Gardening expert Jo McGarry from Caragh Nurseries has shared the four vegetables you can still plant in September for a fresh autumn harvest. Summer may be drawing to a close, but there's no need to abandon the vegetable patch quite yet, as September is an ideal month for planting additional crops, with certain vegetables thriving in cooler conditions while others provide an early advantage for next year's yield.
Four vegetables to plant in September
Jo McGarry, luxury garden design expert at Caragh Nurseries, has revealed seven vegetables suitable for planting this September. Among them, she highlighted spinach as a particularly easy option.
"Spinach is a really easy one to get going in September because it doesn't mind the cooler weather," said Jo. "Go for a hardy variety and you can keep picking fresh leaves through autumn, and some can even keep going through winter if the conditions are right."
Winter lettuce and rocket
For those seeking fresh produce as temperatures drop, Jo recommended winter lettuce. "If you want something fresh to pick as the weather gets cooler, winter lettuce is a good one to go for," she said. "September is a great time to get it in, especially if you've got somewhere a bit sheltered. You can just pick the leaves as you need them, so you don't have to pull up the whole plant at once."
Rocket also made her list. "Rocket is a great one to get in now if you want something you can start picking fairly soon," said Jo. "It grows quite quickly, so you can still get a decent crop in autumn. Once the temperatures really start to drop it will slow down, but a sheltered spot can help you get a little more out of it."
Spring onions and final tips
Spring onions are another option for September. "Spring onions are a really handy one to get in the ground in September, particularly if you go for a hardy variety," said Jo. "They don't need much space and are pretty easy to tuck into gaps, so they're a good option if you don't have loads of room. Getting them in now gives them time to settle before the colder weather really sets in."
The end of summer needn't signal the time to abandon your vegetable patch until the following spring. "There's still plenty you can get growing in September, whether you're making the most of the last bit of the growing season or getting a head start on next year's crop," said Jo. "Go for varieties that don't mind cooler weather, keep them watered while they settle in and give younger plants a bit of protection if we get a particularly cold spell. So don't pack away the gardening gloves just yet, there's still plenty to plant."
