FILL THE LARDER!
September is a time of crossover, when summer staples like beans and courgettes are still coming thick and fast, joined by the first of autumn's abundance.
The biggest job is simply keeping on top of the harvesting. It may feel like the good times will never end but spend some extra time now processing all those gluts and you'll be so pleased you did when the leaner months come. Pickle, dehydrate, freeze, bottle or cook up into sauces - you have many options for putting away some of the excess for later.
Savour the last of the sweetcorn and tuck into the first of the maincrop potatoes. Also ready to harvest are the very earliest leeks, the start of the kale, as well as the first of the hardy roots and tubers, including celeriac, parsnips and Jerusalem artichoke.
With both summer and winter flavours to sample, this is a very special moment and just reward for all those hours of hard work.
PLANT SPRING CABBAGES Set into firm ground in rows 30cm (1 ft) apart. Space transplants 15cm (6in) within the row. In spring you can thin every other plant to enjoy as greens, leaving the rest to heart up.
CLEAR SPENT CROPS Lift up old crops and pick off dead leaves to keep things clean and tidy. Add everything to the compost heap. Dig out mature compost to make space.
HELP SQUASH RIPEN It's the final push for winter squash and pumpkins. Lift developing fruits off the soil on to slates or tiles to stop them rotting. Keep applying a liquid feed.
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Kitchen Garden.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Kitchen Garden.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years
RESTORING THE BALANCE
The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality
Celebrating Organic September!
In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive
SEEING RED
Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try
A NEW kitchen garden
Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!
