It’s not too late to squeeze a few more crops into your tiny garden, writes Chris Collins
I feel a bit melancholy when late summer arrives because I know that my favourite gardening activities will soon come to an end. But the month of September ahead provides a great opportunity to do one last excitable seed sowing before the darker days and nights draw in.
In early September, I’ll be choosing fast-growing edibles such as winter lettuces, spinach and rocket. I’ll sow these in short drills in a large pot in peat-free seed compost. Remember that these plants can also be eaten as microgreens so they don’t need to grow to mature plants to be enjoyed in a sandwich.
I also love to sow more exotic salad crops such as Asian greens, pak choi, mizuna and giant red mustard in module seed trays, sowing one or two seeds per cell. I’ll germinate them in a cold propagator or cold frame and plant out into their final position when they’re a decent size. This way, I get a sturdier plant and can protect them at their more juvenile stage. One word of warning though, the pigeons tend to have a soft spot for these plants, so I suggest some eco or recycled netting for protection!
Heritage varieties
Root crops such as radish, turnip and swede can be direct sown too. These edibles have the advantage of being able to sit in the ground until they’re needed. I also add a container or two of broad beans, ready for next year’s dinner plate. I always feel that the ‘broads’ taste much better after sitting in the cold winter air.
Don’t forget to add some lovely heritage varieties to your seed collection. Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library releases its annual Seed List in December – packed with rare and delicious vegetable seeds.
So, while seed sowing withdrawal is on the horizon – make the most of this wonderful end-of-season activity and you’ll reap the benefits with fresh produce this year and next.
Small Space Q&A
Q. What flowers can I sow in September?
A. Plan for next year’s colour by sowing hardy annuals such calendula, cornflower, poppy and sweet peas in situ. Perennials such as verbascum, eryingium, echinops and kniphofia can also be sown in trays, but I recommend you protect them over winter.
Q. My flowering annuals have gone over, what can I replace them with to encourage wildlife?
A. Make some late sowings of herbs such as coriander, parsley and dill. These can be left to flower next year, which will encourage hoverflies to visit and, in return, their larvae will gobble up any aphids.
Q. Is it true you can grow potatoes in containers for a Christmas crop?
A. Yes, in early September you can grow Christmas seed potatoes such as ‘Red Duke of York’ in an old bag or bin. Fill two-thirds with peat-free compost and place three tubers on the surface. Cover, water and place in a greenhouse or porch. When the potatoes shoot add more compost, repeating until the bag is full. Once the foliage dies down, you can keep the potatoes in the bag until needed as long as they’re in a frost-free place.
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