What To Plant In Your Polytunnel Or Greenhouse In September

By the end of September, we will definitely have seen the temperatures drop and the nights draw in quite considerably and many will be thinking about hanging up their gardening gloves until the spring. But do not give up on your growing endeavours for the year – there is still plenty to grow and plenty to do in your garden. That is especially true if you have somewhere you can grow plants under cover, such as a polytunnel or a greenhouse. Even in an unheated space, with a little extra protection from bubble wrap or horticultural fleece you can grow things year round, even in the far northern areas.

If you have been successful in your growing endeavours in your greenhouse or polytunnel earlier in the year then you should still be harvesting a range of summer crops. You will likely still be enjoying your tomatoes this month, along with your peppers, melons, cucumbers, courgettes, summer squash, leafy salads and a whole range of other potential crops.

The key thing at this time of year is to keep on sowing, at least during the early part of the month. You can sow some greens for use in the winter and to fill the hungry gap next spring. Asian greens and brassicas may still have time to become established before the cold weather kicks in and rocket, land cress and winter lettuces could also do fine. Just be on hand to cover tender new seedlings with fleece, cloches or some other extra protection if an early frost threatens next month.

This is also the time of year to plant peas, broad beans and, from the end of the month, overwintering onions. You should aim to plant onion sets this month and autumn planted shallots and garlic in October. If you choose to plant some onion sets in your polytunnel or greenhouse that will give them some extra protection and since the onions will be ready to use from early summer, the space can be vacated in time to plant out some of your heat loving summer crops.

Make the most of the under cover space you have in your garden and grow healthy food to feed you and your family all year round. You will be amazed by what is possible even in a climate with a short outdoors growing season like ours.