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Andrew Tokely's Gardening Jobs for September 06 September 2024

September has arrived and the mornings are starting to feel like autumn with the daylight hours shortening. September can still be busy bringing in the rest of the harvest as well as preparing for next year’s crops and display.
 

1. Most gardeners like to look ahead and now is the time to start thinking about planting flower bulbs. I like to plant my Daffodils and Crocus first, particularly if you are thinking of having some naturalised in a lawn or grassland area. The best way to get a natural un-regimented effect is to take a handful of bulbs and throw them on the area you wish to plant them. Then plant each bulb where it lands. Planting bulbs in grass can be quite difficult with a trowel, so the best tool to use is a Bulb planter. This tool can be screwed into the soil through the grass and will take out a core of soil and turf. Then you can drop the bulb in the hole and replace the core. The bulbs will then naturally grow up through the grass area, giving a spectacular and natural looking display next spring. I suggest you delay planting this year’s flower bulbs until we have had sufficient rainfall for the lawns to recover and so there is enough moisture below for the bulbs to grow. 

2. If you have some spare ground on your vegetable plot and you find it difficult to get hold of Nitrogen rich Manure to dig in during the autumn, you can use an alternative. If you sow Green Manures this month it is an easy way of adding nutrients and organic matter, improving the soil structure and fertility of your vegetable garden. The seed should be sown thinly at a rate of 30-40gms per square meter. Seedlings will grow quickly, and can be dug in once they are 23cm (9in) tall. You can leave the plants to grow taller whereby their root system will draw up further minerals but these will need chopping up prior to digging in, but will provide increased bulky matter (humus) to your soil.

3. From this month till mid-October is the ideal time to plant Autumn Onion sets like Senshyu Yellow, Red Electric or snowball. These will mature around June/July next year, just at the time your stored onions are coming to an end. I always think this is a good crop to grow, as it ensures the kitchen has a continuous supply of onions to use.    

4. If you are growing Winter squash and Pumpkins, it is a good idea to lift the fruits off the ground. This can be done by carefully placing a piece of wood, a brick or even an upturned flower pot under each fruit. This will prevent them rotting if the weather turns very wet whilst they continue to ripen.

5. This month is the ideal time to order Garlic for delivery in October, so you are ready for planting from November onwards. Ordering early will hopefully ensure you get the varieties you like to grow. Once received, these can be laid out in trays in a cool place until you are ready to split up the cloves for planting. Depending on the size of the bulb received will determine the amount of cloves you get, and all varieties vary.  

6. Keep on top of harvesting beans, sweetcorn, late salad crops, outdoor tomatoes and squash this month. As crops finish, clear the ground and chop up the old plants into the compost heap. Keep this ground clean from weeds and this will make it easier to prepare for winter digging or mulching.

7. Although we are in September, keep Runner and Climbing French Beans well-watered and these can often give a late flush of blooms, followed by succulent young beans. As our autumns seem to be getting warmer, this crop can often be encouraged to extend its cropping season. All we have to hope is we don’t get any strong winds as this can affect the quality of the crop.

8. As autumn is approaching fast and to help keep ponds clean I always think it is best to put some form of fine mesh net, like our Fruit net over your pond now. This will catch the majority of the leaves, and stop them falling into your pond and sinking to the bottom, as this will make a smelly messy sludge on the bottom, as well as using up air from the water. Then once a week, lift off the net and remove the leaves to the compost heap, then replace the net back over the pond; this should hopefully keep the pond clean throughout the autumn. 

9. As summer bedding starts to look shabby this month, gradually clear the borders and empty any containers and baskets that look passed their best. Add this material to your compost heap to gradually rot down for later use. The border soil can be prepared and containers re-filled with fresh compost ready for planting with autumn bedding plants like Pansy, Viola, Bellis, Primroses, Polyanthus and forget-me-nots later this month or in October.

10. Keep a close eye on winter brassicas, as Cabbage Butterflies are very active laying eggs resulting in caterpillars ready to eat your plants. Also whitefly are active on the winter greens and if not kept under control will soon leave a sooty mould deposit over the leaves or developing Brussels Sprouts. Use a suitable insecticide or Organic soap solution to keep these pests under control before it is too late.