September Planting Guide for Arizona’s Low Desert

September in Arizona’s low desert signals the shift from summer’s intense heat to slightly milder days, making it an ideal time to refresh your garden. The sun’s angle is changing and lowering. While the temperatures are still warm, the cooler mornings and evenings provide a perfect window for beginning the transition into fall and winter planting.

In this article, we’ll explore what to plant and the possible harvests in September. The low desert includes elevations below 3500 ft in the Southwest, such as the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.

Article Outline:

What to Do Before You Plant During September in Arizona

As you decide what to plant in September (and upcoming months) in your low desert garden, think about what you enjoy growing the most—which cool-season crops do you most look forward to in the garden? Which foods taste best from the garden? What do you love having easy access to? Mid-September and October are prime cool-season planting months.

• Prepare beds for planting (this post tells you how). Add compost, worm castings, and other organic matter to the soil.
• If you’re not going to plant for at least a month, then plant a last round of cover crops–black-eyed peas early in the month or buckwheat later in the month. The plants don’t have to get very large before they are chopped and used as organic matter to benefit your soil.
• If your garden hasn’t been growing well, consider having your soil tested. I use this test kit from Amazon. Based on the soil test, add a balanced fertilizer if needed.  
• Take time to harden off your seedlings correctly so they can adjust to the heat. Learn more in this article.
• Provide extra shade and water for new plantings.

Want more information about gardening in Arizona? This blog post shares seven tips for how to grow a vegetable garden in Arizona. 

What Can You Harvest in September in the Low Desert of Arizona?

Many warm-season crops shine in September, with slightly cooler and shorter days. Okra and luffa, in particular, are productive. Keep okra harvested to keep it producing. Luffa can be eaten when harvested very young, but you’re probably growing it for the sponges it produces. These can take a few more months to fully develop, be patient!

We can garden year-round here in the low desert, and it seems there is always something to plant and harvest. If you’re following my planting guide, here are some of the vegetables you might be harvesting during September. I’d love for you to leave a comment and let me know what you’re harvesting right now.

(click on the link to read “How to Grow” articles about each crop)

Vegetables:

Amaranth, Armenian Cucumbers,  Asparagus Beans, Beans, Borlotti Beans, Butternut Squash, Cucumbers, Edamame, Eggplant, Malabar spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Peppers, Sesame, Sunflower Seeds, Summer Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Winter Squash

Herbs:

Basil, Lemongrass, Oregano,  Sage, Stevia, Rosemary, Thyme

Fruit:

Cantaloupe, Chichiquelite, Figs, Ground Cherries, Watermelon

What’s in Bloom in September in the Low Desert of Arizona?

September marks a transition in the garden, as summer’s vibrant blooms continue while the first fall flowers start to make their appearance, adding new color and texture to the landscape.

(Click on the link for each flower’s “How to Grow” blog post.)

Possible blooms this month include amaranth, angelonia, basil, celosia, coreopsis, cosmos, four-o-clock, gaillardia, garlic chives, gazania, gomphrena, lisianthus, luffa, mahogany splendor hibiscus, portulaca, purple hyacinth bean vine, roselle hibiscus, rudbeckia, salvia, statice, sulfur cosmos, sunflower, tithonia, verbena, vinca, and zinnia.

What to Plant Outside in September in the Low Desert: Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit

(Click the link to read “How to Grow” articles on my website.)

All month long:

After September 15 (or when nighttime temps begin to drop)

SEED, TRANSPLANT, OR BOTH? S = Seed / T= Transplant

Arizona Vegetable Planting Guide helps you learn when to plant vegetables in the low desert of Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants.

Which Seeds to Start Indoors in September: Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit

(Click the link for seed sources)

Here’s a link to my favorite seed-starting supplies on Amazon.

Flowers to Plant Outside in September in The Low Desert

(Click the link to read “How to Grow” articles on my website.)

All month long:

After September 15 (or when nighttime temps begin to drop):

SEED, TRANSPLANT, OR BOTH? S = Seed / T= Transplant

Flower Seeds to Start Indoors in September

(Click the link for seed sources)

Arizona Annual Flowers Planting Calendar helps you learn when to plant flowers in Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants.

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