Gardening jobs for September highlight a key turning point in the gardening calendar. The long days of summer are drawing to a close but your garden is still full of life and opportunity. Whether you’re harvesting the last of your crops or planting ahead for spring, there are plenty of gardening jobs you can do in September which support both your plants and your long-term goals.
This month is also a great chance to put sustainability at the heart of your gardening routine. From composting to green manures, small changes now can make a big impact later. Here’s your guide to what to focus on in the garden this September.
1. Harvest and Store: One of September’s Most Satisfying Gardening Jobs
September is peak harvest season in many gardens. Beans, courgettes, tomatoes, apples, pears and plums are all ready to pick. Regular harvesting keeps plants productive and helps avoid waste.
Once picked, store what you can. Dry onions, freeze tomatoes, make chutneys from green tomatoes or gluts and tuck away apples in a cool, dark space. Preserving your produce is not only satisfying – it’s a core principle of sustainable gardening.
2. Plant Spring Bulbs Now for a Beautiful Payoff Later
One of the most important gardening jobs in September is planting spring bulbs. Daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and alliums can go in now, with tulips following a little later in October. Choose organic or sustainably sourced bulbs where possible to align with eco-friendly gardening practices.
Plant in groups or natural drifts for best effect and use a bulb planter to save time and effort. You’ll thank yourself in spring when your garden bursts into life.
3. Tidy Up Borders and Trim Back Perennials
September is the time to neaten up your space without going overboard. Cut back faded perennials like mint, hardy geraniums and lavender. Not only does this tidy up your borders, but it also encourages better root development and stronger plants next year.
If any plants are looking crowded, lift and divide them now. This is one of those sustainable gardening jobs that keeps your plants healthy and avoids the need to buy new ones next spring.
4. Sow Green Manures and Late Crops
Do you have bare soil in your veg beds? Make the most of it by sowing green manures like phacelia, mustard or field beans. These fast-growing plants cover the soil, suppress weeds and improve structure and nutrient levels – a brilliant example of sustainability in action.
You can also sow autumn crops such as spinach, lamb’s lettuce or winter lettuces. With a little protection from fleece or cloches, they’ll keep producing into the colder months.
5. September Lawn Care: Another Essential Gardening Job
If your lawn took a hit during summer, now’s the perfect time to give it some love. Scarify to remove moss and thatch, aerate to relieve compaction and apply an autumn lawn feed to strengthen roots.
You can also reseed bald patches – the soil is still warm and cooler nights provide just the right conditions for seed germination. Choose low-maintenance or wildflower lawn options for a more sustainable garden space.
6. Prep the Greenhouse for Autumn and Winter Use
Before moving tender plants indoors, give your greenhouse a deep clean. Clear away dead leaves, clean glass panes to maximise light and disinfect staging and pots to prevent pests and diseases from lingering.
It’s a small gardening job that can make a big difference later on – especially if you’re growing food or overwintering plants sustainably through the colder months.
7. Take Cuttings to Propagate for Free
Taking semi-ripe cuttings from plants like rosemary, penstemon or fuchsia is a simple yet effective way to expand your garden without buying new stock. Propagating your own plants is one of the most rewarding sustainable gardening jobs you can do in September – and it’s budget-friendly too.
September Is All About Smart, Sustainable Gardening
When it comes to gardening in September, it’s all about working with the season, not against it. From harvesting and planting to dividing and prepping for winter, each job this month helps your garden transition smoothly into autumn.
Better yet, many of these gardening jobs support a more sustainable approach – saving seeds, storing produce, improving soil health and making the most of what you already have.
If you need eco-friendly soil enhancers, seeds or copper gardening tools to support your September gardening, explore The Natural Gardener’s product range.
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