September Seed Sowing: A Guide for Beginners
Introduction
As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, it’s time to start thinking about next year’s garden. September is a great time to sow seeds for a variety of plants that will thrive in the cooler weather and provide a harvest in the spring or summer.
Hardy Salad Greens
If you’re looking for a way to add some fresh, nutritious greens to your winter salads, consider sowing hardy salad greens like claytonia, mizuna, and cornsalads. These greens can be grown under cloches or in a greenhouse, and they’ll provide you with a steady supply of baby leaves all winter long.
American land cress is a particularly good choice for a hardy salad green. It’s a fast-growing, hardy plant that tastes very similar to watercress. It’s also very easy to grow, so it’s a great option for beginner gardeners.
Hardy Annual Herbs
Hardy annual herbs like dill, coriander, and chervil are another great option for winter salads. Chervil is a particularly unique herb with beautiful soft, ferny leaves and an aniseedy flavor. It’s also very easy to grow and prefers the shade, making it a great choice for shady gardens.
Autumn Sown Onions
If you’re looking for a way to get a head start on next year’s onion harvest, consider sowing autumn-sown onions. These onions are hardier than most, so they can overwinter as seedlings from a September sowing. You’ll be able to pull the first golden bulbs from June, a good month earlier than maincrop onions.
Hardy Annual Flowers
There’s still time to sow hardy annual flowers for a splash of early color next year. Ammi, also known as bishop’s weed, is a great choice for a froth of lacy white flowers all summer long. Love-in-a-mist is another easy-to-grow flower that produces beautiful blue flowers and handsome seedpods.
Violets
Violas are a popular choice for winter gardens, as their perky little flowers add a touch of cheer to the cold, dark days. They’re also edible, so you can scatter their petals into salads or dip them in egg white and sugar to make candied flowers for decorating cakes.
How to Sow Seeds in September
Sowing seeds in September is easy. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Choose a sunny spot in your garden or greenhouse.
- Prepare the soil by loosening it and adding some compost or manure.
- Sow the seeds thinly, and cover them with a thin layer of soil.
- Water the seeds well, and keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate.
Conclusion
September is a great time to start planning for next year’s garden. By sowing seeds for hardy salad greens, herbs, onions, and flowers, you can ensure that you’ll have a bountiful harvest all year long.
