September is the first month that we might see evening temperatures low enough to start herbs, greens, and lettuces. They are fast growing plants, so you could start them this month and transplant them a couple of weeks later.
Strawberries may be available for transplant this month, although I don’t usually see them until October.
I’ve never started onions from seeds, but that may be my next venture. They are very tiny seeds and require the use of tweezers.
Most exciting is the fact that we can finally start to work outside without melting, or at least we will be able to at some point this month. September is when we finally start to see a break in heat and humidity.
If you didn’t get seeds started in July or August, look at your local garden center for peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. In central Florida, we aren’t likely to see a frost until January, so we still have plenty of time to transplant seedlings and expect to see a harvest before anything freezes.
There is also the possibility that our gardens will survive the winter if we have mild weather or we’re able to protect it from frost and freezing temperatures.
The hardest part about gardening in September is reclaiming our gardens from the summer.
I tent to let my garden go in the summer because of the bugs, heat, and rain. That generally means that the weeds have completely taken over.
This year, I also have Seminole peas, sweet potatoes, and passion flower taking over my garden, so I need to harvest, clear out the old vines, and build up my beds.
I do not till my garden or dig up the weeds. Instead, I cover the weeds and grass in a modified Back to Eden gardening method. Check it out. It’s worked well in keeping my work load down and the plants love it.
I hope your gardens are bountiful. Until next time…
