September Garden Plans

 What happened to the last weeks? I realize that it is too late in the month to be talking about what we plan to do in September as the month is nearly over. But just for my records, I'm doing this post anyway. 

(And hoping that it doesn't take me as long to get October's garden planning post up.)

September can be a wonderful gardening month. The weather usually cools, making picking more pleasant than in August but the harvest is often abundant.

We spent Saturday making applesauce. I love the fall aroma of apples cooking on the stove. (The sad part is that we need at least 100 quart of applesauce so this won't be my last applesauce making day this fall.)

The problem with September is that I'm usually burned out. No longer are fresh veggies exciting as in the spring. I've given up the war with the weeds and bugs. Chewed leaves no longer make me angry. "Just eat the old things and see if I care."

But this month did see the end of the major garden preserving and I am slowly finding that I once again enjoy walking out in the garden for a few peppers, handful of green beans, and some red beets. Soon we will be harvesting cabbage and broccoli.

The tomato plants are mostly dead but I haven't pulled them out since we are still enjoying an occasional tomato. And the peppers are still lovely. Not sure what they are living on since I quit watering them.

The garden isn't the lovely sight it was in early summer but the areas we had mulched or planted a cover crop are nearly weed free. It does make me a little sad to think that soon a frost will bring and end to the fresh garden eating.

Here is my list of jobs for September month in my garden.

1. Take each opportunity to enjoy the garden produce – even when enthusiasm is flagging.

2. Plant lettuce, spinach, and kale in the cold frame.

3. As areas of the garden are finished for the season, add compost, lime, mulch or plant a cover crop. In our late corn patch, I just cut down the stalks and let them fall. They will rot down by spring.

4. Save seeds. I only saved tomato and zinnia seeds this year but I hope to learn more about seed saving in the future. Regina shared about saving flowerseeds in a past post. 

5. Since our weather has been very dry, keep watering the fall cabbage and broccoli. Also water the new strawberry patch. In the photo above you can see the strawberries with the soaker hose.This is the greenest part of our garden (and also the weediest.)

Is your garden over? Or are you enjoying a fall garden?