September 2024
Dear Home Food Growers,
As September arrives, it’s time to prepare your garden for the transition to autumn. With daylight hours shortening, This is the last month for succession sowing to keep your garden productive into the cooler months.
It’s also peak harvest time—make the most of your summer crops while planning and transplanting for fall. With the last little effort now, your garden can continue to thrive as the seasons change.
1. What to Sow
For outdoors;
- Winter Purslane and Corn Lettuce for fresh greens throughout winter.
- Mustard greens like Pak Choy, Tatsoi, Asian greens (Red Giant, Mizuna), and Rucola.
- Herbs such as Dill, Coriander, and Chervil.
- Spring Onion and Spring Cabbage to overwinter and ensure early spring harvests.
- Spinach (if not done already) may not reach full size for proper overwintering.
For undercover / in the greenhouse, all plants above plus:
- Lettuce, Endive and Spinach for winter and spring pickings.
- Kale, Chard, and Fennel to grow steadily under protection.
Check out our sowing & propagation video here for tips.
Succession sowing for autumn and winter
2. What seeds to get ready for October?
- Garlic Cloves: October is the ideal time to plant garlic cloves, allowing them to establish roots before winter. This will result in a robust harvest the following summer. Make sure to pick the largest cloves to transplant for larger harvests.
- Broad Beans: Sowing broad beans in October will give them a head start, allowing them to establish before winter and providing an early crop in spring. It also helps with reducing pests such as black flies before summer arrives.
- White Mustard: You can optionally sow White Mustard as a cover crop to protect and enrich your soil over the winter. It grows quickly, suppressing weeds and adding organic matter when turned into the soil in spring. An alternative option is to cover your empty beds with compost mulch, helping to feed the soil with less work.
3. Jobs to be Done
- Addressing diseases: As we move into September, it's crucial to address blight, especially for tomatoes in these high humidity and cooler temperatures. Ensure you remove any lower leaves and prune all side shoots to increase air circulation and only water at the root level. Additionally, pinch off the top of the tomatoes and reduce watering in September to help fruiting and ripening on the trusses. If you spot blight, remove any affected leaves and dispose.
- Pest Management: Active involvement is key in managing pests. Continue with your diligent slug checks and covering crops with mesh (e.g., for caterpillars, late carrot root flies, and second-generation allium leaf miners). For caterpillars, we sometimes use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) every three to four weeks, though less this year, given the reduction in butterfly population.
- De-weeding: Regularly check and remove weeds to proactively manage
4. Harvests & Seasonal Chef tips
- Tomato Tart with Basil and Cheese: For a savory treat that's bursting with fresh summer flavors, try this tomato tart with basil and cheese. It's a delicious way to use up those garden tomatoes, and it's sure to be a hit at your next gathering. Find the recipe here.
- Zucchini Carrot Fritters: Looking for a crispy, veggie-packed snack? These zucchini carrot fritters are perfect for a light lunch or a tasty side dish. Check out the full recipe here to bring these golden bites to your table.
- Roasted Carrot, Onion, and Garlic: Elevate your side dishes with this simple yet flavorful recipe. Roasting carrots, onions, and garlic together brings out their natural sweetness, making them the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Discover how to make this savory delight here.
