September In-Season Vegetable Planting and Harvest Guide

September is a huge harvest month, with a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables practically bursting from the bins at the produce department. Getting the freshest produce in the grocery store or from your home harvest means knowing what to harvest in the fall and which plants to start growing for fresh veggies in the garden for the winter.

Freshest Fall Fruits and Veggies to Harvest in September

Onions meet their peak around the September harvest. Some beans are also best harvested from fresh in September, including snap beans and lima beans. Fresh watermelon crops will continue to produce a bountiful harvest through the end of September into the beginning of October.

Tomato and pepper plants are also plentiful during the early fall harvest. In warmer climates, tomato and pepper harvest can continue into mid to late November, but gardeners in colder climates should keep a careful eye on local temperatures to ensure the last of the tomato and pepper crop is harvested before an early frost.

Fall Garden Planning Means Knowing Your Frost Dates

Planting a fall garden mostly focuses on the last seasonal planting of the leafy greens that thrive in cooler temperatures. Common vegetables to plant in September include kale, collards and cabbage. Planting season for peas, turnips and winter squash also extends into September.

The most important point to keep in mind when planting a Fall garden is the temperature tendencies in your climate, especially with an outdoor garden. Ensure that you only plant vegetables that can handle local Fall temperatures, and ensure that the harvest occurs before your areas tend to frost. If you are container gardening and find your area hit by an early frost, you may be able to move the containers inside or cover the plants for protection from the cold.

September Seeding is Limited

Because the cold winter is on its way, not many plants are supposed to be seeded in September. One exception is the radish, which one vegetable that can be seeded in the Fall. For gardeners who wish to garden full-force all year round, September may be a good month to set up an indoor organic garden.

Keeping on top of the best vegetables to buy during September can help keep your pantry stocked with the freshest and healthiest food for your family. Though knowing what to harvest in September can be confusing without a harvest guide, if you plan your seasonal gardens properly, the plants you plant in your home garden will always have the best produce on the market.

Resources:

Planting and Harvesting Times for Garden Vegetables (pdf)
Vegetable Garden Calendar