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Plant guides · Month by month

September in the garden.

What to sow and plant in September, then what is in flower and what is in fruit among the plants in our guides. The picks are the app's own monthly planting guide, which matches them to your hardiness zone.

Northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere picks are further down the page.

What to plant in September

  • Garlic Allium sativum · vegetable · plant bulbs · zones 3 to 9

    Garlic needs a cold spell in the ground before it will split into cloves, so plant it before the freeze. Set each clove pointed end up, about twice its own depth.

  • Kale Brassica oleracea · vegetable · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

    Frost genuinely improves it, turning the starch in the leaves to sugar. Pick from the bottom up and leave the growing tip alone and one plant crops all winter.

  • Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica · flower · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

    Scatter it now under shrubs and around bulbs for a blue haze next spring. It self seeds happily, so one sowing is usually the only one you ever need.

  • Wild Rocket Diplotaxis tenuifolia · vegetable · sow direct · zones 1 to 10

    Slower and more perennial than salad rocket, with a deeper flavor and finer leaf. Sown now it crops through the cold months and comes back for a second year.

  • Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus · bulb · plant bulbs · zones 3 to 9

    Plant the bulbs three times their own depth, and plant them early, because daffodils root before the cold sets in. Leave the leaves to die back naturally afterwards.

  • Common camellia Camellia japonica · shrub · plant out · zones 6 to 10

    Plant it in acid soil out of early morning sun, because thawing too fast is what ruins the flowers. Keep it watered in late summer, when next year buds are being set.

  • Tomatillo Physalis philadelphica · vegetable · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

    You need at least two plants, because a lone tomatillo sets almost no fruit. Pick them when the husk splits and the fruit fills it completely.

  • Cacao Theobroma cacao · tree · plant out · zones 11 to 13

    It grows under taller trees, so plant it into real shade with shelter from wind. The pods grow straight out of the trunk, and the first crop takes about four years.

  • Sesame Sesamum indicum · herb · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

    Sesame wants heat, sun and soil that drains sharply, and it hates wet feet. Cut the whole plant when the lowest pods start to split, then dry it upside down.

14 more picks for this month in the app, with Premium

Tulip, Wisteria, Sage, Michaelmas Daisy, Cherry tree, Laurustinus, Soursop, Black Pepper, Crimson Clover, Snowdrop, Blue Oat Grass, Sweet Rocket, Rowan, Nutmeg

Each with why it suits the month, how to sow it and the zones it takes.

In flower in September

  • African violet Saintpaulia ionantha

    Year round with proper care · purple, pink, white, blue

  • African Violet Saintpaulia ionantha

    Year-round with good care · Pink, Purple, White, Blue, Red, Bicolor

  • Agapanthus Agapanthus praecox

    Mid to late summer · Blue, Purple, White

  • Astilbe

    Summer · Pink, Red, White, Purple

  • Bigleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla

    Summer · Blue, Pink, Purple, White, Red

  • Blanket Flower Gaillardia × grandiflora

    Summer through fall · Red, Orange, Yellow, Bicolor

  • Broadleaf Plantain Plantago major

    Late spring to early fall · Greenish-white, Brownish

  • Busy Lizzie Impatiens walleriana

    Spring to fall · Pink, Red, White, Purple, Orange, Bicolor

  • Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii

    Summer to fall · Purple, Pink, White, Yellow

  • Cannabis Cannabis sativa

    Late summer to early autumn · green, white

  • Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera

    Year-round in tropical climates · yellow, white

  • Coleus Plectranthus scutellarioides

    Late summer to early autumn · blue, white

  • Cranesbill Geranium

    Late spring to early fall · Pink, Purple, Blue, White, Red

  • Crown of Thorns Euphorbia milii

    Year round · red, pink, yellow, white

  • Cucuzza squash Cucurbita pepo subsp. elongata

    Summer · Yellow

  • Dwarf banana Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish'

    Late summer to autumn · white, yellow

  • Fan Flower Scaevola aemula

    Late spring through fall · Blue, Purple, Pink, White

  • Fancy-leaf Geranium Pelargonium zonale

    Late spring through fall · Red, Pink, White, Salmon, Purple

  • Fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus

    Spring through fall · white, pink, blush

  • Four o'clock Mirabilis jalapa

    Summer to fall · pink, red, yellow, white, multi-colored

  • Giant reed Arundo donax

    Late summer to autumn · white, tan

  • Goldenrod Solidago

    Late summer to mid autumn · yellow

  • Heather Calluna vulgaris

    Late summer to autumn · purple, pink, white

  • Hosta

    Summer · White, Lavender, Purple, Pale blue

  • Ivy-leaved cyclamen Cyclamen hederifolium

    Late summer to mid-autumn · pink, white

  • Japanese knotweed Reynoutria japonica

    Late summer to early autumn · white, cream

  • Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus

    Late summer to fall · Yellow

  • Jícama Pachyrhizus erosus

    Late summer to early autumn · blue, white

  • Larkspur Consolida ajacis

    Late spring to early summer · Blue, Pink, Purple, White, Red

  • Lion's Ear Leonotis leonurus

    Late summer to autumn · orange

  • Marigold Tagetes

    Late spring through fall · yellow, orange, red, gold

  • Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria

    June to August · white, cream

  • Mimoso Mimosa strigillosa

    Late spring to fall · pink, lavender

  • Miscanthus

    Late summer to autumn · silver, pink, white

  • Moss Rose Portulaca grandiflora

    Late spring to fall · Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, White, Salmon

  • New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

    Late summer to mid autumn · purple, pink, blue

  • Pampas Grass Cortaderia selloana

    Late summer to autumn · white, cream, pink

  • Panicle Hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata

    Mid summer to late autumn · white, cream, pink

  • Passion Flower Passiflora

    Mid summer to early autumn · purple, white, blue

  • Petunia Petunia × hybrida

    Late spring to late autumn · purple, pink, white, red, yellow, blue

  • Plumeria

    Summer to early fall · Red, Pink, Yellow, White, Orange

  • Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria

    Summer to early fall · Purple, Pink, Magenta

  • Purpletop vervain Verbena bonariensis

    Mid summer to late autumn · purple, lavender

  • Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus

    Mid summer to early autumn · pink, purple, white, blue

  • Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus

    Spring to fall · Blue, Purple, White, Pink

  • Scarborough lily Cyrtanthus 'Blandford'

    Summer to early autumn · Red, Orange-red

  • Smooth Blue Aster Symphyotrichum laeve

    Late summer to mid autumn · blue, violet

  • Spearmint Mentha spicata

    Summer · White, Pink, Lavender

  • Variegated Lilyturf Liriope muscari

    Late summer to early autumn · violet, purple

  • Vinca Catharanthus roseus

    Late spring to first frost · pink, white, purple, red

  • White Sweetscented Valerian Valeriana officinalis

    Late spring to mid-summer · White

  • Abelia

    Late spring to mid autumn · white, pink

  • Anthurium

    Year round in ideal conditions · red, pink, white

  • Anthurium Anthurium andraeanum

    Spring through fall · Red, Pink, White, Green, Orange, Bicolor

  • Autumn sage Salvia greggii

    Spring to fall · red, pink, white, purple

  • Bear Paw Gynura aurantiaca

    Late summer to autumn · orange

  • Begonia Begonia × tuberhybrida

    Late spring to early autumn · red, pink, yellow, white, orange

  • Bell Pepper Capsicum annuum

    Mid to late summer · white

  • Bellflower Campanula spp.

    Late spring to early fall · Blue, Purple, White, Pink

  • Black Medic Medicago lupulina

    Spring to fall · yellow

  • Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta

    Early summer to mid-autumn · yellow, brown

  • Bottle Gourd Lagenaria siceraria var. siceraria

    Mid to late summer · white

  • Browallia Browallia americana

    Late spring to early autumn · blue, violet, white

  • Canna Lily Canna indica

    Early summer to early autumn · red, orange, yellow, pink

  • Carnation Dianthus caryophyllus

    Late spring through summer · red, pink, white, yellow, purple, bi-color

  • Castor bean Ricinus communis

    Mid summer to early autumn · red, green

  • Chicory Cichorium intybus

    Mid summer to early autumn · blue, white, pink

  • Clematis

    Late spring to early fall, depending on the group · Purple, Pink, White, Red, Blue, Yellow

  • Coleus Plectranthus scutellarioides

    Summer · White, Blue

  • Columbine Aquilegia

    Late spring to early summer · Pink, Red, Yellow, White, Purple, Blue, Bicolor

  • Common Bean Phaseolus vulgaris

    Mid summer to early autumn · white, pink, purple

  • Common Purslane Portulaca oleracea

    Late spring to early autumn · yellow

  • Crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis

    Mid summer to early autumn · green, purple

  • Creeping Oxalis Oxalis corniculata

    Spring to autumn · yellow

  • cucumber Cucumis sativus

    Mid to late summer · yellow

  • Curly dock Rumex crispus

    Summer · Greenish, Reddish-brown

  • Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

    Early spring to late autumn · yellow

  • Dragon Fruit Hylocereus undatus

    Summer to fall · White

  • Elderberry Sambucus nigra

    Late spring to early summer · White, Cream

  • Fairy Flax Linum tenuifolium

    Late spring to early autumn · blue, pink, white

  • Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis x acutiflora

    Mid-summer to fall · Pinkish-bronze, Golden-tan

  • Fittonia Fittonia albivenis

    Late summer to early autumn · white, pale yellow

  • Florence fennel Foeniculum vulgare

    Mid to late summer · yellow

  • Fuchsia

    Late spring through fall · pink, red, purple, white, orange

  • Fukien Tea Carmona retusa

    Throughout the year in warm conditions · white

  • Garden Phlox Phlox paniculata

    Mid to late summer · pink, purple, white, red

  • Geranium Pelargonium x hortorum

    Late spring to autumn · red, pink, white, salmon

  • Giant Waterlily Victoria amazonica

    Mid to late summer · white, pink

  • Great Willowherb Epilobium hirsutum

    Mid summer to early autumn · pink, magenta

  • Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

    Spring through fall · red, pink, orange, yellow, white

  • Japanese Spirea Spiraea japonica

    Summer · Pink, White, Rose

  • Jasmine Jasminum sambac

    Spring to autumn · white

  • Jewels of Opar Talinum paniculatum

    Summer to early autumn · pink, magenta

  • Lantana Lantana camara

    Late spring through fall · yellow, orange, red, pink, white, purple, multicolored

  • Lavender Lavandula angustifolia

    Late spring to summer · Purple, Violet

  • Lisianthus Eustoma grandiflorum

    Mid summer to early autumn · purple, pink, white, blue

  • Love-in-a-mist Nigella damascena

    Late spring to early summer · Blue, White, Pink, Purple

  • Mandevilla Mandevilla sanderi

    Late spring to autumn · pink, red, white

  • Montbretia Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora

    Mid to late summer · orange, red, yellow

  • Nandina Nandina domestica

    Late spring to early summer · White

  • Night-blooming jasmine Cestrum nocturnum

    Summer to fall · white, cream

  • Oats Avena sativa

    Summer · Greenish-white, Pale yellow

  • Orange Jessamine Murraya paniculata

    Intermittent throughout the year · white

  • Peach-leaved bellflower Campanula persicifolia

    Late spring to mid-summer · Blue, Violet, White

  • Peppermint Mentha × piperita

    Mid to late summer · Purple, Pink

  • Peruvian lily Alstroemeria hybrida

    Late spring to fall · pink, red, orange, yellow, white, purple

  • Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata

    Late spring to early autumn · blue, violet

  • Pokeweed Phytolacca americana

    Summer · White

  • Porcelain Berry Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata

    Summer · green, white

  • Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis

    Late spring to autumn · orange, yellow

  • Prickly Lettuce Lactuca serriola

    Summer · Yellow

  • Purple Shamrock Oxalis triangularis

    Late spring to early autumn · Pink, White

  • Queen Victoria Agave Agave victoriae-reginae

    Rarely blooms, usually after many years · cream, yellow, purple

  • Rose Mallow Hibiscus moscheutos

    Mid summer to fall · Pink, Red, White, Fuchsia

  • Sacred Lotus Nelumbo nucifera

    Mid to late summer · pink, white

  • Sandbur Cenchrus echinatus

    Summer to early autumn · green, yellow

  • Sedum

    Mid summer to early autumn · pink, yellow, white, red

  • Self-heal Prunella vulgaris

    Late spring to early autumn · purple, violet, white

  • Spotted spurge Chamaesyce maculata

    Late spring to early autumn · white, pink

  • Spring onion Allium cepa

    Late spring to summer · White, Pinkish

  • Squirrel tail grass Hordeum jubatum

    Late spring to summer · Tan, Pink, Purple, Green

  • Sunflower Helianthus annuus

    Mid summer to early autumn · yellow, brown, orange

  • Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima

    Spring through autumn · white, pink, purple

  • Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus

    Late spring to early summer · Pink, Purple, Red, Blue, White, Bicolor

  • Trailing eclipta Eclipta prostrata

    Summer to fall · white

  • Traveller's-joy Clematis vitalba

    Mid to late summer · white, cream

  • Trumpet vine Campsis radicans

    Mid to late summer · Orange, Red

  • Wandflower Gaura lindheimeri

    Late spring to early autumn · white, pink

  • Wild Carrot Daucus carota subsp. carota

    Late spring to early autumn · white

In fruit in September

Your garden, your zone, this month.

Pocket Botanist knows your hardiness zone and hemisphere, so its monthly picks are the ones that will take where you are. It also names any plant from a photo and reminds you when each one needs water. Identification is free.

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September south of the equator

The same month, six months on in the seasons: what to plant in September in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the southern half of South America.

  • Beetroot Beta vulgaris · vegetable · sow direct · zones 5 to 10

    Each knobbly beet seed is really a cluster, so thin the seedlings early or you get a tangle. Sow a short row every three weeks and you will never be without them.

  • Marigold Tagetes erecta · flower · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

    Fast, cheerful and almost impossible to kill. Sow now under cover and the plants will be in bud by the time the last frost has passed.

  • Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus · climber · sow direct · zones 4 to 11

    Push the big seeds straight into poor soil and leave them alone. Rich ground gives you a jungle of leaves and very few of the peppery flowers you actually want.

  • Carrot Daucus carota · vegetable · sow direct · zones 6 to 11

    Carrots hate being moved, so always sow them where they will grow. Keep the bed stone free and evenly damp and the roots will run straight down.

  • Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus · flower · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

    Cosmos flowers harder in thin soil than in good compost. Start it under cover now, then pinch the tip once so it branches instead of running straight up.

  • Raspberry Rubus idaeus · fruit · plant out · zones 2 to 8

    Plant bare root canes while they are still dormant, then cut them back hard to about 25 centimeters. Giving up the first year buys you a far stronger row.

  • Lettuce Lactuca sativa · vegetable · start indoors · zones 1 to 9

    Lettuce germinates best when it is cool, so a bright windowsill beats a hot propagator. Sow a pinch every couple of weeks rather than a whole packet at once.

  • Ginger Zingiber officinale · herb · plant bulbs · zones 9 to 13

    Choose a plump piece with visible buds and plant it just below the surface in dappled shade. It wants warmth, humidity and around nine months of patience.

  • Sweet Potato Ipomoea batatas · vegetable · plant out · zones 8 to 13

    Plant rooted slips into ridged, warm soil rather than planting the tubers themselves. The ridges hold the heat and make lifting the crop far easier later on.

  • Yardlong Bean Vigna unguiculata · climber · sow direct · zones 10 to 13

    It shrugs off heat that flattens ordinary beans. Give it a tall frame and pick the pods young, at around 40 centimeters, while they still snap.

11 more picks for this month in the app, with Premium

Flowering Crabapple, Corn Cockle, Asparagus, Lavender, Wild Strawberry, Pineapple, Hibiscus, Cilantro, Anemone, Silver Birch, Sweet Alyssum

Each with why it suits the month, how to sow it and the zones it takes.

Other months

The planting picks are written by the Pocket Botanist editors. The flowering and fruiting months come from AI-generated care guides checked against GBIF taxonomy, and are general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.