What to Plant in September — Zone 6

September is the closing stretch of zone 6's season — the average first frost (Oct 22) is only weeks past month's end, so this is fall-sowing and garlic-planting territory.

Fall planting — Counted back from the first fall frost.

🥬 Lettuce Aug 27 – Sep 24 45–60 days to maturity
🍃 Spinach Aug 27 – Sep 10 40–50 days to maturity
🌿 Arugula Sep 10 – Sep 24 30–40 days to maturity
🌶️ Radishes Sep 10 – Sep 24 22–30 days to maturity
🧅 Scallions Aug 27 – Sep 10 60–70 days to maturity
🧄 Garlic Sep 10 – Oct 8 plant cloves; harvest next summer
🥬 Bok Choy Aug 27 – Sep 10 45–55 days to maturity
🌿 Mustard Greens Aug 27 – Sep 10 35–45 days to maturity
🌿 Cilantro Aug 27 – Sep 10 45–55 days to maturity
🌾 Dill Aug 27 – Sep 10 40–55 days to maturity

Windows use zone 6's typical frost dates (Apr 10 / Oct 22). For your own city's dates, run the frost lookup — the planting calendar then localizes everything automatically.

Frequently asked questions

What can I plant outside in September in zone 6?

10 crops can go in the ground: lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes, scallions, garlic, bok choy, mustard greens, and 2 more. Exact windows are in the tables above — early and late in the month can differ by a full frost date.

Is September the right time for tomatoes in zone 6?

The spring window has passed; tomatoes set out this late won't beat the Oct 22 average first frost to ripeness. Plan for next spring's seed-starting instead.

September in other zones

Zone 1Zone 2Zone 3Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 8Zone 9Zone 10Zone 11Zone 12Zone 13

Zone 6, month by month

← August October → All months

Zone 6 frost dates near you

Juneau, AKFlagstaff, AZDenver, COHartford, CTCoeur d’Alene, IDChicago, ILSpringfield, ILIndianapolis, IN