some of the things you should think about getting round to this month:

Jobs In The Vegetable Garden

• Pinch out the tops of cordon tomato plants if you have not already done so.
• Dig up any remaining maincrop potatoes.
• Remove any leaves shadowing pumpkins and squash to help them to ripen up.
• Continue to harvest French and runner beans little and often to delay them going to seed.
• Towards the end of the month, start planting winter onion sets and garlic.

Jobs In The Fruit Garden/Orchard

• Take hardwood cuttings to increase your stock of currants, gooseberries and figs.
• Pot up strawberry runners for next year if you have not already done so.
• Cut back the canes of summer fruiting raspberries and tie in next year's canes.
• Order bare root canes, fruit trees and soft fruit bushes for autumn planting.
• Harvest plums, apples, blackberries, autumn raspberries and other fruit to eat fresh or preserve.

Jobs In the Flower Garden

• Plant new perennials in beds and borders.
• Keep deadheading flowers to prolong blooming period.
• Order ornamental trees and shrubs to plant out in autumn.
• Prune late-summer flowering shrubs and flowering plants.
• Plant spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and crocus.

Jobs Under Cover

• Water early in the day to prevent problems caused by cool, damp nights.
• Clear and clean as space opens up in your greenhouse or polytunnel after main summer crops have been harvested.
• Remove and wash any pots or containers not currently in use.
• Remove any shading to make the most of late-summer/early-autumn sunshine.
• Continue to harvest and plant out winter crops in place of summer ones.

General Garden Jobs

• Now is a good time to create a new lawn from seed or turf.
• Sow green manures to protect soil and keep down weeds over winter if you have not already done so.
• Clear weeds and net your pond to stop autumn leaves from falling into it.
• Gather falling leaves this month and next to make leaf mould or to add to compost.
• Make sure your water butts and rainwater harvesting system is all in good repair.