Ah, September! The kids are back to school, the mornings are getting crisper, and there’s a sense of fall in the air. For those living in warmer climates, that sense of fall might just be in your head, but we’ll take what we can get, right?
There’s something about the promise of this change of season that is both relaxing and exciting — but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, because there’s still plenty to do if you follow our September Garden Checklist!
Plan
With summer’s end in sight, be sure to complete all your notes about your summer garden in your journal. What new plant surprised you? What would you plant more of next year? Any do-overs on your list? How was the weather, and how did it impact your garden?

Prepare and Maintain
No matter your zone, September is a prep month for almost every gardener.
- Harvest your vegetable garden before the danger of frost or freeze, or to make room for your fall plantings. Put spent leaves and plants (veggies, perennial clippings, annual flowers) into your compost pile.
- Gather herbs for drying or freezing, and collect valuable seeds for next year.
- Use winter rye as a cover crop in colder climates.
- Warmer Zones 7-10 will need to continue shading your soil until the temperatures start to drop in earnest.
- Zone 11 can begin gathering seeds for vegetables such as beans, bell peppers, and eggplant in preparation to sow them next month.
Sow and Plant Indoors
- Zone 11 can start seeds for strawberries for transplanting next month.
- Zones 7-10 can still plant outdoors, but it’s also fun to get a head start on anything you’d like to plant for the cooler months.
- Start seeds of cool-season annuals, greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, and radishes.
Sow and Plant Outdoors
- Zones 4-6 can plant garlic and shallots, as well as spinach either under row covers or in cold frames.
- Zones 7-10 can plant greens, beets, turnips, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and bok choy.
- Zone 10 still has time for the last round of squash, cucumbers, and okra, final plantings of tomatoes and peppers, and cool-season greens.

Harvest
- Zone 4 can harvest turnips, parsnips, apples, carrots, greens, beets, pears, and persimmons.
- Zones 5-10 can harvest pretty much everything from basil, beans, beets, cucumbers, and eggplant to greens, peppers, squash, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Share The Garden Love


Hello, how do I know what zone I am in. I live in Houston, texas.
Hi Shivani, you are in zone 9a. To learn more about planting zones check out this blog post, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/how-to-find-your-planting-zone/. Happy gardening!
Hi, I’m in Broomfield CO. What is my zone?
Hi Dulce, you will most likely be in zone 6a. Check out this article to find your exact planting zone based on your zipcode, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/how-to-find-your-planting-zone/. Happy gardening!
I enjoy these monthly check lists. Keeps me on my toes. Because I don’t know all the zones I downloaded a map to my iPad. Now I can check which state is in which zone.
Hi Nancy, we’re so happy to hear you’re enjoying our monthly gardening posts. If you’re interested in learning more about gardening zones check out this blog post, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/how-to-find-your-planting-zone/. We also offer a free Monthly Organic Gardening Guide that gives you monthly tips on planning, planting, and harvesting your garden by zone, https://www.kellogggarden.com/monthly-organic-gardening-ebook/. Happy gardening!
I live in Southern California. What’s my zone?
Hi Lena, your growing zone will depend on exactly where in Southern California you live. To find out what zone you live in based on your zip code check out this blog post, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/how-to-find-your-planting-zone/. Happy gardening!
Hello I’m in New York what zone am I’m
Hi Adriana, your growing zone will depend on exactly where in New York you live. To find out what zone you’re in based on your zip code check out this blog post, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/how-to-find-your-planting-zone/. Happy gardening!
Your website is informative and very inspiring. I am happy to find GARDEN KELLOGG. I am in Sacramento CA what is my Zone?
Hi Aida, we’re pleased to hear you’re enjoying our website. Depending on where you live in Sacramento, you may be in zone 9. To find out exactly what planting zone you live in based on your zip code, check out this blog post, https://www.kellogggarden.com/blog/gardening/how-to-find-your-planting-zone/. Happy gardening!