September In Your Patch
Across much of Australia, blossoms are bursting, bees are back on the job, and gardeners everywhere are feeling the urge to buy “just one more” punnet of seedlings.
September is one of the most exciting months in the patch. The soil is warming, the days are getting longer and suddenly there seems to be a million gardening jobs to do. Don’t panic. You don’t have to do everything this weekend.
A little preparation now, especially improving your soil and getting on top of weeds, will set you up for months of productive harvests and fewer gardening headaches as summer starts knocking on the door.
This Month’s Priorities
Prepare Your Soil
Spring planting success starts below ground. Before planting, improve garden beds with quality compost, well-rotted manure and other organic matter to boost soil health and water-holding capacity. Healthy soil supports stronger root systems and helps plants cope with periods of heat, wind and dry weather later in the season. Once planted, top beds with a layer of mulch to help conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
Stay Ahead of Weeds
Unfortunately, it’s not just your veggies that are excited about spring. Weeds have been waiting patiently all winter for their moment in the spotlight. Get them while they’re small and save yourself from future headaches.
Rather than sending weeds to waste, turn them into nutrient-rich weed tea. This homemade liquid fertiliser can provide seedlings with a gentle boost and support healthy root growth throughout spring.
Plan for Smarter Water Use
With rainfall becoming less predictable in many parts of Australia, now is an ideal time to think about capturing and storing water before summer arrives. Even a small rainwater tank or rain barrel can provide valuable backup water for veggie patches and container gardens. Consider options such as downpipe diverters, first-flush devices, swales or rain gardens to slow, store and make better use of rainfall around your property.
Support Pollinators and Wildlife
Spring brings gardens alive with bees, butterflies, birds and other beneficial creatures. Add flowering annuals such as nasturtiums, marigolds, snapdragons, phlox, petunias and celosia to provide nectar and pollen while adding colour to your patch. Leave shallow dishes of water available for visiting wildlife and avoid using chemical sprays that may harm beneficial insects.
Watch for Pests
Aphids will inevitably turn up to the spring party without an invitation, clustering on the fresh new growth of roses, fruit trees, herbs and vegetables. While they can seem alarming, they also provide an important food source for beneficial insects including ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies. If numbers become excessive, squash them by hand, hose them off or use a homemade soap spray rather than broad-spectrum pesticides.
What to Plant in Your Region
Warm Areas
Rarely experience frost, or only very light frost. Includes northern coastal and inland regions, generally north of Coffs Harbour across to Geraldton.
Spring has arrived and there is plenty to plant.
Edibles to plant now: Rocket, silverbeet, spring onions, Chinese cabbage, mizuna, lettuce, tatsoi, zucchini, pumpkin, leeks, capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, tomatoes and watermelon.
Herbs: Parsley, sweet basil, chamomile, dill, coriander, marjoram, oregano, catnip and thyme all thrive at this time of year. Mint can also be planted but is best grown in a container.
Fruit: Passionfruit, pawpaw, avocado, banana, citrus, macadamia and guava can all be planted now.
Soil Builders: Green manure crops such as millet, lablab, amaranth and mung bean are excellent choices for improving soil health and fertility.
Cool to Cold Areas
Frequent frosts and cooler conditions. Includes Tasmania, the ACT, southern Victoria, southern NSW highlands and parts of southern South Australia.
Spring is beginning to make itself felt, but frost may still be a consideration in some locations.
Edibles to plant now: Leeks, onions, parsley, parsnips, cauliflower, peas, radish, silverbeet, lettuce, swedes and turnips.
A note of caution: It may be tempting, but it’s still a little early for tomatoes in most cool-climate areas. Wait until frost danger has passed.
Herbs: Chamomile, dill, coriander, echinacea, catnip and thyme can all be planted after the last frost. Lemon balm is another excellent option but is best contained in pots.
Soil Builders: Faba beans, barley, lupins, wheat and field peas make excellent spring green manure crops.
Temperate Areas
Occasional winter frosts. Includes much of inland Australia, southern NSW, Victoria, South Australia and parts of Western Australia.
September is one of the busiest planting months of the year in temperate gardens.
Edibles to plant now: Celery, silverbeet, lettuce, leeks, spring onions, climbing beans, cucumber, sweet corn, tomatoes, carrots, radishes and Jerusalem artichokes can all be planted once frost risk has passed.
Herbs: Parsley, chives, catnip, sage, oregano, rosemary, thyme and marjoram are all excellent additions to the spring garden.
Fruit: Blueberries, passionfruit, pawpaw, avocado, banana, citrus, olives (non-weedy varieties) and guava can all be planted now.
Soil Builders: Chickpeas and barley are useful green manure crops that can help rejuvenate garden beds before summer crops go in.
Seasonal Jobs
Check Citrus for Gall Wasp
September is your last chance to deal with citrus gall wasp before adults emerge. Prune affected growth well below the gall and dispose of it in the rubbish rather than composting. Cutting into the gall before disposal helps expose larvae to air and reduces survival rates. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers that encourage the soft new growth favoured by gall wasp.
Mulch Before Summer
Think of mulch as sunscreen, insulation and a water-saving outer layer rolled into one. Your soil will thank you later when those first hot northerlies arrive.
Maintain Your Tools
Clean, sharpen and oil garden tools before the busy growing season gets fully underway. Well-maintained tools last longer, perform better and can help reduce the spread of plant diseases.
Build Healthy Soil This Spring
September is one of the best times of year to invest in soil health.
Feed Your Garden
As plants come out of winter dormancy, many benefit from a gentle feed. Seaweed tonics help support root development and improve resilience to environmental stress, while worm tea can boost soil biology and nutrient cycling throughout the growing season.
Indoor plants will also appreciate some attention this month. Repot overcrowded specimens and follow up with a seaweed tonic to help reduce transplant stress.
Sow a Green Manure Crop
If you have empty beds waiting for summer vegetables, consider sowing a green manure crop. Fast-growing plants such as millet, mung bean, lablab, barley, field peas and faba beans help improve soil structure, suppress weeds, support beneficial microbes and build organic matter for future crops.
September is a month of possibility. As gardens burst back to life, it’s the ideal time to prepare beds, improve soil and get planting. A little effort now will reward you with healthier plants, bigger harvests and a more resilient garden as the warmer months arrive.
Remember that every garden has its own unique microclimate. Use this guide as a starting point, observe what works in your conditions, and adapt your gardening to suit your local environment. Enjoy watching your patch wake up after winter!
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