September, green light for fruit and vegetables, is a very important month: definitely marks the transition from summer to autumn, bringing with it a significant drop in temperatures, the change of season, Farewell to diving in the sea and resignation to return to the office or school.
Fortunately, autumn is not so bad: the colors of the landscape are tinged with warm and enveloping shades, fresh air (after months and months of heat) not sorry and, above all, the tables are filled with delicious seasonal foods, many of them offered directly by nature.
These are typical autumn fruits and vegetables, which can be sown in September and then harvested in late season or directly in spring. The secret to a tasty and abundant harvest, according to tradition, is to keep under control the lunar calendar so prepared:
- crescent moon: from 1 to 9 September and then from 26 to 30 September. Ideal period to sow chard, carrots, cabbage, lettuce and turnips and transplant chicory, fennel and radicchio. At the same time, we can work for the reproduction in cutting of some aromatic herbs such as rosemary, sage and marjoram;
- waning moon: from 11 to 24 September. We proceed with the harvest of vegetables that we intend to keep in oil and with the transplantation of leeks, to finish with the sowing of lettuce, radicchio, spinach and onions.
What to grow in September
In principle, here is a list of vegetables that you can grow in September to inaugurate the new season at best:
- beet;
- chard;
- leaf chard;
- carrots;
- cabbages;
- green chicory;
- red chicory to ball;
- endive;
- fennel;
- lettuce;
- parsley;
- turnips;
- radishes;
- Ramolaccio;
- arugula;
- spinach;
- valerian.
Among the vegetables to be sown absolutely includes the purple carrot, rich in anthocyanins, that is, pigments from the family of flavonoids with antioxidant properties and great friends of heart health. Another vegetable is beet, a great source of mineral salts, potassium, iron, vitamins A and C.
September and seasonal fruit
Great protagonists of the month of August, figs continue to delight the palates of the greediest even in September, bringing to the body potassium and magnesium, useful to counteract the typically autumn fatigue and prepare delicious recipes.
At the market you can also buy pears and apples, high in vitamins B1 and B2, great for preparing the physique to face the change of season. September is also the month ofuva, rich in vitamins A and B1, both white and red, especially recommended for those suffering from anemia.
In short, the choice is quite wide and you can fill the cart with:
- apricots;
- figs;
- kiwi;
- raspberries;
- apples;
- more;
- pears;
- peaches;
- plums;
- grape.
September and seasonal vegetables
Just like figs, also summer vegetables continue to be present in September: zucchini, peppers, eggplant, carrots, peas, cucumbers, beans and green beans remain available along with leeks, onions and onions.
Specifically, although it is still very undervalued today, the leek is rich in water, low in calories and ideal for diets, as well as being high in vitamins B9 and B6 and potassium. It can be used not only as a substitute for onion but also as a side dish, perhaps pairing it with broccoli, chard, spinach, chicory and cabbage.
Three undisputed protagonists of autumn only i mushrooms, which sprout immediately after the first abundant rains, the pumpkin and the celery rapa, a root rich in water and mineral salts such as magnesium, iron and potassium and diuretic and depurative action.
In order not to forget anything, here is a list of September vegetables to always bring to the market:
- carrots;
- cucumbers;
- beans;
- green beans;
- broad beans;
- mushrooms;
- lettuce;
- eggplant;
- new potatoes;
- peppers;
- peas;
- tomatoes;
- arugula;
- rhubarb;
- celery;
- zucchini;
- celeriac.
Buying more products you can fill the table with valuable sources of essential elements for the health of the body!
Flowers of September
Between fruits and vegetables, impossible not to make a small reference to the flowers of September! Together with the fruit trees, in fact, decorate the landscape with typically autumn brushstrokes, giving a magnificent feeling of peace, well-being and tranquility.
Also in this case, you have a wide choice that can satisfy different tastes and needs:
- Japanese Anemone: is a perennial herbaceous plant characterized by lush bushes with white, pink or yellow flowers that loves places in the shade and sheltered from the winds;
- Stars (or September): are flowers typical of the month of September and present in various colors ranging from purple to pink, blue, indigo and lilac. They prefer both shade and sun, but need a constantly humid soil;
- Rudbeckia: is a perennial herbaceous plant with flowers very similar to daisies with a brown central disk surrounded by orange petals. It loves the sun lice but suffers from the cold and must be watered only when the soil is totally dry;
- Gaura Lindheimeri: it is also known as «Orchid Flower», with reddish stems from which white, pink or fuchsia flowers bloom. It can also be grown indoors, just give it a soft and well drained soil;
- Cosmea: of Mexican origin, with pink, white or violet flowers. It needs a light and not too organic soil, as well as a place in the shade and well sheltered from the wind;
- Gaillardia: Its beauty lies in the petals of its flowers ranging from red to yellow. It resists to any temperature, even to the freezing cold but, in this case, it needs an accurate mulching. It loves direct sunlight but hates moisture, so you need to water it only once a week and if the soil is completely dry;
- Lespedeza thunbergii: is very similar to a waterfall of violet flowers accompanied by oval leaves and easy to grow. Adores direct sun rays and adequately drained organic soils;
- Zinnia: is a rustic plant native to South America, so it does not love the cold temperatures and hardly survives drought periods. As a result, it is recommended to place it in a sunny, ventilated and slightly humid place and water it only when strictly necessary;
- Prunella: is a medicinal plant that can be grown both in pots and in the garden, both in the shade and in the sun;
- Nerina: bulbous plant of African origin, to be cultivated in pot or in garden, characterized by long stems ending with cluster flowers. He loves the heat and sunlight and suffers terribly from cold temperatures;
- Verbena: presents as a shrub or bush, with stems and serrated leaves and flowers blue, purple, pink, red or white. It prefers bright environments sheltered from the wind, as well as a soft and porous soil;
- Heliantus: better known as sunflower, is a flower with corolla formed by large petals that follow the sun. Not surprisingly, in fact, it needs a lot of light, organic soil and little water;
- Rehmannia: of Chinese origin, with pink or red bell-shaped flowers. Despite being resistant to cold, it prefers sunlight, as well as a well-drained soil;
- Coreopsis: is characterized by bushes of lanceolate leaves and flowers very similar to daisies, usually orange in color. It resists both heat and cold and particularly loves direct sunlight;
- Clematis: climbing plant that needs moist and well drained soil and direct sunlight;
- Passiflora: also known as «passion flower», it is a climbing plant with thin stems and bunch inflorescences that needs to be sheltered from the cold and be watered just enough to make the soil moist;
- Scabiosa: perennial herbaceous plant very simple to cultivate, with flowers similar to wisteria-colored pincushions. Easily adapts to cool temperatures and loves sunlight;
- Thunbergia: also called «Susanna with black eyes», is a climbing plant with lavender flowers that, if exposed to direct sunlight, can burn;
- Brugmansia: of tropical origin, it has trumpet flowers that hang down during the day, while in the evening they rise upwards. They love sunny places, or in the shade and well sheltered from the winds.
Between the seasonal fruits and vegetables and the typical flowers of September, setting the table and decorating the interiors of your home will be not only fun, but also beneficial and motivating: resume the daily routine will be easier and, in no time, You will find yourself setting up the Christmas tree on the notes of «Jingle Bells» with the right good mood!
Copertina: nutrifitness