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What to Sow in September

September is the best sowing month most gardeners never use. Hardy annuals, biennials and a good many perennials all want to go in now — the soil is still warm, the rain has usually returned, and the seed gets the cold winter it evolved around instead of a hurried spring. Much of what is sown this month flowers weeks earlier and taller than the same seed sown in April.

September is the best sowing month most gardeners never use. Hardy annuals, biennials and a good many perennials all want to go in now — the soil is still warm, the rain has usually returned, and the seed gets the cold winter it evolved around instead of a hurried spring. Much of what is sown this month flowers weeks earlier and taller than the same seed sown in April.

Method
Type

57 seeds to sow in September

  • Alchemilla Mollis Seeds

    Alchemilla Mollis

    SowAugust–October

    Sow thinly and cover lightly, on a windowsill rather than outdoors. It self-seeds enthusiastically once it is established, so this is generally the only sowing you will ever need to make.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 100 seeds

  • Ammi Majus Seeds

    Ammi Majus

    SowAugust–September

    An autumn sowing is what gets you the tall, well-branched plants; spring-sown ammi stays short and thin. Firm the soil, scatter thinly, and cover with the barest layer.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days at 15–20°C
    • 500 seeds

  • Ammi Visnaga 'Green Mist' Seeds

    Ammi Visnaga 'Green Mist'

    SowAugust–October

    Firm the soil, scatter, cover barely. Autumn-sown it makes a far bigger plant than a spring sowing, and the domed heads last for weeks once cut.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 300 seeds

  • Cottage Garden Seed Box

    SowAugust–September

    Surface-sow and leave uncovered; most of this box needs light. An autumn start gives the hardy annuals a whole winter of root growth, which is where the difference in size shows next June.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Crazy Daisy Seeds

    Leucanthemum Chrysanthemum x Superbum ‘Crazy Daisy’

    SowAugust–September

    Do not cover these. They need light to germinate, so press them onto the surface and leave them showing — around 18–20°C on a bright windowsill does the rest.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 10–21 days
    • 30 seeds

  • Cut Flowers Garden Seed Box

    SowAugust–September

    Sow now, and thin properly when the time comes: crowded rows give short stems, which is the one thing you cannot fix later. Autumn sowing is what buys the length.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Delphinium 'Guinevere' Seeds

    Delphinium Pacific Giants 'Guinevere'

    SowAugust–October

    Put the seed in the fridge for a week before you sow it. Delphinium germination is poor without that cold spell, and skipping it is the single thing that most often explains an empty tray.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 30 seeds

  • Delphinium 'King Arthur' Seeds

    Delphinium Pacific Giants 'King Arthur'

    SowAugust–October

    A week in the fridge first — the cold is not optional with delphiniums. Sow into a cool bright spot afterwards; too much warmth is as unhelpful as none at all.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 30 seeds

  • Echinacea 'Magnus' seeds

    Echinacea purpurea

    SowAugust–September

    Surface-sow and press in rather than cover; the seed needs light and will sit sulking under compost. Sown now it goes into spring already rooted instead of starting from nothing.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 10–21 days
    • 60 seeds

  • Echinops 'Veitch's Blue' Seeds

    Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'

    SowAugust–November

    The winter chill improves germination noticeably, which is the argument for sowing now rather than in spring. Sow into deep pots and plant out young, before the taproot has anything to resent.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 65 seeds

  • Field Scabious Seeds

    Knautia arvensis

    SowAugust–September

    Autumn suits it, because this is how it seeds itself in a meadow — the perennial root goes down over winter. Firm soil, a light covering, and keep it damp.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 30 seeds

  • Flower Posy Seed Set

    SowAugust–October

    Sow on the surface and leave uncovered — most of this mix needs light. Started now, it flowers earlier and taller next year than the same seed sown in April.

    • Annual
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Forget-Me-Not Seeds

    Myosotis Sylvatica 'Blue Ball'

    SowAugust–September

    A biennial, so this sowing is for next spring rather than this one. Scatter it in partial shade, pat it down, and then let it seed itself around for good.

    • Biennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 200 seeds

  • Foxglove 'Apricot' Seeds

    Digitalis purpurea 'Apricot'

    SowSeptember–November

    Barely cover it — 3mm is plenty — and sow into light shade. It is a biennial, so this is for the summer after next, which is exactly why it is worth doing now rather than meaning to.

    • Biennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 150 seeds

  • Hollyhock 'Nigra' Seeds

    Alcea rosea 'nigra'

    SowSeptember–October

    A biennial, so this is a sowing for the summer after next and there is no shortcut. Sow singly and thinly — the seedlings are large and resent crowding.

    • Biennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 30 seeds

  • Lavender 'Munstead Dwarf' Seeds

    Lavandula Angustifolia 'Munstead Dwarf'

    SowSeptember–October

    Germination is slow and patchy, and there is nothing wrong with your seed when only half of it appears. Sow more than you need, keep it bright, and be prepared to wait.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 14–28 days
    • 100 seeds

  • Love Seed Set

    SowAugust–October

    Surface-sow into a warm bright spot; the seed needs light. Sown in autumn the whole set comes into flower together next summer, which is rather the point of it.

    • Annual
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Lupin 'Noble Maiden' Seeds

    Lupinus x Russellii 'Noble Maiden'

    SowSeptember–October

    Soak the seed overnight before sowing; the coat is hard and dry seed will sit for weeks. Autumn-sown lupins make their root over winter and come away fast in spring.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 30 seeds

  • Mindful Seed Set

    SowAugust–October

    Sow onto the surface and leave uncovered. These are perennials, so the sowing is an investment rather than a season — most will do little until their second summer.

    • Perennial
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Modern Garden Seed Box

    SowAugust–October

    Rake bare soil to a fine tilth and sow straight onto it. The mix is built for a sunny, open position and will sulk anywhere shaded.

    • Germination 7–14 days under moist conditions

  • Nigella 'Miss Jekyll' Seeds

    Nigella Damascena

    SowSeptember

    Sow where it is to flower — nigella hates being moved. A September sowing overwinters small and comes into flower in early summer, ahead of the spring-sown ones.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 200 seeds

  • Nigella 'Persian Jewels' Seeds

    Nigella Damascena

    SowSeptember

    Sow direct and thinly, where it is to flower — it will not transplant. A September sowing overwinters as a small plant and flowers a good three weeks before a spring one.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 300 seeds

  • Poppy 'Black Peony' Seeds

    Papaver somniferum paeoniflorum

    SowAugust–September

    Surface-sow onto firm soil and do not cover; light is what starts it. Keep it on the cool side, because poppies germinate badly in heat.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 500 seeds

  • Poppy 'Falling in Love' Seeds

    Papaver rhoeas ‘Falling in Love’

    SowAugust–October

    Do not cover the seed. Sow onto firm moist soil where it is to flower, keep it warm and damp until it is up, and after that it wants nothing from you.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 200 seeds

  • Poppy 'Mother of Pearl' Seeds

    Papaver Rhoeas ‘Mother of Pearl’

    SowAugust–October

    Uncovered, onto firm damp soil, and thinly — this is one to sow where it stands. Autumn sowing gives the strongest plants; thin hard in spring and resist replanting the ones you pull.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 500 seeds

  • Poppy 'Shirley Double' Seeds

    Papaver Rhoeas ‘Shirley Double’

    SowAugust–October

    Press onto the surface and do not cover. An autumn sowing overwinters as a small rosette and flowers weeks ahead of anything started in spring.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 2500 seeds

  • Poppy Pandora Seeds

    Papaver Rhoeas ‘Pandora’

    SowAugust–October

    Scatter thinly onto firm soil and leave uncovered. Poppies resent being moved, so sow where they are to flower and thin the seedlings rather than lifting them.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 600 seeds

  • Pressed Flower Seed Set

    SowSeptember

    Sown now, the set flowers together next summer, which matters more than it sounds when you are pressing: a single afternoon’s picking dries far more evenly than flowers gathered over weeks.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Ragged Robin Seeds

    Lychnis flos-cuculi

    SowSeptember–November

    Press it onto the surface and leave it in the light. It wants ground that stays damp, so this is the one for the corner that never quite dries out.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 300 seeds

  • Rewild Garden Seed Box

    SowAugust–October

    Clear the ground properly first — that is the whole job, and seed sown into competition simply disappears. Sow thinly onto a fine tilth and keep it moist until it is up.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Roman Chamomile Seeds

    Chamaemelum Nobile

    SowAugust–September

    Press the seed onto damp soil and leave it uncovered — light is what triggers it. Keep it consistently moist, because chamomile germinates unevenly if it dries out even once.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 750 seeds

  • Scabious 'Black Knight' Seeds

    Scabiosa 'Black Knight'

    SowAugust–September

    Sow now for a bigger plant and a longer flowering season next year. Cover lightly, keep it moist, and expect bees on it from the first flower onwards.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 50 seeds

  • Shady Spot Seed Set

    SowAugust–September

    Sow into light shade and keep it damp. This mix is chosen for places that never get full sun, so the usual advice about a warm bright spot does not apply. Pat the seed down rather than burying it.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Viola 'Freckles' Seeds

    Viola Sororia ‘Freckles’

    SowSeptember–November

    Sow shallowly and prick out once there are two proper pairs of leaves. Sown outside in autumn it comes through the winter and flowers from early spring, which is when you most want it.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 10 seeds

  • Wild Meadow Seed Set

    Agrimony, Hemp (Eupatorium cannabinum), Bird's Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Borage (Borago officinalis), Clover, Red (Trifolium pratense), Clover, White (Trifolium repens), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Dwarf Sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus), Knapweed, Common (Centaurea nigra), Knapweed, Greater (Centaurea scabiosa), Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Meadow Cranesbil (Geranium pratense), Musk Mallow (Malva moschata), Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Poppy, Field (Papaver rhoes), Purple Loosetrife (Lythrum salicaria), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Sainfoin (Onobrychis viccifolia), Scabious, Field (Knautia arvensis), Scabious, Small (Scabiosa columbaria), Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), Vetch, Kidney (Anthyllis vulneraria), Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

    SowAugust–October

    Autumn suits a meadow mix better than spring. Rake it into bare soil, tread it in, and let the winter give the perennial seed the cold it needs. Do not feed the ground first — poor soil is the point.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Wildflower Seeds

    Agrimony, Hemp (Eupatorium cannabinum), Bird's Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Borage (Borago officinalis), Clover, Red (Trifolium pratense), Clover, White (Trifolium repens), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Dwarf Sunflower (Helianthus gracilentus), Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus), Knapweed, Common (Centaurea nigra), Knapweed, Greater (Centaurea scabiosa), Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Meadow Cranesbil (Geranium pratense), Musk Mallow (Malva moschata), Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Poppy, Field (Papaver rhoes), Purple Loosetrife (Lythrum salicaria), Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi), Sainfoin (Onobrychis viccifolia), Scabious, Field (Knautia arvensis), Scabious, Small (Scabiosa columbaria), Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), Vetch, Kidney (Anthyllis vulneraria), Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare), Wild Clary (Salvia verbenaca), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

    SowAugust–October

    Autumn is the better half of the year for a mix like this. Rake it into bare soil now and the winter does the work a spring sowing has to hurry through — most of the perennials in it want that cold before they will come up.

    • Annual and Perennial
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days
    • 2 gm seeds

  • Calendula 'Pygmy Buff' Seeds

    Calendula officinalis

    SowMarch–October

    Sow March–October.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 50 seeds

  • Calendula 'Snow Princess' Seeds

    Calendula officinalis

    SowMarch–October

    Sow March–October.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 50 seeds

  • Carrot 'Paris Market Atlas' Seeds

    Daucus Carota Paris Market

    SowApril–October

    Sow April–October.

    • Annual
    • Germination 10–14 days in moist soil
    • 300 seeds

  • Chives Seeds

    Allium Schoenoprasum

    SowFebruary–October

    Sow February–October.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 14–21 days
    • 200 seeds

  • Coriander Seeds

    Coriandrum sativum

    SowFebruary–September

    Sow February–September.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 150 seeds

  • Dill 'Diana' Seeds

    Anethum graveolens 'Diana'

    SowFebruary–September

    Sow February–September.

    • Annual
    • Germination 10–21 days
    • 800 seeds

  • Heirloom Seed Set

    SowJanuary–October

    Sow January–October.

    • Annual
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Herbal Teas Seed Set

    SowFebruary–October

    Sow February–October.

    • Perennial
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Hero Herbs Seed Set

    SowFebruary–October

    Sow February–October.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Kitchen Garden Seed Box

    SowMarch–September

    Sow March–September.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Komatsuna Seeds

    Brassica rapa var. perviridis

    SowJanuary–October

    Sow January–October.

    • Biennial
    • Germination 5–10 days
    • 300 seeds

  • Lemon Balm Seeds

    Melissa officinalis

    SowFebruary–September

    Sow February–September.

    • Perennial
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 500 seeds

  • Micro Green Seed Set

    SowJanuary–December

    Sow January–December.

    • Annual
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Native Seed Set

    SowMarch–November

    Sow March–November.

    • Perennial and Annual
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Parsley 'Italian Giant' Seeds

    Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum

    SowJanuary–December

    Sow January–December.

    • Biennial
    • Germination 14–28 days
    • 175 seeds

  • Parsley Seeds

    Petroselinum crispum

    SowJanuary–December

    Sow January–December.

    • Biennial
    • Germination 14–28 days
    • 400 seeds

  • Radish 'French Breakfast' Seeds

    Raphanus sativus 'french breakfast 3'

    SowMarch–September

    Sow March–September.

    • Annual
    • Germination 4–10 days
    • 300 seeds

  • Red Shiso Seeds

    Perilla frutescens var. crispa

    SowMarch–September

    Sow March–September.

    • Annual
    • Germination 7–14 days
    • 300 seeds

  • Rocket Wild Wasabi Seeds

    Diplotaxis erucoides 'Wasabi'

    SowMarch–September

    Sow March–September.

    • Annual
    • Germination 4–10 days
    • 500 seeds

  • Salad Seed Set

    SowJanuary–October

    Sow January–October.

    • Annual
    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

  • Shade Garden Seed Box

    SowJanuary–December

    Sow January–December.

    • Germination Varies by variety, typically 5–21 days

Gardening jobs for September

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