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What to do in September

September
  •   Sow hardy annuals, such as cerinthes, ammi, scabiosa and cornflowers, for flowers early next summer
  •   Lift gladioli corms, dry them off, then store in a frost-free shed or garage over winter
  •   Plant wallflowers, pansies, forget-me-nots and other spring bedding in pots and borders
  •   Collect ripe seeds from your favourite flowers and store in labelled envelopes, ready to sow in spring
  •   Plant up containers for autumn interest, using cyclamen, heathers, heucheras and other colourful bedding plants
  •   Sow hardy greens, such as kale, land cress, pak choi, mizuna, lamb's lettuce and mustard, for winter pickings
  •   Prune out all the fruited canes of summer raspberries, cutting down to the base, and tie in new canes to supports
  •   Pot up herbs, such as chives and parsley, and place on a sunny windowsill to use during winter
  •   Start sowing hardy varieties of broad beans and peas for early crops next year
  •   Plant onion and shallot sets in a sunny spot, 10cm apart, with the tip just showing above the soil
  •   Plant prepared hyacinth bulbs in pots or hyacinth glasses, for fragrant indoor flowers at Christmas
  •   Take down greenhouse shade netting or wash off shading paint by the end of the month, as light levels start to fall
  •   Stay vigilant for pests and diseases in the greenhouse, and treat any you find immediately
  •   Plant dwarf spring bulbs in pots, including irises, crocuses, chionodoxa and scilla, for early flowers
  •   Pot up tender perennials, such as fuchsias and osteospermum, from summer displays and bring indoors before temperatures drop
  •   Rake thatch from lawns, aerate well-trodden areas by spiking with a garden fork, and re-seed bare patches
  •   Put netting across ponds to stop autumn leaves falling in and rotting
  •   Water autumn-flowering asters regularly to deter mildew
  •   Clean out water butts and check downpipe fittings in preparation for autumn rains
  •   Remove duckweed, pondweed and algae from water features and ponds