September In Your Garden

Our round up of gardening tips and ideas for the transition into autumn!

It might not have been quite as sunny as we wanted this year, but hopefully September will offer us its trademark crisp mornings and early autumnal sunshine. Getting some gardening jobs done now might just save you some time when next spring rolls around.

Make the most of your home-grown fruits and vegetables this month!

 

SEPTEMBER GARDEN CHECKLIST

Garden

Keep your garden looking and performing its best with these important tasks:

• Think about preserving and protecting timber buildings, fencing and furniture with a fresh coat of preservative.

• Tulips, daffodils and all other spring flowering bulbs can be planted in September and all the way through to November.

• Tidy up strawberry plants. Cut off the old leaves, leaving just the youngest in the middle. Weed the plant, looking specifically for fruit debris, which can harbour fungal disease spores and damage the next year’s crop.

• Divide and replant herbaceous perennials. Division of plants is most successful when the plants have stopped flowering and are not in active growth.

• Stop feeding container perennials. To discourage weak growth, cease feeding any perennials you are growing in containers.

• Save bean seeds for sowing. Leave French Bean pods on the plants until they go brown and dry, and then cut them off. Open the pods to inspect the beans – store the good beans in an envelope until next spring.

• Cover late vegetable crops. Use cloches or horticultural fleece to cover late crops of vegetables, such as carrots and salads.

• Pot up herbs. Put herbs like basil, coriander, and parsley into pots to bring under cover.

• Plant wildflowers. September is the perfect time to sow and plant wildflowers, which benefit the larval stages of many pollinators.

• Remove dead leaves. Use a rake to keep borders and lawns free of dead leaves. Collect them to create leaf mould.

Visit any of our centres to pick up essential gardening tools!

 

50 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU’RE FIVE!

Woodland

Did you know that our Woodland Walk features at number 34 on Wakefield Council’s wellbeing initiative, ’50 Things To Do Before You’re Five’?

Woodland Wondering can be so important for a child’s development, and your children can explore and discover exciting nature, wildlife and adventure in our Midgley woodland!

You can also enjoy refreshments from the Little Acorn coffee stop, our converted vintage horse box that serves a delicious range of drinks, cakes, ice creams and snacks.

 

THINGS TO SOW AND GROW IN SEPTEMBER

Radish

Turnips can be sown in September and mature quickly – perfect if you want a crop to grow in time for Christmas

Onions planted in autumn will throw out an early crop next year – get a head start so you can hit the ground running in spring!

Peas can be sown in September, but make sure you pick a hardy winter variety like ‘Meteor’ to ensure they survive the cold

Radish will grow within a few weeks, so there’s still time to get a crop this year!

 

TRY THE NEW RHS GROW APP!

“rhs

The Royal Horticultural Society have a new app – RHS Grow!

This app is an absolute must for any keen gardener. Through the power of technology, you can identify unknown plants, keep track of all your greenery and get the best information surrounding plant care.

200 years of gardening experience have been compiled into one easy to use app, beginners and experts alike can enjoy the benefits that these features provide.

Download the app today! Find out more here.

 

STYLISH LOG STORES IN TIME FOR WINTER

“log

September is a great time to start stocking up on firewood now that chillier weather is on the horizon – but where do you store your logs?

Why not invest in one of our premium log stores?

Using outdoor log and firewood storage to age your firewood reduces water content, which is vital for an efficient and clean-burning stove or fire. Our Heritage, Midgley and Wortley outside firewood storage options are stylish additions to any outdoor space and provide an attractive way of letting the ageing and drying processes take place naturally.

Our log stores are essential for anyone wishing to store large amounts of firewood and are available in a range of stock sizes, with larger bespoke sizes available to be built to order.

Visit us in-store to view our entire range of outdoor log storage options.

 

GREAT BIG NATURE SURVEY

“Survey

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is running a nature survey – why not get involved?

Their aim is to find out how people in Yorkshire view nature and conservation. All the responses they receive will help with holding the government accountable for environmental issues.

It takes just ten minutes to complete, and you could win a copy of Discover Yorkshire’s Wildlife!

Learn more here.

 

READY TO HARVEST IN SEPTEMBER

Crumble

Fruits for crumbles, jams, preserves and winter tipples!
• Apples & pears
• Quinces, medlars
• Plums, damsons
• Autumn raspberries
• Perpetual strawberries
• Figs

Vegetables for salads, soups and pickles.
• Tomatoes
• Salad crops
• French & runner beans
• Courgettes, cucumbers
• Peppers
• Sweetcorn
• Onions & shallots
• Marrows, pumpkins & squashes
• Globe artichokes

 

BOOK OF THE MONTH

“Wild

New Wild Garden by Ian Hodgson

This book includes 15 step-by-step projects and an essential plant list, as well as offering inspiration to gardeners and an overview of the most influential movement in garden design over recent decades.
Available on Amazon here.

 

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.

– Rowland E. Robinson