Zone 6 · September · 4 weeks before first frost
What to plant in September in Zone 6
Typical last frost in zone 6 is around Apr 15, and first frost around Oct 15. Autumn sowing closes. Cold zones are ending their season; warm zones are entering the best month of their year.
Start indoors this month
Seed trays indoors, under a light or in the brightest window you have. These are slow crops that need a head start on the season.
Nothing in our dataset needs an indoor start this month in this zone.
Set out into the final container
Transplants go into the pot they will finish in. Hardening them off for four to five days first prevents most transplant shock.
No transplanting window is open this month here.
Direct sow
Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.
No direct-sowing window this month in this zone.
Sow for autumn
A second sowing timed backwards from first frost. Fewer pests, less watering, and better flavour in most cool crops.
- Loose-leaf Lettuce — window Aug 20 – Sep 10 (2 gal, 6" deep)
- Radish — window Sep 3 – Sep 24 (1 gal, 6" deep)
- Kale — window Aug 20 – Sep 10 (3 gal, 10" deep)
- Spinach — window Aug 27 – Sep 17 (2 gal, 6" deep)
- Carrot — window Aug 20 – Sep 10 (3 gal, 12" deep)
Harvesting this month
Nothing from our dataset is in its harvest window this month here.
Not this month
- Hot Pepper — next window opens in February. Starting it now means 5 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
- Cherry Tomato — next window opens in March. Starting it now means 6 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
- Basil — next window opens in March. Starting it now means 6 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
Zone 6 at a glance
Zone 6 gives about 160 frost-free days and is the easiest zone for container growing — long enough for peppers, short enough that midsummer heat rarely sterilises pollen.
Next and previous
August in zone 6 · —