How to Vegetable Garden in September

How to vegetable garden hints, tips and ideas for jobs in the September vegetable garden obviously depend upon the part of the world where you live.

The month of September still provides a good harvest but the cooler air and shorter days tells the gardener this year’s growing season is coming to a close and so this monthly vegetable care program includes harvesting and storing.

The fact that it is getting late in the vegetable planting calendar does not mean that there are not things for the vegetable gardener to do and following are some suggestions.

Tomatoes

To help to reduce the chance of blossom end rot and split fruit remember to keep up a good and regular watering system. Take away split fruit as soon as seen otherwise if left it will soon start to rot and introduce disease.

Pick any remaining outdoor tomatoes the end of September and ripen inside. Cut off the whole truss and allow the fruit to ripen on the vine either on a windowsill or in a box with a ripe banana which will help the ripening process. Don’t forget that the green fruits can be used in chutneys as can any red tomatoes superfluous to requirements.

Potatoes

Make sure that you lift your potato crop before slug damage becomes a problem. When storing the potato skins need to harden so leave the tubers on the surface on a dry day before storing in paper sacks or boxes. Take care to only store undamaged potatoes.

Be vigilant and if you see any sign of potato blight cut off the blighted potato haulms and burn or dispose of with household rubbish. The good news is that the potatoes can still be harvested.

Bad weather helps to spread the disease and if happy using sprays try products such as Bordeaux Mixture, Dithane 945 and Murphy Traditional Copper Fungicide.

Wet weather in September for those vegetable gardening on clay soil is a time when potato powdery scab can make an appearance and affected tubers should be disposed of. This is when crop rotation becomes crucial to prevent the problem building up in the soil.

Common scab and other potato skin problems can be a problem in dry warm weather. An important regime is watering as an alkaline soil worsens the problem (use of acidic fertilisers may help).

Be sure to clear rubbish created when lifting potatoes and take care not to damage the haulms. By leaving potato debris in wet weather there is a danger of fungal diseases such as black leg or fluffy grey mold developing.

Onions and Shallots

Sow seed of salad and bulb type over wintering onions to mature next spring.

Onion sets for over wintering should be planted in late September.

Lift onions and shallots as soon as the foliage starts to die back. Do not be tempted to bend over the tops as this can reduce their storage time. In dry weather allow the onions to dry on the soil but if wet dry them in a well ventilated shed.

Whichever method you use store them in moisture free conditions and check over at regular intervals to check for any rot which may spread to other stored onions. Preferably use up thick necked onions as if stored they can be more prone to rot.

Cabbage

Spring Cabbages sowed in August should be ready to plant out. To prevent pigeons devastating your crop take the precaution of covering them with horticultural fleece or netting.

Sweetcorn

Harvest Sweetcorn as it ripens and test if ripe by pushing a fingernail into the kernel when the tassels at the end of the cob start to shrivel and brown. If the liquid looks milky they are ready. Enjoy!

Green Manures

Sow green manures, such as mustard and Italian rye grass which will prevent autumn weeds establishing. When dug in during winter and spring this will also act as a soil improver.

An alternative is to place black plastic over bare ground after clearing old crops to suppress weed growth.

Parsnips

Parsnips should be left in the ground until needed for a meal as they taste better once frosted.

Squashes, Pumpkins, Marrows

Leave marrows, pumpkins and squashes ready for harvesting in the sun or in a greenhouse or garage to let the skins harden and dry off.

Store them in a cool, dry, dark place.

Celery

Earth up celery for the last time in September just leaving a tuft of foliage sticking out of the trench or collar in order to blanch the stems.

If you are growing self-blanching varieties these are not so hardy and must be harvested before the first frosts.

Trench cultivars of celery can be left in the ground but it is advisable to throw some horticultural fleece or straw over the tops if severe frost is forecast.

Asparagus

Cut down asparagus when the foliage turns brown but be cautious of the spines.

Mulch the asparagus well and prepare any new asparagus beds.

Carrots

Towards the end of the month think about lifting and storing undamaged and disease free roots.

Beetroot

As with carrots, towards the end of September is a good time to start consider lifting and storing undamaged and disease free roots.

Turnips

Lift and store undamaged and disease free roots.

Herbs

September is a good time to take cuttings of rosemary,lavender, bay and hyssop.

Cut back herbs that have flowered to encourage a second flush.

Divide herbs before they die back in the cold weather.

Pot up your favourite herbs to keep on the kitchen windowsill for use in winter.

Vegetable Seeds to Sow in September

Vegetables to sow in September for over wintering to mature next spring include: