by Erin Marissa Russell
Ready to decide what you’ll plant in your garden this September? Look no further—we’ve rounded up a comprehensive breakdown of your options. Whether you’re looking for vegetables, flowers, shrubs, trees, or plants for landscaping, Gardening Channel is here to guide you through fall choices for gardeners to plant in September, whatever your USDA hardiness zone may be.
Because the weather’s just turning chilly, the soil in your garden will still be warm. That means seeds will sprout quickly, and you’ve got plenty of temperate weather for plants to thrive in before the real cold snap moves in. Best of all, you can enjoy your time working in the yard without the sweat and pesky mosquitoes that often go along with more popular gardening seasons.
What vegetables can I plant in September?
Some of the vegetables you can plant in September will be ready to eat this fall, while others can keep growing throughout the winter for a springtime or summer harvest. Now’s the time to focus on cultivating leafy greens, salad veggies, broad beans, peas, alliums, and root vegetables. Get the full details below.
Arugula (Eruca sativa): Zones 3-11. Plant when the temperature dips below 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Sowing every two to three weeks provides continuous harvest. Full sun or part shade. 30-35 days to harvest. Learn more.
Beets: Zones 2-10. Full or part sun. Succession planting every 20 days works as long as temperatures don’t exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit. 50-70 days to harvest. Learn more.
Broad Beans/Fava Beans: Hardy to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect during hard frosts or snowstorms with fleece. Recommended varieties: Select longpods, such as “Aquadulce Claudia” or “Coles Early Dwarf.” Learn more.
Cabbage: Zone 1-9. Full sun. Spring cabbages can be planted in September. Direct sow outdoors. Row covers or cloches may be needed in exceptionally cold weather. Learn more.
Carrots: Zone 3-10. Full sun. Plant every 3 weeks for consistent harvest. 60-120 days to harvest. Learn more.
Cauliflower: You can grow cauliflower in September if you start from transplants as long as temperatures remain in the 60s in your area as they mature. Plant when temperatures dip below 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Full sun. Shade from heat if needed. Learn more.
Collard Greens: Famous in the South, but delicious anywhere and a good choice for a September planting date in many zones. Learn more.
Garlic: Zones 3-8. Full sun. Harvest in spring. Recommended varieties: “California Early,” “Italian Red,” “Music.” Learn more.
Kale: Kale will grow until temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Harvest when leaves are hand-sized. Recommended varieties: “Vates,” “Winterbor,” “Red Russian.” Learn more.
Lettuce: Zones 3-9. Recommended varieties: “Little Gem,” “Gabriella,” “Romaine Trio Blend,” “Green Ice,” or “Arctic King.” Learn more.
Onions: Zones 3-9. Full sun. Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Recommended varieties: Choose long-day varieties for fall planting, such as “Hi Keeper,” “Troy,” and “Radar.” Learn more.
Peas: Zones 2-9. Plant 6-8 weeks before first frost. Full or part sun. Cover with fleece if it snows or there’s a hard frost. Recommended variety: “Feltham First.” Learn more.
Radishes: Zones 3-9. Recommended varieties: “Butter Globe,” “French Breakfast,” “Sparkler.” 30 days to harvest. Learn more.
Shallots: Zones 4-10. Full sun is best, or part sun will suffice. Plant shallots two to four weeks before first fall frost. 90-180 days to harvest. Learn more.
Spinach: Zones 3-9. Full or part sun. Plant every few weeks for consistent harvest. Protect spinach plants with fleece starting in October. Late fall through winter harvest. Recommended varieties: “Perpetual,” “Bloomsdale,” “Olympia,” “Viroflay.” 37 to 45 days to harvest. Learn more.
Swiss Chard: Zones 3-10. Full or part sun. Plant 40 days before the first expected frost in your area. 30 day harvest for baby leaves; 45-60 day harvest for mature plants. Learn more.
Also consider planting bok choy, corn salad (also known as lamb’s lettuce, or Valerianella locusta) leeks, mizuna, mustard greens, spring onions (“White Lisbon” or “Performer” varieties), and turnips in September.
What flowers can I plant in September?
Gardeners can plant perennials, some annuals, and wildflower seeds in the fall, or they can get a head start on spring-flowering bulbs. Here’s a list of our favorite flowers to plant in September.
Ammi majus/Ammi visnaga: Also known as Bishop’s weed, toothpick weed, and false Queen Anne’s lace. Plants grow to 3-4 feet tall and 16-18 inches high, topped with tiny white flowers in a delicate cluster. Full sun is best, but part shade will suffice. Learn more.
Asters: Zones 3-8. Full or part sun. Blooms late summer to fall with blue, pink, purple, red, or white daisy-like flowers. Learn more.
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus): Zones 2 to 11. Also called bachelor’s buttons. Tall, grayish-green stems are topped with showy pink, purple, white, or blue flowers that bloom from June to August. Full sun. Learn more.
Cosmos: Zones 3-9. Blooms in early spring with an almost limitless array of colors to choose from. Daisy-like flowers have ridged, crepey petals; plants grow to three feet tall by one foot wide. Learn more.
Daffodil: Zones 3-8. Iconic yellow cup-like flowers will bloom in spring for 30 or more years after bulbs are planted. Some varieties are white. Learn more.
Hardy Geranium/Cranesbill: Zones 3-9. Wide range of bloom colors and plant sizes to choose from. Full sun to shade tolerated. Learn more.
Hyacinth: Zones 4-9. Bulbs can be forced to wintertime bloom, making them appropriate for holiday gifts. Cluster spikes of white, pink, blue, or purple flowers do well in full sun to partial shade. Learn more.
Larkspur (Delphinium): Zones 3-8. Towering spikes of purple, blue, red, white, or yellow flowers can reach two to six feet tall. Learn more.
Marigold (Calendula): Zones 3-9. Blooms in early spring. Known for yellow-orange blossoms with insect-repellent properties. Learn more.
Poppies (Annual and California varieties): Zones 3-9. Solid or variegated blossoms are available in just about any shade. Learn more.
What else can I plant in September?
September is a perfect time to plant evergreen trees or shrubs of all kinds, as well as cover crops such as clover. Certain fruits and herbs can also be planted in September, including:
Of course, there are also ways to garden that bypass the season entirely. For instance, you can plant what you like any time of year if you have a greenhouse to work in. Some gardeners choose to keep all of their plants in containers. A container garden can, of course, be moved indoors or to a sheltered outdoor building (such as a shed) whenever the weather doesn’t suit the plants in question. Using a cold frame, which is a bit like a miniature greenhouse you can build on your own, can also open up a lot of options. And, of course, one can always indulge their hobby by gardening with houseplants of all kinds, from succulents and cacti to carnivorous plants.