What to sow and plant in the vegetable garden in September?

By region

August and September for strawberries, and the bare-root season from September to April with the warning against cold, wet ground, are from the RHS. Sicily's second crop in August–September, the early crop in October–November and the 7 °C are from the Sicilian guide. Colfiorito's harvest, from 1 August through November, is from the regional proposal. Campania's second crop starts from late July, and September is not named there. Garlic in October–November or in March is from Valle d'Aosta; the RHS puts it between mid-autumn and early winter; in Campania it starts from October–November; in Sicily, from the second ten days of December. Broad beans in October or November are from the RHS; December in Umbria is from the ARPA calendar; November–December in Campania is from the regional guide. October peas in the north are from Valle d'Aosta's Informatore; October–November in Campania is from the regional guide; the 10 °C soil figure is from the RHS. Onion sets in October are from Valle d'Aosta; November and December outdoors are from Umbria. Basil through July is from the RHS. French beans through to the end of July, and early August only as a catch crop, are from the Umbria sheet. The tomato seedbed in February–March, and from January in the south with heat and light, is from Valle d'Aosta and Umbria's calendar. If the packet gives another window, the packet wins. August is in the August calendar, October in the October calendar, and the wider picture in the planting calendar.

Strawberries

September is the last month of the August and September window: plant so the plants root before next year's crop. In the north, what counts is whether it still has time before frost. In the south, the mild winter stretches that time. The bare-root season also starts, from September to April. On cold, wet ground, wait. The crown stays level with the soil. Spacing and pots are in when to plant strawberries.

Garlic, broad beans and peas

Garlic in September is ahead of the written months. In Valle d'Aosta you start in October or November, on soil that drains, or in March if autumn is missed. In Campania, from October–November through to late February. In Sicily, from the second ten days of December. The cold the bulb needs in order to split is in the garlic guide. The months by region are in when to plant garlic.

Autumn broad beans are sown in October or November, only in mild, sheltered spots, with hardy varieties. Umbria's calendar lists them for December too. In Campania the written window is November–December. Peas, in the north, have their useful autumn sowing in October, in a sheltered spot and for dwarf varieties. In Campania, from October to November. In the open ground the seed waits for soil at about 10 °C. In a pot, an autumn sowing stays under cover through the winter. Depth and spacing are in peas and broad beans. The months by region are in when to plant peas and when to plant broad beans.

Potatoes, onions, and what has closed

In Sicily, September is the last month of the second crop. Below a monthly mean of 7 °C, do not sow. The early crop is next month, October–November. In Umbria you are harvesting, from 1 August through November. In the north, do not plant. In Campania the second crop is the one that opened in late July, on the coast, and September is not among the named months. The detail is in when to plant potatoes.

Onions in the north are the October sets, on soil that drains. In Umbria, outdoor sowing is November and December. If the soil is sodden, wait. In the south, summer–autumn is one of Campania's windows, and the month is on the packet. The windows are in when to plant onions.

Basil, French beans and tomatoes are not sown in September. Basil closed in July, French beans at the end of July in Umbria and by mid-summer for the RHS, and tomatoes return to the seedbed in February, or from January in the south with heat and light. See basil, French beans and tomatoes. Winter lettuce is sown now or in October. Carrots, in Sicily, are in the autumn-winter-spring cycle, and in Campania among the autumn sowings. The pages are lettuce and carrots. Spinach, in Sicily, is sown in September and October; the RHS sows it in late summer and early autumn. Outdoor rocket closes in early September, and in August and September it is sown under cover for winter. In Sicily, autumn transplants of cauliflower and broccoli are cut in winter and spring. See spinach, rocket, cauliflowers and broccoli. Parsley in Campania enters the autumn-winter cycle in September-October. Cavolo nero, for the RHS, was sown from March to June. The pages are parsley and cavolo nero.

Jobs for the month

Clear spent plants off the beds. Keep diseased ones off the compost and out of the garden, as in pests and diseases. Where the soil is not sodden, well-rotted compost on the beds that take garlic in October. Leave ground that is sodden or sticks to the spade. On strawberries just planted, water at the base and leave a gap in the mulch around the crown. In a pot the same drainage applies: see the container garden.