I’ve written quite a lot of articles with the aim of addressing people’s fear of planting during certain months. Just like with August, it seems like new gardeners are also confused about the month of September.
Today’s article is all about September planting. We’re going to discuss what vegetables you can plant in September according to your specific zone and go over some container-growing advice you probably haven’t heard before.
Let’s dive right into it, shall we?
Can I Still Plant In September?
Absolutely!
As long as the soil is still somewhat warm, you can plant in September and enjoy safe and healthy vegetable growth going forward. Warm soil ensures fast germination with less frequent intervention from bugs and diseases.
Something quite unusual you might notice is that certain vegetables also taste better when grown in cool weather, especially leafy greens.
What To Plant In September (By Zone)
Zones 3-5: Cool Climate Champions
Radishes: Radishes are space-friendly and frost-tolerant, meaning you can easily plant them in September between rows and enjoy a fast and easy harvest.
Spinach: Spinach is known for its frost-tolerant nature. Planting this leafy green in September is a good idea since it will likely improve flavor (become sweeter) throughout the cold season.
Mâche (Corn Salad): Corn salad is super duper underrated for the cold season. It grows close to the ground and turns sweeter as it’s exposed to snow.
Turnips (Small Varieties): If you’re okay with baby turnips, planting them in September is a good idea. They’ll be ready to harvest in less than 50 days! Large varieties won’t mature in time, so make sure you’re planting small varieties.
Claytonia: Claytonia aka miner’s lettuce, is a crispy cold-season green and must be planted in September so that it can grow optimally while needing minimal attention.
Zones 6-7: The Fall Sweet Spot
Lettuce (Loose-leaf Or Romaine): Whether it’s loose-leaf or Romaine lettuce, you can plant it every 10 days to achieve a continuous harvest.
Beets: Fast-growing beet varieties like ‘Detroit dark red’ not only add vibrant color to the garden but can also get you a relatively quick harvest.
Kale: Kale is another hardy and crispy leafy green that’s known for its ability to thrive in light frosts. As it’s exposed to the cold, it becomes sweeter and much less bitter. My favorites for fall growing are ‘Winterbor’ or ‘Red Russian’.
Arugula: Like most of you might already know, arugula is a personal favorite in fall salad dishes for my family. Thanks to its hardiness and quick growth, planting arugula in September is ideal.
Carrots (Small Types): Baby carrot varieties absolutely love growing in the cold season. While you can plant them in September, definitely do so with a little caution.
Zones 8-10: Your Garden’s Just Warming Up
Bush Beans: For slightly warmer zones, there might still be time to plant bush beans in September. Plant them before frost kicks in (which is often rare in these zones). But it’s viable if frost dates are still 6+ weeks away.
Swiss Chard: This snappy, colorful leafy green is cold-hardy and perfect for planting in September in tight spaces and containers.
Cilantro: The good thing about the fall season is that it keeps herbs and leafy greens like cilantro from bolting. You can plant cilantro in September and allow it to grow through the cold without experiencing any problems whatsoever.
Broccoli & Cabbage: Because the nights are cooler in September, there will be fewer cabbage worms harming your broccoli and cabbage. That said, you must also space out the vegetables properly (12–18 inches apart) and provide them with sufficient mulch around the base to limit cold damage.
Green Onions: Green onions offer compact growth and are perfect for container planting. You can plant them in September and harvest them throughout late fall.
Can I Grow Vegetables In Pots & Containers In September?
Yes, you can!
Just make sure to use some deep containers or ideally 5-gallon buckets to grow vegetables that may be on the larger/heavier side. Fast-growing varieties are ideal, but you do want to protect them from early frost using a cloth or some kind of frost cover.
Also, leafy greens and herbs are the easiest for September pots because they mature faster before heavy frosts!
Let’s Conclude
Since September is right around the corner, and many beginners have been asking me to compile a list of my favorite September vegetable options, I just had to get this article out.
Now, it’s time for you to pick your favorites according to your zone and garden preferences, and start planting them!
I'm Rita, passionate about flowers, plants and growing my own vegetables at home. I live in an apartment, but I still have my garden, I intend to use all my knowledge to help you also have a lively, happy and productive garden (even in an apartment).
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Hi Cathy! 😊 North Central Arkansas is mostly in Zone 7b, with some areas dipping into 7a depending on elevation. 😊 You’ve still got time to plant cool-season veggies like lettuce, spinach, radishes, and garlic this September!
Hi Anne! 😊 Northeast Pennsylvania is mostly in Zone 6a or 6b, depending on your exact location. That means you can still plant cool-season veggies like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and garlic in September!
Hi Mary! 😊 Seattle and SeaTac area is in Zone 8b, which means you can still plant cool-season veggies like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and garlic in September.
Hi! 😊 Most of Southern California falls into Zones 9 and 10, depending on how close you are to the coast or inland. My cousin in San Diego is Zone 10, but a friend further inland is Zone 9.
Hi Laura! 😊 Sacramento falls in Zone 9, so you can still get cool-season crops going now. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and even broccoli will do well planted in September while it’s warm. My friend in Zone 9 says her fall garden always takes off once the nights cool a bit.
What Zone is NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS ???
Hi Cathy! 😊 North Central Arkansas is mostly in Zone 7b, with some areas dipping into 7a depending on elevation. 😊 You’ve still got time to plant cool-season veggies like lettuce, spinach, radishes, and garlic this September!
What zone is Northeast Pennsylvania?
Hi Anne! 😊 Northeast Pennsylvania is mostly in Zone 6a or 6b, depending on your exact location. That means you can still plant cool-season veggies like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and garlic in September!
What zone is Seattle area? I’m here in SeaTac, WA.
Hi Mary! 😊 Seattle and SeaTac area is in Zone 8b, which means you can still plant cool-season veggies like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and garlic in September.
What zone is Hartford CT and Southern Massachusetts? Thank you
Hi Theresa! 😊 Hartford, CT and most of southern Massachusetts are in USDA Zone 6, with some coastal spots closer to Zone 7.
What Zone is SoCal? Thanks.
Hi! 😊 Most of Southern California falls into Zones 9 and 10, depending on how close you are to the coast or inland. My cousin in San Diego is Zone 10, but a friend further inland is Zone 9.
What about Sacramento California? It’s still pretty warm right now.
Hi Laura! 😊 Sacramento falls in Zone 9, so you can still get cool-season crops going now. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and even broccoli will do well planted in September while it’s warm. My friend in Zone 9 says her fall garden always takes off once the nights cool a bit.
I live in southeast Tennessee. By the smokey Mountains.
Hi! 😊 Southeast Tennessee by the Smokies, beautiful area! You’re in Zone 6b/7a, so you’ve got great growing conditions. Happy gardening!