What Seeds to Sow in September in Mediterranean Climates
September is one of the most important sowing months in Mediterranean gardens. Early in the month, warm soil and long days still allow a final sowing of fast-growing summer flowers for autumn colour. As temperatures begin to ease, conditions become increasingly favourable for cool-season vegetables, herbs and hardy flowers that will grow through autumn and winter or flower the following spring.
Shop Mediterranean Climate Seeds for September
Flowers to Sow in Early September for Autumn Colour
In warm Mediterranean regions, there is still time at the beginning of September to sow a small selection of fast-growing, heat-loving flowers. Sow as early in the month as possible to give plants enough time to establish and flower before cooler autumn conditions arrive.
Zinnias
Zinnias germinate quickly in warm soil and are one of the best choices for an early-September sowing. Recommended varieties include Zinnia Envy, Queeny Lemon Peach, Queeny Lime Red, Benary Giant Mix, Oklahoma White, Oklahoma Carmine, Oklahoma Mix, Zinderella Peach, Zahara Double Raspberry Ripple, Queen Lime Blotch, Whirlygig Mix and Cresto Peaches and Cream.
Browse all zinnia seeds →Marigolds
Marigolds are fast-growing flowers that continue to perform well while September remains warm. Sow early in the month for autumn colour in beds, borders, vegetable gardens and containers. Recommended varieties include Marigold Durango Flame and Marigold Burning Embers.
Browse marigold seeds →Sunflowers
Early September is a final opportunity to sow faster sunflowers in warm Mediterranean areas. Good choices include Sunflower Teddy Bear, Sunflower Sunspot, Cutting Gold and Taiyo. Sow promptly and give plants a sunny, sheltered position.
Browse sunflower seeds →Cosmos
Cosmos grow quickly in warm conditions and early-September sowings can still provide late-autumn flowers where autumn remains mild. Recommended varieties include Cosmos Apricotta and Double Click Cranberries.
Browse cosmos seeds →Timing Matters
These are warm-season flowers, so sow them as early in September as possible. They are best suited to warm Mediterranean regions with long, mild autumns. From mid to late September, shift your attention towards the cool-season flowers below.
Flowers to Sow in September for Winter, Spring & Next Year
September marks the beginning of the main autumn flower-sowing season in Mediterranean climates. Hardy annuals can establish during the cooler months and flower during winter or spring, while biennials and selected perennials can use autumn and winter to develop strong roots before flowering later.
For Winter & Spring Colour
Sow these flowers as temperatures begin to ease. In particularly hot areas, mid to late September may provide better germination conditions than the beginning of the month.
Calendula
Calendula is one of the easiest and most rewarding autumn-sown flowers. Recommended varieties include Fiesta Gitana Mix, Ivory Princess, Funky Stuff and Bull's Eye.
Browse calendula seeds →Snapdragons
Snapdragons enjoy the cooler growing conditions of autumn and spring. Recommended varieties include Twinny Peach, Night and Day, Grandiflorum Mix and Snapshot Coral Bicolor. Start in trays or modules in a bright, protected position.
Browse snapdragon seeds →Violas & Pansies
September is an excellent month to start violas and pansies as temperatures begin to cool. Choose Frizzle Sizzle Raspberry, Back to Black, Pansy Swiss Giants Mix, Inspire Plus Marina or Inspire Plus White.
Browse pansy seeds →Sweet Peas
Sweet peas can be started during autumn in mild Mediterranean climates for strong plants and earlier flowering. Choose Lathyrus odoratus Cupid Pink or King Size Coronation Mix.
Browse sweet pea seeds →California Poppies
California poppies are particularly well suited to sunny, free-draining Mediterranean gardens. Recommended varieties include Appleblossom Chiffon, Thai Silk Pink Champagne, Thai Silk Formula Mix, Thai Silk Rose Chiffon, Apricot Chiffon and XL Jelly Beans.
Browse California poppy seeds →Annual Poppies
Sow annual poppies directly where they will flower because they dislike root disturbance. Recommended varieties include Frosted Salmon Peony, Amazing Grey, Lauren's Grape, Dawn Chorus, Purple Peony and Black Peony.
Browse poppy seeds →Cornflowers
Autumn-sown cornflowers establish during the cooler months and can produce an earlier, stronger display the following spring. Choose Cornflower Blue Boy, Black Ball or Cornflower Mix.
Browse cornflower seeds →Nigella
Nigella is an easy hardy annual that performs particularly well from autumn sowing. Choose Nigella Miss Jekyll Skyblue, Miss Jekyll Rose or Nigella Sativa.
Browse nigella seeds →Scabiosa
Excellent for cut flowers, cottage-style borders and pollinators. Recommended varieties include Scabiosa Salmon Queen, Black Knight, Oxford Blue, Fata Morgana, Summer Fruits and Scabiosa Mix.
Browse scabiosa seeds →Cerinthe Pride of Gibraltar
Cerinthe is an architectural hardy annual with distinctive blue-purple bracts. Autumn sowing suits its natural growth cycle particularly well in mild Mediterranean gardens.
Browse cerinthe seeds →Bunny Tails
Lagurus ovatus is an ornamental grass with soft, fluffy flower heads. September sowing allows plants to establish in cooler conditions for an attractive spring display.
Daucus Dara
Daucus carota Dara produces delicate, lacy flower heads in shades of burgundy, blush and cream. Autumn sowing encourages strong plants for spring and early-summer flowering.
Phlox Cherry Caramel
Phlox Cherry Caramel is prized for its unusual creamy flowers with warm cherry centres. Sow as temperatures cool for flowering during the cooler part of the growing season.
Moluccella Pixie Bells
Moluccella laevis Pixie Bells produces distinctive green bells on upright stems and is useful for both fresh and dried arrangements. Autumn sowing is particularly suitable in mild climates.
Night-Scented Stock Starlight
Night-Scented Stock Starlight is valued for its evening fragrance. Sow during September near patios, windows and garden seating areas where its scent can be enjoyed.
Browse stock seeds →Linum & Orlaya
Linum Grandiflorum Mix and Orlaya Grandiflora White Lace Flower are excellent choices for naturalistic planting, mixed borders and cut-flower gardens. Autumn sowing gives plants time to establish before spring.
Wait for Cooler Conditions
If September begins with very high temperatures, delay small-seeded and cool-season flowers until conditions begin to ease. Seed trays can be kept in bright light while protected from intense afternoon sun.
Flowers to Establish Now for Next Year
Some flowers benefit from a longer growing period. September sowing allows them to develop foliage and strong root systems during autumn and winter before producing their main display the following year.
Eryngium Blue Hobbit
Eryngium Blue Hobbit is a compact perennial sea holly with distinctive blue flower heads. Autumn sowing gives plants time to begin their establishment before their main flowering season.
Browse eryngium seeds →Delphiniums
Delphiniums can be started during the cooler autumn period for strong plants the following season. Choose Delphinium Mix or Delphinium Blue Cloud.
Browse delphinium seeds →Hollyhocks
Hollyhocks can establish foliage and roots during the cooler months before producing their tall flowering stems. Recommended varieties include Hollyhock Chater's Double Mix, Chater's Maroon, Chater's White and Hollyhock Nigra.
Browse hollyhock seeds →Lunaria
Lunaria, or honesty, produces spring flowers followed by distinctive translucent seed pods. Choose Lunaria Violet or Lunaria White.
Browse lunaria seeds →Rudbeckia Sahara
Rudbeckia Sahara produces softly coloured flowers in warm shades of caramel, rose, terracotta and bronze. Starting plants during the cooler season allows them time to develop before flowering.
Browse rudbeckia seeds →Oriental Poppy Brilliant
Oriental Poppy Brilliant is a perennial poppy with vivid scarlet-red flowers. Autumn sowing gives young plants time to establish during the cooler months before their main flowering season.
Browse poppy seeds →Vegetables to Sow Directly in September
September is an important month for starting autumn and winter vegetables. As soil temperatures begin to fall, root crops, leafy vegetables and quick salads become increasingly easy to establish. In particularly hot areas, delay heat-sensitive crops until the middle or second half of the month.
Organic Chard Fireworks
A colourful and productive leafy vegetable that can be harvested repeatedly through autumn and winter. Keep the seedbed evenly moist during germination.
View chard seeds →Organic Red Beetroot Boro F1
A useful autumn crop grown for its sweet roots and edible young leaves. Sow directly and thin seedlings as they develop.
View red beetroot seeds →Organic Yellow Beetroot Boldor
A colourful golden beetroot for autumn and winter production. Sow into loose soil and maintain steady moisture while roots develop.
View yellow beetroot seeds →Organic Carrot Nantes
Sow carrots directly into loose, stone-free soil because their roots do not transplant well. Keep the surface consistently moist until germination.
View carrot seeds →Organic Fennel Géant Mammouth Perfection
September provides increasingly favourable conditions for fennel. Sow directly and provide regular moisture to encourage steady bulb development.
View fennel seeds →Organic Welsh Onion Ishikura Long White
A versatile onion-family crop suitable for beds, raised beds and deeper containers. Sow during autumn for later harvesting.
View Welsh onion seeds →Organic Rocket Esmee
Rocket grows rapidly as conditions cool and is ideal for repeated autumn sowings. In very hot regions, sow from mid-September or provide some afternoon shade.
View rocket seeds →Organic Radish Cherry Belle
Radishes are quick-growing and particularly useful for autumn gardens. Water evenly to encourage tender roots and prevent excessive heat stress.
View radish seeds →Organic Lettuce Oakleaf Salad Bowl
A cut-and-come-again lettuce well suited to autumn growing. In very warm Mediterranean areas, sow once temperatures begin to ease.
View lettuce seeds →Organic Spinach Renegade
Spinach prefers cooler conditions, making September increasingly suitable as the month progresses. Delay sowing during periods of extreme heat.
View spinach seeds →September Direct-Sowing Tip
Mediterranean temperatures vary considerably. If daytime temperatures remain very high, wait before sowing spinach and lettuce. Rocket, radish and other young seedlings will also benefit from temporary afternoon shade while they establish.
Vegetables to Start in Trays & Peas to Sow as Temperatures Cool
Brassicas and other cool-season crops can be started in trays or modules for transplanting once seedlings are sturdy. Peas can also be introduced as temperatures fall, particularly during the second half of September in the warmest Mediterranean regions.
Start in Trays
Keep trays in bright light but protect young seedlings from intense afternoon sun until temperatures become milder.
Organic Kale Nero Di Toscana
A productive leafy vegetable for autumn and winter harvesting. Start in trays and transplant once seedlings have several true leaves.
View kale seeds →Organic Curly Kale Westland Winter
A hardy curly kale for cooler-season production. Start in modules and maintain consistent moisture while seedlings establish.
View curly kale seeds →Organic Red Curly Kale Roter Grünkohl
A colourful kale with finely curled foliage. Start in modules before transplanting into beds or large containers.
View red kale seeds →Organic Broccoli Belstar
Start broccoli in trays or modules and transplant into fertile soil as temperatures become milder.
View broccoli seeds →Organic Broccoli Bobby
A useful broccoli variety for the cooler growing season. Start in modules for later transplanting into prepared beds.
View broccoli seeds →Organic Cauliflower Flora Blanca
Start cauliflower in modules or small pots and maintain steady moisture. Transplant into fertile soil once seedlings are sturdy.
View cauliflower seeds →Organic Romanesco Veronica
Romanesco benefits from a protected start in trays before being moved into the autumn vegetable garden.
View romanesco seeds →Organic White Cabbage Langedijker Bewaar
Start cabbage seedlings in trays or modules for transplanting into open ground during the cooler part of autumn.
View cabbage seeds →Organic Pak Choi Taisai
Pak choi grows rapidly in cooler conditions. Start in modules or sow directly once extreme summer temperatures have passed.
View pak choi seeds →Peas & Snow Peas
Peas prefer cooler growing conditions. In the hottest Mediterranean areas, wait until later September or until nights have noticeably cooled before sowing.
Organic Pea First Early May
A traditional garden pea that can be introduced as autumn temperatures become more favourable.
View pea seeds →Organic Snow Pea Sweet Horizon
A productive snow pea for the cooler growing season. Sow once the strongest summer heat has passed.
View snow pea seeds →Organic Snow Pea Norli
A compact snow pea suitable for autumn sowing as temperatures begin to fall.
View snow pea seeds →Watch the Weather
September conditions can vary greatly between Mediterranean regions. In coastal Cyprus and other very warm areas, peas and some brassicas may perform better when started later in the month.
Herbs to Sow in September
September brings increasingly favourable conditions for cool-season herbs. Parsley, coriander and dill are particularly useful autumn sowings and can be grown in garden beds, raised beds or containers.
Start parsley in a bright position and keep the compost consistently moist while germinating.
Sow coriander as temperatures begin to fall. Cooler conditions reduce the risk of plants flowering prematurely.
Sow dill directly into beds or deeper containers in a sunny position.
Easy to Grow & Small-Space Friendly
You do not need a large garden to start sowing in September. Many autumn flowers, salads and leafy vegetables perform well in pots, balcony planters and raised beds.
Best Flowers for Pots & Balconies
Dwarf Zinnia Thumbelina Mix for an early-September sowing, Calendula Fiesta Gitana Mix, Pansy Swiss Giants Mix, Frizzle Sizzle Raspberry, Back to Black, Night-Scented Stock Starlight, Snapdragon Twinny Peach and the compact sweet pea Cupid Pink.
Best Vegetables for Containers
Chard Fireworks, Rocket Esmee, Radish Cherry Belle, Lettuce Salad Bowl, Welsh Onion Ishikura, Beetroot Boro and Pak Choi Taisai.
Easiest Beginner Flowers
Calendula, cornflowers, nigella, California poppies and zinnias sown early in September are all straightforward choices for new gardeners.
Easiest Beginner Vegetables
Radish Cherry Belle, Rocket Esmee, Chard Fireworks, Lettuce Salad Bowl and Beetroot Boro are productive and relatively simple autumn crops.
September Gardening Tips
September is a transition month, so successful sowing depends as much on local temperatures as it does on the calendar. Use early September for the final warm-season flowers, then move progressively towards cool-season crops and autumn-sown flowers.
Zinnias, cosmos, marigolds and sunflowers intended to flower this year should be sown as early in September as possible.
Calendula, poppies, cornflowers, nigella, snapdragons and many other cool-season flowers can now be started.
Coastal and southern Mediterranean areas may remain much hotter than inland or northern locations during September.
September sunshine can still dry the upper layer of soil quickly, particularly in pots and seed trays.
Many September flower sowings are intended to establish strong plants now for an earlier and more abundant spring display.
Shop Seeds for September Gardening
Explore flowers, vegetables and herbs selected for autumn sowing, winter growing and spring flowers in Mediterranean climates.