September brings the first hints of autumn as Scottish gardens ease out of summer. The soil is still warm, daylight is shortening and showers return. After a hot, drying summer, many lawns and borders are thirsty and a bit stressed, so this month is all about gentle recovery, smart planting and water-wise habits.
Weather Outlook (why it matters for your jobs)
The Met Office expects an unsettled first half of September with showers or longer spells of rain at times, breezier interludes and temperatures mostly near average. Later in the month there may be some drier spells, with temperatures close to average and occasionally a touch warmer. Plan jobs between showers, and make use of the still-warm soil for planting and sowing
Parts of eastern Scotland remain under SEPA water-scarcity pressure, with some catchments at Significant or Moderate Scarcity as of 28 August. Prioritise watering for anything newly planted, and keep an eye on any local restrictions or guidance.
Lawn Care: Repair & Feed
September is the best month to help a tired lawn bounce back. Start with a light rake to remove thatch and moss. Aerate compacted patches with a garden fork, then overseed thin areas and keep them evenly moist while seed germinates. Finish with an autumn lawn feed (low nitrogen, higher potassium) to toughen growth before winter. Work when the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
Borders & Perennials
Keep deadheading dahlias, roses and bedding to extend displays while nights stay mild. September’s warm soil and cooler air make it a great time to plant new perennials and small shrubs so they establish roots before winter. After rain, add a 5cm – 7 cm mulch to hold moisture and suppress weeds.
Spring Bulb Planting
Plant daffodils, crocus and hyacinths this month, at a depth of roughly two to three times the bulb’s height, in free-draining soil or compost. Hold tulips until November; planting later helps reduce disease and usually gives stronger results in spring. Containers can be layered (“bulb lasagne”) for a long, rolling show from late winter into May.
Veg & Herbs
Clear finished summer crops and compost healthy debris. Sow cool-season salads such as rocket and lamb’s lettuce under fleece or a cloche for reliability in showery, cooler weather. Where beds will be empty add organic matter to breakdown into nutrients for next year. From late September you can plant overwintering onion sets; line up garlic for late September into October.
Fruit Garden
Pick apples and pears as they come ready and store only sound fruit in a cool, airy place. Remove fallen fruit promptly to deter wasps and disease. After fruiting, cut out old canes on summer raspberries and blackberries and tie in the fresh canes you’ll crop next year.
Trees, Hedges & Shrubs
Early autumn is an excellent time to plant evergreens, hedging and container-grown trees. Given ongoing scarcity alerts in parts of the east, water deeply once, then mulch to lock it in. Choose a showery day for planting and staking so roots settle with minimal stress.
Containers & Pots
Swap tired summer displays for autumn stalwarts like violas, heathers, skimmia and mini-cyclamen. Check for vine weevil in any pot that wilts despite regular watering; grubs eat roots. Biological nematodes work well in pots from August into early September while compost is warm and moist—follow the packet for watering-in and temperature.
Greenhouse & Indoor Plants
In greenhouses, thin excess tomato foliage to improve airflow and help fruits ripen; reduce damping-off risk by watering in the morning and ventilating on mild, showery days. Before you bring houseplants in from summer holidays outdoors, check for pests, refresh the top layer of compost, and resume a light, regular watering rhythm as indoor heating remains off or low.
Pest & Disease Management
Showery, mild spells can favour tomato and potato blight. Improve ventilation, remove affected leaves promptly, and avoid overhead watering. In borders, keep an eye on grey mould in dense, humid growth and thin where necessary.
Helping our Birds
Keep a shallow bird bath topped up and clean (scrub weekly with hot water). Offer high-energy foods for the post-summer moult: sunflower hearts, mixed seed and suet; put whole peanuts only in a mesh feeder. Rotate and clean feeders to reduce disease, use seed trays and clear spills to deter rats. Place feeders near cover but with a clear escape route, and plant berry-rich shrubs (rowan, hawthorn, cotoneaster) or leave seedheads for natural forage. Check hedges for late nests before trimming, and clean out nest boxes in October for winter roosting.
