September

What to do this Month – September

Continue to sow vegetables for overwintering, to mature next spring, including: turnips, spinach, winter lettuce and oriental vegetables.
Spring cabbages that were sown last month are probably ready for planting out. Cover them with reused netting to stop the pigeons shredding them.
Cover bare areas by sowing green manures such as crimson clover and Italian ryegrass to capture nutrients and protect the soil over winter. These can be dug in in spring or covered with cardboard 6-8 weeks before planting if you are practising no-dig.
When asparagus foliage turns brown, it is time to cut it down. Take care as the old stems can scratch your hands and arms, and give the plants a good mulch afterwards with homemade compost or manure-based soil improver.
If the soil is dry, water winter squash and pumpkins to prevent their growth from being checked. Use stored rainwater wherever possible.

Finish tying in shoots on fan-trained and other wall-trained trees.
Cut back old canes of blackberries and hybrid berries after fruiting and tie in the new canes.
Prune blackcurrants.
Harvest top fruit such as apples and pears. Look for fruit falling under the tree (windfalls) to indicate which apples are ready, and cup the fruit in your hand and twist upwards to check if they are ready for picking. If it comes away easily in your hand then it is ready for harvest.