WHAT TO SOW IN LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN

When the heat eases off and the first rains arrive, one of the best sowing seasons of the year begins. The soil still holds the summer warmth, the air is more humid and many seeds find exactly the conditions they need to get started.

In this guide we explain what to sow in late summer and autumn, from trees and shrubs to seasonal vegetables and flowers for next spring.

Why sow now instead of waiting for spring

Autumn sowing has a huge advantage: the plant develops its roots over winter, without heat stress. By the time spring arrives it already has an established root system and grows away far more strongly than a late sowing.

• The soil is still warm, which helps germination.
• Rainfall reduces watering and general maintenance.
• Many woody species need a cold period before they can germinate.

Tree and shrub seeds: it is all about dormancy

Many tree and shrub seeds will not germinate straight after sowing: they are dormant, a natural mechanism that stops them sprouting in autumn and being killed by the first frosts. To break that dormancy they need a period of cold, moist conditions, known as stratification.

By sowing now you let winter do that work for you: you sow, the seed goes through the cold in the substrate and germinates on its own once the weather warms up. It is the most natural and convenient way to propagate woody species.

• Nuts and large seeds: sweet chestnut, walnut, hazel, holm oak or oak.
• Mediterranean shrubs: strawberry tree, myrtle, mastic or rockrose.
• Shade trees: lime, ash, maple or hackberry.

You can see them all in our tree and shrub seeds section.

The autumn vegetable garden

The vegetable garden does not stop in September, it simply changes cast. This is the time for leafy and root vegetables, which enjoy the cooler weather and suffer far fewer pests than in summer.

• Leafy: lettuce, spinach, chard, lamb's lettuce or rocket.
• Root: carrot, radish, turnip or beetroot.
• Brassicas: broccoli, cauliflower and kale, sown now for a winter harvest.
• Herbs: parsley, coriander and chives still do very well.

Find all the varieties in vegetable seeds.

Sow flowers now for spring colour

This is one of the most rewarding tricks: sow in autumn the flowers you want to see in spring. Many hardy annuals and perennials sown now root over winter and flower earlier and more strongly.

• Poppies, calendula, forget-me-nots or cornflower.
• Perennials that appreciate the cold to settle in.
• Wildflower mixes for meadows and banks.

Discover our flower seeds.

Four tips to get it right

• Sow at the right depth: as a rule, two or three times the thickness of the seed.
• Keep moisture steady for the first few weeks, without waterlogging.
• Protect delicate seed trays from extreme cold with a mulch or a sheltered spot.
• Be patient with woody species: seeing nothing until spring is completely normal. Do not throw them away.

And if you have any doubts about a particular species, just write to us: we will be glad to help.