September marks the perfect planning time for next year’s Ohio garden, when seed companies restock their inventories and offer the best selection. With our state’s challenging Zone 5-6 growing conditions and sometimes unpredictable spring weather, securing your seeds early ensures you’ll have exactly what you need when planting season arrives.
I’ve learned through years of gardening in Ohio’s clay-heavy soil that September seed orders give me a winter project to look forward to and help me avoid the disappointment of finding popular varieties sold out by spring.
1. Heirloom Tomatoes Worth The Wait
Brandywine and Cherokee Purple varieties consistently outperform in Ohio gardens despite our sometimes humid conditions. They develop complex flavors that simply can’t be matched by grocery store options.
Ordering these popular varieties in September guarantees you won’t miss out – they’re often the first to sell out by spring. The seeds remain viable for years when stored properly, so there’s no risk in purchasing early.
2. Cold-Hardy Kale Varieties
Lacinato and Red Russian kale stand up beautifully to Ohio’s unpredictable spring frosts. Many gardeners don’t realize these nutritional powerhouses can be directly sown in early spring or even late fall for an early harvest.
Securing kale seeds in September means you’ll be ready for both traditional spring planting and winter sowing experiments. The tender young leaves taste sweeter after light frost exposure – a secret many Ohio gardeners have discovered.
3. Snap Peas For Early Harvests
Sugar Snap and Super Sugar Snap varieties thrive in Ohio’s cool spring conditions when many other vegetables can’t yet be planted. Getting these seeds in September ensures you’re ready for that narrow planting window in March or early April.
The crisp, sweet pods make perfect garden snacks for kids and adults alike. Trellising these climbers saves precious garden space, allowing for maximum production in minimal square footage – crucial for Ohio’s sometimes short spring season.
4. Lettuce Blends For Extended Seasons
Mesclun mixes containing heat-tolerant varieties like Jericho romaine and Red Sails can extend your Ohio salad season. September ordering allows you to select specific varieties that perform well in our region’s clay soils.
Succession planting every two weeks provides continuous harvests from April through June, then again in September. Most gardeners miss out on fall lettuce simply because they didn’t plan ahead – having seeds on hand in September means you’re ready for both spring and fall plantings.
5. Zinnias For Pollinators And Bouquets
Queen Red Lime and Benary’s Giant series attract beneficial insects while providing stunning cut flowers for months. Unlike many flower seeds that sell out quickly, securing zinnia varieties in September guarantees you’ll have these workhorses for your Ohio garden.
Beyond their beauty, zinnias serve as indicator plants – when they’re thriving, your vegetables likely are too. The long-lasting blooms continue attracting pollinators throughout our hot, humid summers when many other flowers have faded away.
6. Bush Beans That Beat The Heat
Provider and Gold Rush varieties consistently produce even during Ohio’s sometimes brutal July heat waves. Early ordering lets you calculate succession plantings for continuous harvests from June through September.
Unlike pole beans that require trellising, these bush varieties stay compact – perfect for raised beds and container gardens. The seeds germinate reliably in our sometimes cool spring soil, making them ideal for beginning gardeners looking for early success in Ohio’s growing conditions.
7. Garlic For Fall Planting
German Extra Hardy and Music varieties consistently survive Ohio’s freeze-thaw cycles. While not technically seeds, garlic bulbs ordered in September arrive just in time for October planting – crucial timing for establishing roots before winter.
Fall-planted garlic develops larger bulbs than spring-planted varieties in our climate. The scapes (flower stalks) provide an early summer harvest while you wait for the main bulbs, essentially giving you two crops from one planting – a huge benefit in Ohio’s sometimes unpredictable growing season.
8. Sweet Corn Worth The Garden Space
Bodacious and Silver Queen varieties produce reliably sweet kernels even in our sometimes dry August conditions. September ordering guarantees access to these consistently sold-out favorites that disappear from catalogs by spring.
Growing blocks rather than rows improves pollination in home gardens, leading to fully-developed ears. Most Ohio gardeners find success with succession planting two weeks apart, extending the typically brief sweet corn harvest season well into late summer when store-bought varieties have lost their peak flavor.
9. Cucumbers For Pickling And Snacking
Boston Pickling and Marketmore varieties resist the powdery mildew that often plagues Ohio gardens in late summer. September ordering allows you to select disease-resistant varieties specifically bred for our humid conditions.
Trellising these vining plants saves significant garden space while improving air circulation. Many Ohio gardeners don’t realize that succession planting cucumbers every 3-4 weeks provides continuous harvests from June through September, avoiding the common feast-or-famine cucumber situation.
10. Pollinator-Friendly Sunflowers
Autumn Beauty and Teddy Bear varieties provide crucial late-season nectar for Ohio’s native bees and butterflies. September ordering ensures you’ll have these seeds ready for direct sowing as soon as soil can be worked in spring.
Beyond their ecological benefits, these varieties produce stunning cut flowers that brighten any kitchen table. Planting sunflowers along garden edges creates natural windbreaks for more delicate vegetables – a practical design strategy for Ohio gardens where summer storms can damage plants.
11. Herbs That Overwinter
Thyme and oregano varieties establish quickly when started indoors in late winter. September ordering allows you to select specific varieties known to survive Ohio’s winters rather than settling for whatever’s available locally in spring.
Starting these perennial herbs from seed saves significant money compared to buying plants. Many Ohio gardeners find success winter sowing these herbs in milk jugs in January, giving them a head start while avoiding indoor growing space limitations and providing plants that are naturally adapted to our outdoor conditions.