Gardening activities for September

This month as many of us go back to school, it is time to reap the rewards of your veg patch and fruit trees. Start preparing for autumn and winter, with lots of sowing and planting to be getting on with.

01 September 2023

Sowing

For any flowers in your space that are starting to die back, collect their seeds to sow and grow next year. This is perfect to create plants for free from any annuals, herbaceous perennials and wildflowers you have. Why not make a wildflower piñata as a fun way to spread your wildflowers? You could make an origami seed packet to store your collected seeds.
Start sowing overwintering vegetables that will be ready to harvest in late winter, next spring and summer - have a go at onion, spinach and Chinese cabbage.
If you don’t want to sow more vegetables you could instead sow green manures. This will help reduce soil erosion, conserve nutrients in the soil and when dug into the soil act as a natural improver by adding structure and nutrients.

Harvesting

Harvest vegetables such as; tomatoes, salad leaves, French beans, runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers, pepper, chillies, onions, spring onions, globe artichokes and any other vegetables you are growing when they are ready.
By now most of your apples, pears, plums, quince, damsons and autumn raspberries should be ripe and ready to harvest.

Maintaining

If you have an overabundance of harvested fruit and vegetables, try storing them, freezing or drying them. You could also turn them into treats by pickling them, making chutneys, jams, marmalades or adding them as flavourings to oils. Share extra food with your local community to help reduce food waste.
Get ready for late autumn and winter by planning ahead in your fruit garden. Order new fruit trees, fruit canes and bushes ready for planting in the colder months.
Clean out any greenhouses, polytunnels and storage spaces ready for a new school year of growing. Make sure to demonstrate tool safety to any new pupils or group members.
Start ordering new fruit trees, fruit canes and bushes ready for planting in the late autumn or winter. You can find plants at local tree nurseries, garden centres or online.

Planting

Start buying and planting any flowering bulbs you want to feature in your outdoor space next spring: snowdrops, daffodils, crocus, iris and winter windflowers.

Sharing

If you have an overabundance of harvested fruit and vegetables, try storing them, freezing or drying them. You could also turn them into treats by pickling them, making chutneys, jams, marmalades or adding them as flavourings to oils. Share extra food with your local community to help reduce food waste. Even your peelings and pips don't need to be wasted - find tips here.
Once they have finished flowering, you can divide your herbaceous perennial plants. This is a great way to get more plants for your green space or to share with others. It will also give the plants more space to grow. Herbaceous perennials are plants that die back to the ground each year in the winter but then re-grow and flower every year.

Watering

If you have a classroom or home packed with houseplants, start reducing the amount of water you’re giving them as temperatures cool down.
Keep up with watering of new plants, using rain or grey water if possible.

Supporting wildlife

Cover any leafy crops you have growing in your garden with netting to prevent them being eaten by birds. To make sure birds in your garden have enough food, you can leave flowers to go to seed or place bird feeders around the space.

This year, in collaboration with The Wildlife Trusts, we’re celebrating grassed spaces as habitats for wildlife. There are plenty of ways for children and young people to get involved.