September Garden Guide

September is a particularly exciting month for us here in the southern hemisphere - the start of a new season... spring! It may still be a bit chilly out there, but the days are getting longer and the warmer months are officially within sight. In the garden, we're really starting to gear up for a busy season of growth. There's plenty to do - more than can fit in one guide! - but read on for some September staples.

WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH

Time to sow some seeds! You can sow carrots and parsnips directly into your garden bed. Before planting, it’s a good idea to dig about 30cm into the soil to remove any stones or other debris. If you live in a warmer area you can also sow beetroot directly into the ground. 

Peas can be sown directly into the garden once soil temps are regularly above 4°C. Keep sowing successively (at 2 week intervals) for a continuous harvest. 

Sow lettuce, radishes, silverbeet, and spring onions successively (at 2-3 weekly intervals) to enjoy a continuous supply. 

Sow bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, leeks, and courgette into trays. 

Sow summer veggies indoors or in a greenhouse: tomatoes, chillies, capsicums, and eggplants. 

Once the risk of frosts has passed in your area, plant sprouted seed potatoes. It’s recommended not to replant potatoes in the same area of the garden where they have previously been grown (ideally use a 4 year crop rotation system, but every 2 years should be OK if space doesn’t allow for this).

IN THE FLOWER GARDEN

Start planting dahlia & gladioli once the risk of frosts has passed.

If you’re growing dahlias this year, have a read of this guide on dahlia propagation, written for us by Elly from @daydream.green. The blog touches on 3 methods of propagation: by division, from cuttings, and from seed. Lots of great, practical dahlia info & advice - click here to read.

Divide herbaceous perennials such as foxglove and delphinium. These should be split up once the clumps become too large; this refreshes the plant and enhances flowering. Plus you get more plants to use around the garden! Dig up and divide clumps into as many sections as you can, ensuring each section still has a decent amount of new shoots and roots. The older centre of the clump can be disposed of.

TASKS THIS MONTH...

• Refresh the soil in your container gardens before re-planting. The soil mix in pots should be changed every 1-2 years, and spring is an ideal time to do this. Note; don’t use regular garden soil in your pots! Use a potting mix that has good drainage and offers a good balance of nutrients.

• September is a good time to sow new lawns. For a prickle-free lawn this summer, spray now for onehunga weed & broadleaf weeds with prickle weed killer such as Sycthe Garden.

• Sow some wildflower seeds flowers near your veggie garden to attract beneficial insects - these “good” bugs will prey on some of the “bad” bugs. Herbs that flower through a long season such as fennel, dill, parsley, and coriander are also great for this purpose.

• Feed your berry plants every couple of weeks with Balanced Fruits & Berries Fertiliser.

• Keep on top of weeding!