September

Warm September brings the fruit; Sportsmen then begin to shoot.

— Sara Coleridge, The Garden Year (1834)

Autumn is on its way

September is a month of change in the garden. Summer colour can still be going strong, but cooler nights and shorter days signal that autumn is approaching.

There is plenty to harvest, tidy and prepare, while warm soil makes September an excellent time to plant for the months ahead.

Plant now for spring colour

Plant spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths ready for a colourful display next spring.

September is also a good time to divide and replant overcrowded herbaceous perennials. The soil is still warm enough for them to establish strong roots before winter.

Enjoy the harvest

Apples, pears and plums should be harvested as they ripen. If you are storing fruit, choose only undamaged specimens and keep them somewhere cool and dry.

Clear spent vegetable crops as they finish. Healthy plant material can go onto the compost heap, leaving beds tidy and ready for autumn planting.

Keep the colour coming

Continue deadheading late-flowering perennials and bedding plants. Removing faded flowers can encourage plants to continue blooming for as long as conditions allow.

September is also a good time to plant or move evergreen shrubs and conifers. The soil retains some of its summer warmth, giving roots time to establish before colder weather arrives.

Give your lawn some attention

After the wear and dry spells of summer, September is a good month for lawn care.

Scarify and aerate the lawn, then overseed bare or thinning patches. Warm soil and increasing autumn moisture provide good conditions for grass seed to establish.

Prepare tender plants for colder weather

Start watching the forecast as temperatures fall.

Lift and store tender summer bulbs and tubers, such as dahlias and begonias, if frost is forecast in colder parts of the North of England.

Reduce feeding of houseplants and begin bringing tender patio plants indoors or into a greenhouse before the first frosts arrive.

Don't forget the pond

Falling leaves can quickly accumulate in garden ponds.

Keep ponds clear by removing leaves regularly or using netting where necessary. This helps prevent decaying vegetation building up in the water and supports better water quality through autumn.

Wildlife to look out for

September can be a busy month for garden wildlife.

Look out for hedgehogs feeding during the evening as they begin building the reserves they need for winter. Leaving some undisturbed areas, log piles and leaf litter can provide valuable shelter.

Frogs, toads and newts may still be found around ponds and damp corners. Take particular care when moving logs, pots or vegetation.

Late flowers remain important for bees, hoverflies and butterflies, including red admirals and peacocks. Flowering ivy can also provide a valuable source of nectar as other flowers disappear.

Garden birds are changing too. Swallows and house martins may gather before their autumn migration, while resident birds make increasing use of gardens as the season changes.

One last tip

Don't be too tidy. Clearing diseased material and spent crops is sensible, but leaving some seed heads, fallen leaves and undisturbed corners provides food and shelter for wildlife.

A good September garden isn't just preparing for winter — it's already preparing for next spring.