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On the Allotment - September
September is the first month of autumn when Summer Crops are coming to an end ready to be replaced with overwintering so it’s important to clear the ground of any old plants ready for the winter digging.
Continue to drag soil up around the stems of winter brassicas and add stakes to the Brussels Sprouts, Kale and Sprouting Broccoli to give support against strong autumn winds.
Keep a close eye on your pumpkins and squashes; when the stem near the shoulder of the fruit starts to darken and becomes hard, they’re ready for cutting and drying off inside the greenhouse.
In the greenhouse watch out for ‘ghost spotting’ that may appear on fruits. This is caused by condensation. It’s not serious enough to spoil them for eating but they will need a wipe over with a clean, soft cloth to remove it. Try and ventilate the greenhouse as much as possible to dry the air this will help to prevent mould and fungus from developing on plants and in damp corners
Overwintering onion sets are available now, plant them as soon as possible to give enough time to produce a strong enough root system that will help them survive the upcoming cold winter months.