🌱 September Garden Guide by Reimagined Roots

Harvest, Plant, and Prepare for Rest

September marks a turning point in the garden. Days shorten, nights cool, and landscapes begin their slow shift from abundance toward rest. This is the season to harvest wisely, extend your yields, and care for soil and perennials so they return strong in the spring. With a permaculture lens, we honor cycles by observing, harvesting with reciprocity, and returning organic matter to the land.

Tend What is Abundant and Clear What is Finished

Walk slowly through your garden. Continue harvesting tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants while they are thriving. Notice which crops are winding down and release them back into the system through composting or chop-and-drop mulching. This closes the nutrient loop and frees space for fall crops. By tending what thrives and cycling out what is finished, you create balance and reduce pest habitat.

Plant for Fall and Winter Harvests

There is still time to sow cool-season crops, especially with a little protection from row cover or cold frames.

You can plant:

• Spinach for fall harvests and overwintering

• Kale and collards, which sweeten after frost

• Arugula and mustard greens for quick cut-and-come-again salads

• Radishes for crisp snacks in just a few weeks

• Garlic toward the end of the month or early October for next summer’s harvest

Pro Tip: Keep a garden journal. Record what you plant, where you plant it, and how it grows. These notes will guide you in creating an even more resilient and productive garden next year. Explore SeedTime’s Free Online Garden Planting Calendar for a visual guide tailored to your climate.

Care for Fruit Trees and Shrubs

Fruit trees and shrubs need support as they prepare for dormancy.

• Harvest apples, pears, and late berries often to reduce strain on branches

• Clean up fallen fruit to break pest and disease cycles

• Water deeply during dry weeks to strengthen roots

• Top-dress with compost and mulch to build soil and insulate through winter
  

Plant Ally: Garlic

Garlic is a resilient ally that offers nourishment while improving soil and supporting companion crops.

• Plant cloves pointy side up in rich soil with organic matter

• Mulch heavily with straw or leaves to protect over winter

• Harvest scapes in early summer and bulbs by mid-summer

• Interplant with strawberries, tomatoes, or fruit trees to deter pests naturally
  

Wild Edibles and Medicinals in September

The wild edges still provide resilience and diversity.

• Rose hips for vitamin-rich teas and syrups

• Elderberries (if still present) for immune-supporting remedies

• Goldenrod for teas and tinctures

• Black walnuts for food, dye, or compost-activating shells

Harvest with reciprocity. Take what you need, leave plenty for wildlife, and allow natural cycles to continue.

Prepare the Garden for Rest

September is the time to invest in soil health and perennial systems.

• Sow cover crops such as rye, vetch, or clover to protect and enrich soil

• Mulch empty beds to prevent erosion and feed microorganisms

• Divide and transplant perennials while soil is still warm

• Order bulbs for October planting to bring spring color and pollinator forage
  

Observe and Design with the Season’s Wisdom

Permaculture begins with observation. September offers clarity as growth slows and patterns become more visible.

• Notice where water gathers and where soil dries quickly

• Observe shifting sunlight as days shorten

• Reflect on which crops produced abundantly with little effort

• Record notes in your garden journal and sketch new design ideas while patterns are fresh
  

Workshop at the New England Botanic Garden

Want to deepen your seasonal garden care with knowledge-rich guidance? Join us at the New England Botanic Garden this fall for our workshop on closing the garden with permaculture principles. You’ll learn practical steps to put your garden to rest while setting it up for resilience next spring. Details and ticket information [HERE].

Keep Growing

September is both abundant and transitional. By harvesting wisely, planting cool-season crops, and preparing your soil and perennials for winter, you invest in next year’s resilience and continue to align your garden with nature’s rhythms.