Whilst you may still be busy harvesting your summer fruits and veggies, September is the perfect time to start planting lots of winter-proof veggies like aromatic garlic.
There are various vegetables you should be planting in September as the colder conditions can be surprisingly beneficial for some species. If you're only starting vegetable gardening for beginners then these cold-proof veggies are a great place to start as they're naturally more resilient than other plants.
So whilst you may have thought the planting season is way over, gardening guru Monty Don is here to tell you that couldn't be more wrong. And if you're a fan of Italian cuisine then you'll be happy to know that garlic is the perfect vegetable to plant this month.
Monty Don's foolproof garlic growing method
With a new month comes a new blog post from gardening guru Monty Don and as always we were quick to take note.
Monty starts his post this month with an ode to September, writing, "September has always been one of the best months and always with a marked seasonal shift, with a new term, new season, new feel in the air."
And whilst the garden is beginning to fade with the first signs of autumn, this is no excuse to turn our backs on our gardens. Aside from the essential garden jobs to do this September, there are vegetables to be planted and Monty says now is the time for garlic.
"There are two types of garlic, hardneck and softneck. The type you mostly buy is softneck which has a plaitable stem, stores well (which is why shops stock it) and is often excellent. But the best, tastiest garlic is hardneck which has a stiff, upright stalk and because it is much harder to buy, it makes sense to grow it yourself," he says.
Monty goes on to explain that hardneck varieties such as 'Red Dike', 'Rocambole' and 'Early Purple Wight' are much slower to grow so need to be planted in September. He says, "Softneck varieties can wait till October or even November."
Adhering to planting times may not be an easy gardening tip for beginners but it's certainly one of the most important steps to having a successful vegetable crop.
If you're not sure how to plant garlic then Monty shares his method too. He says, "Like all garlic of any type, plant plump individual cloves (the bigger the clove the bigger the bulb it will generate) about 6 inches apart, pointed end up and buried a good inch below the surface in good but well-drained soil. Shoots will appear in about 6-8 weeks."
You can buy 30 garlic cloves ready to be planted now from Amazon for £7.49. They come highly recommended and will get your edible garden off to a strong start.
Growing your own vegetables like this is an easy sustainable gardening idea and can be beneficial for your garden's ecosystem too meaning that even your flowers and non-edible plants will thrive.
Once you've planted your garden bulbs why not move on to more floral species? September is a great time to start planting spring bulbs and unlike with garlic you can use Monty's bulb lasagne method to create a beautiful floral display come next year.
