Zone 4 - What to Plant in September

Zone 4 - What to Plant in September

Zone 4 growers typically don't have too many options to plant in September. Zone 4 first frost usually occurs in late September to early October. That being said, there's still some items you can still plant. It's the perfect time to plant garlic so you get a fast start next spring. Also there are several cover crops that can be planted now to help bring nutrients back to the garden this fall and early spring. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 4 in September.

Garland Serrate Leaf Greens is a delicious Japanese green that is an edible chrysanthemum. This popular Japanese green has serrated, dark green aromatic leaves that have an excellent flavor that becomes stronger with age. Garland Serrate is easy to grow and produces high yields with side shoots.

The Upland Cress is a highly nutritious aquatic herb. This cress is a slow to bolt green, but once it's established it will take off and have a long growing season! Upland's 6-8" rosettes of dark green, glossy, rounded leaves are very tasty and refreshing. Upland is very similar to watercress, but is much easier to grow!

The Curled Cress is a highly nutritious aquatic green. This cress has been cultivated for hundreds of years. This peppery and pungent cress has the same tangy flavor as watercress, as they are of the same botanical family. Curled cress is great for seed sprouting or microgreen growing!

Beautiful round-edged leaves that form a compact rosette. Tatsoi can be harvest as young tender leaf or wait for maturity. Mild flavor that intensifies as the leaves mature. Popular as a baby leaf for salads; also excellent when added to soups or stir-fries. Cut leaves as needed at any stage or harvest the whole head.

The Hon Tsai Tai has deep purple tender stalks with a slight mustard flavor that is great in different salads or cooked into stir fries! Its green leaves have petite florets that are best harvested right before the bright yellow blossoms open. Hon Tsa Tai is best grown in mid to late summer.

The Green Frills Mustard is a vibrantly frilly green with deep cuts. With an upright growth habit, this variety's leaves are a bright green with a delicious, crisp peppery taste. Green Frills Mustard is great at resisting bolting!

Feng Qing Choi cabbage is a slow bolting Mei Qing Choi type with good plant size and dark leaf color. This variety has excellent holding ability and uniformity.

This pak choi's tender leaves and crisp sweet stalks are a tasty addition to recipes or eaten raw. Swap stalks for celery sticks, add to soups and stews, or grill on the barbecue. Plant every couple of weeks for successive harvests in spring and fall; Bopak retains it’s nice flavor even in warmer weather.

Astro Arugula is a popular arugula type with spicy flavor! This standard arugula is grown for it's long, green leaves. Astro is fast growing and will withstand cold temperatures. This arugula is best harvested at baby size. If you want to spice up your salads and meals, then the Astro Arugula will be the perfect addition to your garden!

True Watercress is a delicious highly nutritious aquatic herb. This watercress has a wonderful fresh peppery-tasting flavor. Being semiaquatic, this cress is a creeping perennial whose leaves are popular in salads, sandwiches and as a garnish. True Watercress grow rapidly in in damp soil and can be grown in pots of soil placed in a tub of water if water is changed weekly.

Tendergreen mustard is a prized leafy green known for its mild flavor and tender texture, making it a favorite in both culinary and gardening circles. This variety of mustard greens has its roots in traditional Southern U.S. agriculture, where it has been cultivated for its versatility and ease of growth. Characterized by its large, bright green leaves with a smooth, slightly wrinkled texture, Tendergreen mustard is valued for its mild, peppery flavor that becomes more pronounced when cooked. The plants grow rapidly, reaching maturity in about 40 to 50 days, and are known for their robust, upright growth habit, typically standing 12 to 18 inches tall. They produce small, yellow flowers in early spring if allowed to bolt, though they are primarily grown for their leaves. Tendergreen mustard thrives in cool weather and can be grown in a variety of soil types as long as they are well-drained. The plant’s resilience and quick harvest make it ideal for successive plantings, providing a continuous supply of fresh greens. With its rich flavor, adaptable growing conditions, and rapid growth, Tendergreen mustard is a valuable addition to any vegetable garden.

The Dazzling Blue Kale is a beautiful, cold-tolerant lacinato-type that produces large blue-green leaves with deep purple veins. This kale is sure to add a delicious pop of color to any salad! This variety will survive freezing temperatures better than other lacinato types and will even intensify with cool temperatures.

The Vit Mache, or also known as Lamb's Lettuce, is a green that is excellent for gourmet salads or as a garnish. Vit Mache produces good yields of 3" salad leaves. This green has a mild taste and is usually mixed together with Endive, Mustard, and Arugula. Vit Mache will produce a fall/winter harvest. Sow every 2 weeks.

The Red Giant is a large mustard with an excellent, pungent flavor. This variety is a large purple-red leaf type. The Red Giant is great used as an ornamental or salad garnish. This variety's flavor has a slight hint of wasabi and grey poupon.

The Braising Mix Blend is growing trend in the market which uses a blend of different delicious mustard and arugula varieties. Our dealers can help you develop a custom braising mix for your specific market or growing region. This blend is used for multiple picking in home gardens. This very healthy alternative to lettuce blends is becoming very popular.

The Red Veined Sorrel is a delicate green with an excellent flavor! This Red Veined Sorrel is a fast growing green that adds a delicious flavor and texture to salads. This green's leaves are best young with a sharp tart flavor that is unique to this plant. The central vein is a dark maroon that webs out throughout the leaf. This variety has very showy leaves that is great for salads, soups, stews and more.

The Florida Broadleaf is a favorite mustard in the Southern states. This mustard is a fast growing green, making it great for spring and fall eating. The Florida Broadleaf is mild-flavored and produces large, broad, rich green leaves of appetizing pungency.

The Joi Choi Bok Choy has very tender dark green leaves with crisp white stalks. This variety is slow bolting with high yields. Joi Choi Bok Choy is perfect for growing in fall and winter, as it is cold tolerant.