Tips for the garden - September

Autumn is here!

And, just like that, summer is over! The change of season will see a change of pace in the garden as the bright blooms you’ve nurtured for months will start to fade and final crops will need harvesting before preparations for winter begin in earnest.  

The change of season will also mark a change of colour in the garden as the lush greenery we’ve become accustomed to over the past few months will start to be replaced with autumnal hues.

For many of us, August was a little damp and not the weather we were expecting, but at least the sun finally make an appearance for the beginning of September. 

September is one of our favourite months. A time to look back on what we’ve achieved this season and what is still to come. The nights may be longer and time in the garden getting shorter, but we can’t take our foot completely off the pedal just yet.

Harvest and replace

• Keep an eye out for early frosts, especially if you have unripened tomatoes. If the weather is starting to turn chilly, remove remaining tomatoes and ripen indoors. 
• Sow hardy varieties of peas, broad beans, kale etc for early crops. Before sowing, add a good soil conditioner, such as 6X, to replace nutrient lost during the growing season. 
• Plant onion and shallot sets.
• Harvest runner beans before they become too stringy. Potatoes, onions, French beans etc all need to be harvested before it gets too cold.
• Pick apples and pears and store in a cool place. If they have fallen and have signs of bruising, the fruits will still be good for juicing!
• Prune fruit canes right back and tie up.
• If not replanting, or even if you are, once old crops are removed, improve soil structure and replace nutrients with a good fertiliser such as Q4 All Purpose Plant Food.

Late blooms

• Keep those hanging baskets and pots looking lovely well into autumn by continuing to cut back flowers to encourage growth. Feed with a specialist fertiliser such as Vitax Tub & Hanging Basket Feed to keep the blooms looking healthy.
• Move less hardier houseplants back indoors. Houseplants will also require less watering as we move into autumn.
• Lift gladioli corms, dry and overwinter indoors. 
• Sow hardy annuals for next year. 
• Daffodils, crocus etc can be planted in pots and containers ready for spring.
• Check roses for blackspot and feed with Rose Guard Rose Tonic to strengthen and prevent disease.
• Take cuttings from your favourite plants. If you are not sure what to do, the ‘How to Take Cuttings’ blog is a great, quick read.
• Add a good layer of mulch to beds and borders.

It’s time to prep!

• As the days get colder and the nights longer, remove shading from the greenhouse to let the light flood in.  Summer Cloud Greenhouse Cleaner is a fast and easy way to remove shading and algae that has built up over the summer months.
• Autumn clean the greenhouse with Greenhouse Disinfectant to remove any pests. Pots and containers can also be cleaned in preparation for new seeds, as can bird feeders and water baths.
• Remove canes that have been used for runner beans, clean and store.
• Check tree ties and stakes. Remove and replace broken stakes and ensure all ties are secure ready for winter winds.
• After months of use, the lawn will need some TLC. Aerate well-trodden lawns and rake out any moss. Re-seed bare patches.

September is a time to take stock of everything you’ve achieved over the summer and look forward to the months ahead. Make the most of the garden as dark nights lay ahead and we’ll be taking our gardening indoors as we sit back and pour over next seasons brochures!