What to plant in September in Melbourne
What seeds to plant in September in Melbourne and how to plant them
Tips by Robin-Gale Baker.
First, any seeds planted in August in punnets that have reached the 4-leaf stage can be picked out and planted in potting mix in trays or pots. These can be planted in the garden late September.
In punnets
Beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, corn (need at least 20 plants, planted out in a grid pattern), cucumber, kale, leeks, lettuce, pumpkin, silver beet, spinach, spring onions, tomatoes, zucchini, and basil if you can keep it warm night and day.
In punnets if you have a heat mat
Capsicum, chilli, eggplant, melons, basil.
Direct into the ground
Asian greens* – including bok choy, pak choy, and tatsoi, – beetroot, carrots, daikon, Florence fennel, kohlrabi, peas, radish, rocket, turnip, coriander, chervil, dill, horseradish and lovage and all perennial herbs. Beans both bush and climbing, if you think there will be no more frosts.
*plant Asian greens very close together (broadcast seed thickly rather than planting in rows) so plants will be touching. This prevents insects from ‘getting to the leaves’ and eating them.
Potato as tubers. Buy certified tubers from a nursery (plant away from pumpkins as they are bad companions).
Globe artichokes as plants, or setts cut off the side of an established plant with a sharp spade. Jerusalem artichokes as tubers (prolific spreaders).
Rhubarb as crowns from a nursery.
Read our directions for planting in punnets or soil preparation for direct sowing into the soil in our August planting tips.
Companion planting
Bad companions exude root chemicals which adversely impact certain other plants, though this is not always both ways. Plant at least I metre but preferably 2 metres from such plants.
Separate the following:
- asparagus from onion, garlic and potatoes
- basil from rue and sage
- cabbage, cauliflower broccoli and other brassicas from tomato, eggplant and other nightshade family, and beans
- carrots from dill, parsnip and radish
- corn from tomatoes and celery
- cucumber from tomato and sage
- eggplant from runner beans
- lettuce from celery, cabbage, cress and parsley
- onion family from parsley, peas and beans
- pumpkin from potato
- tomato from corn, fennel, peas, dill, potatoes, beetroot, brassica family and rosemary
Read our other blog posts on how to grow kohlrabi and celeriac.