Jobs for September

September is the first month of autumn. Over the coming weeks we can expect to witness a dramatic change in the garden and on the allotment. Warm days combined with cold nights bring heavy, morning dews and it won’t be too long before some parts of the country can expect to experience their first light frost.

In some ways it is out with the old and in with the new. Crops are harvested to be replaced with overwintering crops that will keep us supplied through the winter and into the spring of next year. It is important to clear the ground of spent crops and plant remains to have a clear run at the winter digging. All disease free green waste can go on the compost heap but anything that you know is dodgy put through the local authority’s recycling system. It is safe to sow green manures until early October but it is a little late for the clovers.

Continue to drag soil up around the stems of winter brassicas and put stakes to the Brussels sprouts, kale and sprouting broccoli to give support against strong autumn and winter winds. Also inspect any recent transplants and gently heel them back into the soil if they look as if they have been loosened by recent gales. Give the winter vegetables a dose of tomato fertiliser to help them through the winter.

Courgettes will slow down and stop producing fruits soon but keep a close eye on the winter pumpkins and squashes; when you notice that the stem near the shoulder of the fruit begins to darken and harden it is ready for cutting and drying off inside the greenhouse or shed.

Keep on harvesting crops at every opportunity to maintain production. If you are growing dahlias cut or dead head them regularly. They will produce blooms right up to the first really hard frost of autumn. Sweet peas won’t appreciate the change in the season but don’t be in too much of a hurry to sow the seeds this month. The advice given by Peter Miller of King’s Seeds is to wait until early November to sow sweet pea seeds.

In the greenhouse condensation will cause ‘ghost spotting’ to appear on the fruits. You will see small spots of white spores on the tomatoes. It isn’t serious enough to spoil them for eating but they will need a wipe over with a clean soft cloth to remove it. Try and ventilate the greenhouse as much as possible to dry the air. Avoid using a paraffin heater because it will only add more moisture to the atmosphere. The plants should be cleared away towards the end of the month.

Overwintering onion sets are available now. Get them planted as soon as possible to give the bulbs plenty of time to produce a strong enough root system to help them survive the cold months ahead. Remember to have some cloche protection ready to use in the colder, wetter days around the turn of the year. If you are fortunate enough to garden on a warm free draining soil it is worth considering planting garlic but if you soil is cold and wet it may be safer to wait until next February before planting.