Vegetables To Sow & Plant in September

In the UK, September seems to be a mixture of a last minute Indian summer and autumn trying to push in as well. There’s still a few things you can sow and plant in September.

By all these lovely tokens, September days are here. With summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.” – Quote by Helen Hunt Jackson.

What I’m Sowing in September

Spring Cabbage

Varieties I’ve had success with are:

April – compact pointy cabbage, great for containers,
Durham Early – earliest of all spring cabbages,

How to Sow

September – I sow any larger vegetables in 9cm pots to give them room to get started. I feel they will have more compost and nutrients than sowing in a cell tray. Start in a greenhouse.

Planting outside

October in Raised Beds – Plant outside in raised beds under fine mesh netting just in case of cabbage white butterflies.

October in Containers – Alternatively plant in a 30L container in the unheated greenhouse.

Winter Maintenance

In December to February – clear away any dead or yellow leaves from the soil, which could be homes for slugs or diseases.
Remove any weeds trying to take the vegetables nutrients.

Harvest

March to April – Harvest spring cabbages leaf by leaf or take the whole plant out for chopping and freezing the leaves.

Kale

Varieties I’ve had success with are:

Black Magic – last Sowing in August,
Hungry Gap – last sowing in September.

Things to Remember about growing Brassica’s

Netting – Kale, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli & Brussel sprouts will need covering with fine mesh netting to protect from cabbage white butterflies who are still around until late October. Read more about types of netting, hoops and tunnels on a budget here.

Harvest

November to March – Keep picking the outer leaves so the inner leaves keep growing for more harvests. They will grow flowers at the top of the plant, when the plant is finished growing.

Cauliflower

Varieties I’ve had success with are:

‘All Year Round‘ – great value for money, buy once sow in 3 different seasons (March to May, June, Oct – Nov & Jan-Feb).

How to Sow

October – Sow in 9cm diameter pots in a greenhouse.

Planting Outside

November – Plant outside in a raised bed or 1 cauliflower per 30L container under fine mesh netting.

Top Tip – Cauliflowers like other Brassicas are cool loving plants, they don’t mind the cold or frost. The netting keeps the last of the cabbage white butterflies away and aphids and keeps the soil warm for growing.

When you see the Cauliflower forming…

When you see the ‘curds’ the cauliflowers forming, pull the green leaves over the cauliflowers and peg together with a clothes peg. This will prevent the curds from going brown & rotting with the cold and wet.

Harvest

January to March.

Cut the base of the stem where is goes into the ground to remove the whole plant from the soil. You can eat the Cauliflower leaves by making pesto or cooking like spinach. Use the cauliflower heads quickly as it will spoil after a few days.

Asian Greens

Asian greens are leaves that can have a spice or peppery taste and are great for adding an extra depth in stirfries, salads, stews, soups or even a sandwich or on eggs.

Click here for more details about Growing Quick Asian Greens in September.

September is just the Beginning….

Autumn is the perfect time to sow crops that will feed you all through the colder months and it’s easier than you think!

In my Winter Veg Made Easy webinar, I’ll show you:

🌱 What to sow in September, October & beyond,

❄️ How to protect crops from frost so they thrive,

🪴 Easy steps for container and raised bed growing,

🌟 My favourite varieties for reliable winter harvests,

🎥 Pre-recorded & available anytime – perfect to watch when it suits you.

✨ Your garden can stay productive all winter, start now and let me show you how!

➡️ Click here to watch the webinar!