What to do in September

September marks the transition from summer to autumn in the UK garden. It’s a month of harvesting the last of the summer crops, preparing for cooler weather and getting your garden ready for the cooler months:

Things to do in September:

• Start clearing autumn debris to prevent pests and diseases over wintering.
• Net ponds to keep out falling leaves.
• Sow or turf new lawns and scarify and aerate established ones.
• Move evergreen shrubs.
• Reduce feeding of plants in containers.
• Take hardwood cuttings from roses.
• Begin dividing overgrown perennials.
• Plant spring-flowering bulbs, plant out spring-flowering biennials and plant up containers with spring bedding.
• Lift tender perennials and bring them under cover.
• Harvest the last of the marrows and courgettes and lift maincrop potatoes.
• Plant out spring cabbages and sow winter lettuce.
• Continue to harvest apples and pears and pick autumn fruiting raspberries.
• Reduce watering and ventilation in the greenhouse.

Last Chance:

• Force hyacinths and narcissi for Christmas flowering.
• Plant onion sets and sow spring cabbages.

Getting Ahead:

• Start to prune climbing roses as the flowers finish.
• Clean the greenhouse in preparation for winter.
• Dig over heavy clay soil before the autumn rains make it less workable.
• Sow hardy annuals to flower next year.

The Weather

• Milder temperatures, with cooling evenings as the month progresses into autumn. Average day time temperatures ranging from 16°C to 18°C and night time temperatures between 9°C and 12°C. Early autumn can still feel quite warm, but cooler weather starts to return later in the month.
• Generally moderate to high, with occasional heavy rainfall.
• The days start to shorten, but there are still plenty of sunny days, especially at the beginning of the month.

General Tasks

Vegetables & Herbs

Fruit

The Flower Garden

The Greenhouse

Containers

Trees & Shrubs

Hedges

The Lawn

Wildlife and the Pond

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