September · Early autumn
What to sow in September in Tokyo
23 crops are in their window this month in Tokyo — timed to your local frost dates.
Last frost≈ 8 Mar
First frost≈ 18 Dec
Frost-free days108 days
September averages21°–28°C
Vegetables
19 in season
Amaranth Greens
Direct sow · pinch tips often for a steady flush of tender greens
Bitter Melon
Start indoors · harvest young and green — riper fruit turns bitter
Bush Beans
Direct sow · sow after soil warms; skip cold, wet spring soil
Carrots
Direct sow · thin seedlings early so roots have room to grow
Collards
Direct sow · more heat- and cold-tolerant than most brassicas
Herbs
3 in season
Basil
Start indoors · loves heat, don't rush it outside before frost
Epazote
Direct sow · cut flower heads early or it self-seeds everywhere
Fenugreek (Methi)
Direct sow · ready to cut in under a month; sow again for more
Fruit
1 in season
Ground Cherries
Transplant seedlings · let ripe fruit drop; husks turn tan and papery