• Home
  • About Me
  • Get in touch

Growing Nicely

gardening, growing food, plants and flowers.

  • Gardening
  • Garden Design
  • Plants
  • Growing Food
  • Recycling & Sustainability
  • Recipes
  • Workshops

What to do at the allotment in September

September 7, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

I’m realising that adaptability is key to keeping an allotment, because although there’s plenty to harvest in September, things don’t always work out as expected. Some plants go into over-drive when the conditions are just right for them, whilst others are slow or get eaten by the competition.

I’ll never take courgettes for granted again, we’ve only had a small number so far. The first batch of seeds failed,  the second batch germinated, but were late being planted, the few that we’ve had so far are being truly savoured.

As for gluts of vegetables, what we don’t use is donated to the local day centre for elderly folk, where it’s cooked for lunches, so everyone’s happy.

Swiss chard has been top of the production list, we’ve had much more of it this year than last.

www.growingnicely.co.uk-What to do at the allotment in September- swiss chard

Swiss chard Bright Lights in all its’ fluorescent glory.

I love it for its’ glamorous leaves, good enough to put in a flower vase, and dual use of leaves as salad or cooked like spinach and the stems chopped and steamed, or used in stir-fries.

There are lots of tomatoes, but they’re still green and on the verge of blight, I’ve picked them and brought them home. Some may ripen but I think green tomato chutney is on the agenda any day now.

The fungus is easily spread from blighted plants to any nearby, so they’ve been bagged up ready to be burnt, and the secateurs cleaned.

Leeks, cabbages, and kale are thriving, the last two having been firmly netted [unlike last year] against birds and cabbage white butterflies. It’s good to take the netting off the kale and cabbages to pick off lower, yellowing leaves and check that slugs and snails haven’t made a home for themselves under the plants, other than that they just need weeding and watering when it’s dry.

The winter squash are romping away up their supports, and need to be tied to the supports as they grow, much as I love the look of hazel wigwams, bamboo canes are easier for the tendrils to cling to. I’m planning on harvesting my own canes from the bamboo in the garden to avoid buying imported ones.

What to do at the allotment in September-winter squash sunshine

I’m growing winter squash Sunshine for the first time this year.

I’m growing Turks Turban squash again this year, they taste pretty good and although they all resemble a sort of classic pantomime turks turban, they produce a variety of colours, each one slightly different.

What to do in your allotment in September-winter squash turks turban.

Turks Turban winter squash gradually developing its’ shape and colours.

The winter squash on the ground have a little mat to sit on, to keep them dry and munching insects and worms away.

The greengages have all been picked and most of them made into jam. There were loads this year, which is just as well as the Victoria plum tree had a lot of dead branches and didn’t produce much fruit at all.

What to do at the allotment in September-dahlias flowers

Collarette dahlias at the allotment.

There’s still time to sow seeds of winter lettuce and more rocket. Mizuna, land-cress and corn salad does well over winter, but may need a cloche or similar to protect them from low night-time temperatures. I’m thinking of sowing some in the cold-frame, though it may not be tall enough.

Onion sets can be planted in September if there’s space, or you can wait until October or November.

Green manure is great for covering and improving bare soil.

Read about growing tomatoes and blight here and what to do in your garden in September here.

Happy gardening, Jill

all photos: Jill Anderson.

Related posts:

nettles, nettle fertiliserHow to make nettle fertiliser How to save seeds from your own garden harvested potatoes at the allotmentSimply growing vegetables organically Life in the earth

Related posts:

nettles, nettle fertiliserHow to make nettle fertiliser How to save seeds from your own garden harvested potatoes at the allotmentSimply growing vegetables organically Life in the earth
Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Recycling & Sustainability Tagged With: growing winter squash, sustainable gardening, what to do about tomato blight, what to do at the allotment in September

Never Miss A Post

Subscribe for updates to be delivered straight to your inbox.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

plants-gardens-growing-eating

Jill-profile image

Hello, I’m Jill Anderson.
This is where you’ll find good, solid information about gardening, growing fruit & vegetables and how to keep it all looking good.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Follow on Instagram

Don't miss any posts!

Enter your email address and receive notifications of new posts.

Archive

  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • September 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • March 2010

Copyright © 2018 · Log in