My Planting Calendar

What to plant in September in zone 4

USDA zone 4 has winter lows of -30 to -20°F, a typical last spring frost around May 10 and first fall frost around Sep 25, roughly 135 frost-free days. September is the "fall garden season" there.

1 crop has a sowing or planting window this month: shallot.

Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 4 (last frost May 10, first frost Sep 25). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.

Fall garden seasonSow or plant: 1Start indoors: 0Harvesting: 51

Zone 4: planting activity through the year

0
5
40
64
84
53
37
19
1
2
0
0
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost riskFrost-free: May 10 – Sep 25
Bars count the vegetables, herbs and fruit with a sowing or planting window in each month, from the state’s average frost dates. 1 have one in September; the busiest month is May (84).

For fall and winter harvests (1)

Sowings counted back from zone 4's first fall frost, so the crop matures before the cold - or, for garlic and similar, planted after it.

CropWhat to doWindowThis month
ShallotPlant in fall (after first frost)Sep 29 – Oct 16Opens Sep 29

Harvesting in September

First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.

Chili Pepper · Aug 2 – Sep 1Watermelon · Aug 2 – Sep 1Leek · Aug 4 – Sep 23Winter Squash · Aug 5 – Sep 4Zucchini / Summer Squash · Aug 7 – Sep 8Parsnip · Aug 11 – Sep 10Cucumber · Aug 12 – Sep 18Salsify · Aug 14 – Sep 23Pumpkin · Aug 15 – Sep 14Broccoli · Aug 15 – Sep 26Cauliflower · Aug 15 – Oct 1Cabbage · Aug 15 – Oct 11Rosemary · Aug 15 – Sep 14Celery · Aug 18 – Sep 27Celeriac · Aug 18 – Sep 7Bush Bean · Aug 19 – Sep 15Kale · Aug 19 – Sep 20Lettuce · Aug 20 – Oct 6Luffa (Loofah Gourd) · Aug 22 – Oct 21Brussels Sprouts · Aug 24 – Oct 10Bok Choy / Pak Choi · Aug 25 – Sep 26Mizuna · Aug 25 – Sep 21Peanut · Aug 25 – Oct 14Swiss Chard · Aug 26 – Sep 22Napa Cabbage · Aug 26 – Oct 7Mustard Greens · Aug 27 – Sep 28Fennel (Bulb) · Aug 27 – Oct 8Cilantro / Coriander · Aug 28 – Oct 9Carrot · Aug 29 – Oct 5Sweet Potato · Aug 29 – Sep 28Radicchio · Aug 29 – Oct 25Dill · Aug 30 – Oct 6Rapini (Broccoli Raab) · Aug 30 – Oct 6Pea · Aug 31 – Oct 2Collard Greens · Aug 31 – Oct 7Tatsoi · Sep 1 – Oct 3Beet · Sep 2 – Oct 9Radish · Sep 2 – Sep 27Spinach · Sep 3 – Sep 28Arugula · Sep 3 – Sep 30Kohlrabi · Sep 4 – Oct 6Mache (Corn Salad) · Sep 4 – Oct 6Turnip · Sep 6 – Oct 13Chervil · Sep 6 – Oct 13Rutabaga · Sep 7 – Oct 4Borage · Sep 14 – Oct 21Parsley · Sep 15 – Oct 22Green Onion / Scallion · Sep 19 – Oct 26Chayote · Sep 21 – Oct 21Watercress · Sep 23 – Oct 20Endive & Escarole · Sep 30 – Nov 1

Fall garden season: September garden jobs in zone 4

  1. The average first frost is September 25, about 1 weeks away. Pick tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans) before it, or cover them on cold nights.
  2. Still time to sow or plant: shallot. Fast greens and radishes are the safest bets this late.
  3. Row cover buys 4-6°F of frost protection and weeks of extra harvest - see season extension.
  4. Pull finished crops and sow a cover crop (cereal rye or crimson clover) into empty beds before the soil gets cold.

Questions gardeners ask

What can I plant in zone 4 in September?

1 crops have a window in September: shallot. The tables above give the exact dates for each.

When are the last and first frost in zone 4?

The typical last spring frost is around May 10 and the first fall frost around Sep 25. These are broad zone averages, so your own town can be a week or two either side: look yours up by ZIP code in the planting calendar.

What can I harvest in zone 4 in September?

From plantings made on time: chili pepper, watermelon, leek, winter squash, zucchini / summer squash, parsnip, cucumber, salsify, pumpkin, broccoli.

September in states with land in zone 4

AlaskaArizonaColoradoIdahoIowaMaineMichiganMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew MexicoNew YorkNorth Dakota

Zone 4 in other months

FebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustOctoberZone 4 overview →

What to plant in September in other zones

Zone 3Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 8Zone 9Zone 10All states →

Dates are computed from the zone’s typical frost dates and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side.