September is, for many gardeners, a time for harvesting the fruit and veg that they’ve been tending all year. But, says expert Huw Richards, it’s also time to plant a range of new produce.
In a round-up of essential September gardening jobs on his YouTube channel, Huw says: “I thought I’d share with you 14 crops that I sow every single September – it’s not over yet, there’s a lot of things that we can still grow both outside and undercover.”
He lists 14 plants that could help feed you and your family in the coming months, including salad crops, leafy greens and beans.
“The first crop to sow in September,” he says, “is radishes. This is the last chance for your summer radishes outside but you can also sow your winter radishes.”
He recommends Daikon, a long white Asian radish with a crunchy texture reminiscent of a large white carrot or parsnip, and Spanish black round winter radishes – which not only offer a zesty, peppery bite when served raw in salads, but can also be cooked in stews, stir-fries, and roasts.
This time of year is also, Huw says, the ideal time to sow oriental greens, such as pak choi and mizuna. Many of these plants can be used in a “cut and come again” manner, allowing you to pick individual leaves while leaving the plant growing in the soil.
“They are so, so tasty, and they grow so well,” he says. “When you start them off in, say, early summer they often tend to bolt or run to seed. However, if you start them off at this time of year, they grow really fast and love these conditions, and they’re something that you can enjoy later on in autumn.”
Huw stresses that a cold frame, polytunnel or even a simple garden fleece can really help your garden produce thrive as the first frosts of winter bite.
Huw adds that growing cover crops, such as mustards, will help protect the soil while also adding a little welcome warmth to your winter dishes.
“Field beans are really hardy at overwintering,” he adds. “Last September we sowed some as a cover crop and they ended up growing to between two and two-and-a-half metres high, and we harvested a huge amount the following May and June.”
For that reason, he explains, you can grow field beans as a full crop, rather than just for cover: “Now is the time to sow them, so take advantage of any openings in your garden.”
Other crops that you might consider planting this month, Huw says, include rocket, spinach, lettuce, peas, kale, cabbage and coriander.
As an experiment, he’s also trying out an oriental vegetable called wa wa cai choi.
These quick and tasty greens can help keep your plot going through late summer, autumn, winter and the so-called “hungry gap” between March and May, when there’s a natural lull in homegrown produce in the UK: winter crops have finished, and new spring crops are not yet ready for harvest.