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Home » Eat what's in season » The practical produce guide: September 2024

The practical produce guide: September 2024

October 6, 2024

September is the transition between summer and fall fruits and vegetables. Most summer fruit is still available this month, but not for long as the produce season turns to fall. So get cooking with the September recipe collection.

Jump to:
  • September fruit
  • September vegetables
  • Recipes
  • More seasonal produce guides
Chart of fruit in season for September: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, melons, figs, grapes, apples, pears, cranberries and pomegranates.

September fruit

The last of summer's berries might stick around this month, so get them before they are gone. Meanwhile, apples and pears are in their prime season right now.

Last year I cooked through over 100 lbs of apples and took a lot of notes and tested a lot of recipes. I found the best (and worst) apples for pie, took notes on all of the different apple's flavors, and detailed the best ways to make apple sauce and apple butter.

Guide: Cooking with seasonal fruit - September Edition

Get more details on any of the produce by clicking the pictures below for more tips and recipes.

Apples in season, how to choose and store
Apples
Blackberries in season from late spring through mid fall
Blackberries
Cranberries in season
Cranberries
Ripe figs in season
Figs
Red and green grapes in season
Grapes
Nectarines are in season from late spring into early fall
Nectarines
Ripe pawpaws in season
Pawpaws
Peaches are in season from late spring through mid fall
Peaches
Pears in season, whole and cut in half
Pears
Plums are in season from late spring into mid-fall
Plums
Fresh pomegranates in season
Pomegranates
Raspberries are in season from late spring into fall
Raspberries
Strawberries are in season from mid-spring through summer and into early-fall.
Strawberries
Watermelons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons in season
Watermelons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons

I also want to share some highlights about the best fruit available in September. When fruit is in season and at its peak, it tastes much better.

Apples

September and October usher in the quintessential apple baking season. Early and mid-season apples are at their peak this month. While they are often available at grocery stores outside of their season, they won't be as good as they are in August, September, and October.

Before you jump into apple baking season, know that not all apples are created equally for each recipe. I wrote a guide to help you decide which apples to buy based on what you're cooking.

Every apple recipe on my site also includes notes on the best varieties to use.

Apple recipes & the vest varieties to use
Find out the best apples for baking, salads, apple sauce, caramel apples, chips, and more.
Apple recipes & the best varieties
A basket of apples
  • 3 homemade caramel apples with different toppings: nuts, peanuts & chocolate, and chopped chocolate.
    Easy homemade caramel apples
  • how to make apple butter
    How to make apple butter & recipe for canning
  • Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce
    Cinnamon & brown sugar applesauce
  • apple pie on a pile of red and green apples
    The best (and worst) apples for pie

Pears

Pear season is ramping up in September and starting to hit their peak this month, and over the next couple of months.

Unlike most other fruit, pears taste better when picked when mature but before they are fully ripe. When left to fully ripen on the tree, they turn mealy and woody. I've grown my own pears and can verify this!

Winter pear varieties (like Anjou, Bosc, and Comice) even require a few weeks of cold-storage to ripen perfectly. When these pears are sold at the grocery store, they've already gone through this process.

When buying pears at the farmers market, ask if they are ready to eat.

Figs

I treat September as prime fig season. You should be able to find both green and brown types of figs this month. They are grown commercially in more Mediterranean climates, so you might not find them locally if you live in a different area.

If you can't find them at the farmers market or your regular grocery store, look at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Really ripe figs are syrupy and delicious, but only last a couple of days in the fridge. Be ready to eat them!

Homemade oatmeal fig bars with fresh figs
Most fig bar recipes use dried figs or jam, but I wanted a way to use the fruit while it was fresh and in-season. I also made the filling layer as thick as possible (with tests and photos in the article).
Make some oatmeal fig bars with fresh figs
Homemade oatmeal fig bars with fresh figs

Grapes

August and September and peak grape season. Every state in the US grows grapes, so you might have luck finding them at the farmers market.

Grapes shipped to grocery stores are picked slightly early because they ship and store better. Farmers at markets might wait a bit longer to harvest, and if they do, they will be much sweeter.

If you haven't tried Concord grapes, keep your eye out this month. They taste just like grape juice! They do have seeds, so be ready for that, or try making your own grape jelly and discarding the seeds.

Muscat grapes are another favorite of mine. They are greenish-rose colored with a floral, dessert wine flavor. US grown muscat grapes are available this month, sometimes at Whole Foods. However, I usually don't end up finding them until March or April when they are imported from the southern hemisphere.

A bunch of fun, whimsically named varieties are gaining popularity as well. Cotton Candy grapes do actually resemble their namesake's flavor, along with 12% more natural sugar than standard grape varieties. They are also much less tart, which makes the grapes taste even sweeter.

Ripe pawpaws in season

Pawpaws - bonus fruit in September

The pawpaw fruit is native to the warmer Midwest region and ripen in late August and September in most states. They are not sold commercially because they are very fragile, perishable, and take some work to remove the flesh from the lima-bean sized seeds.

The flavor is worth it. They have a custard-like texture, similar perhaps to a ripe avocado. They taste like a cross between a banana and mango with bright yellow flesh.

You might find them at a farmers market, but even that is pretty rare. Most people either grow them, know someone who grows them, or seeks them out at local festival.

I happen to be lucky enough to know several people who grow them. Last year I received a couple of crates so I was able to test out some recipes.

  • Pawpaw pie with coconut crust on a table
    Tropical pawpaw pie with coconut crust
  • Pawpaw cookies with pawpaw cream cheese frosting on a cooling rack
    Pawpaw cookies with pawpaw cream cheese frosting
  • A bowl of pawpaw cream cheese frosting next to a mixer paddle and pawpaw cookies.
    Pawpaw cream cheese frosting
  • Pawpaw recipes text above fresh pawpaw fruit
    35 fun pawpaw recipes

September vegetables

September vegetables in-season chart: Onions, green beans, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, hot peppers, artichokes, peas, sweet potatoes, parsnips, winter squash, brussels sprouts, and celery root.

Summer vegetables are still strong this month but start to taper off quickly, like tomatoes, corn, and bell peppers. As those fade out this month, fall vegetables are just getting started.

Throughout September, I like to mix and match summer and fall produce. Try pairing blackberries with sweet potatoes or making a mulled blackberry cider, mix peppers with winter squash, and add summer fruit to salads made with shredded brussels sprouts.

Seasonal fruit recipes for September
When wondering what to cook this month, try pairing summer fruit with fall vegetables for unique recipes that are only in season this time of year.
Cook with fruit in September!
September seasonal fruit recipes: wine and grapes

I try to use as much of the summer produce as I can before it's gone for the winter. And while I'm always excited this time of year to dig into my stash of winter squash recipes, I try to hold out until next month for those. They'll be around for the next 6 months, so I don't want to get bored of them too early!

Artichokes are in season
Artichokes
Brussels Sprouts in Season
Brussels sprouts
When is celery root in season? How to pick the best ones and store them.
Celery root (celeriac)
When is corn in season
Corn
Cucumbers are in season in summer. Learn how to pick cucumbers and store them, along with seasonal recipes
Cucumbers
Eggplants are in season during summer and into fall.
Eggplant
Fresh green beans in season
Green beans
Spicy peppers are in season in late summer
Hot peppers
Types of wild mushrooms, maitake, shiitake, portobello, oyster
Mushrooms
When are parsnips in season? Pick the best ones and store them right to last even longer.
Parsnips
Sugar snap and shelling peas are in season in spring, summer and fall. Get more info on picking the best ones, storing them and of course, recipes.
Peas
Winter squash in season
Pumpkins, butternut & other winter squash
Bell peppers are in season in summer and last through fall
Sweet & bell peppers
sweet onions (vidalia, walla walla), in season
Sweet onions
Sweet potatoes in season
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Eat in season - summer squash and zucchini are in season starting around June.
Zucchini & other summer squash

For a full list of other months and all of the detailed produce guides, go to the in-season page.

Produce & recipe guide for September, with apples and pears

Recipes

For recipes that feature fruit this month, check out the September edition of cooking with fruit in-season. Over 50 recipes like strawberry glazed donuts, seasonal chicken wings, and cranberry baked cheese.

More seasonal produce guides

October gets into the heart of fall with consistently cooler weather and autumn colored leaves. Comforting soups, stews, spice cakes and mulled ciders are warming and welcomed. Make the most of rest of the year with other seasonal produce guides.

  • Produce & recipe guide for October
    The practical produce guide: October 2024
  • Fruits and vegetables in season for November
    The practical produce guide: November 2024
  • December produce guide: fruits & vegetables in season
    The practical produce guide: December 2024
Eat what's in season
Check out my seasonal calendar to see what fruits and vegetables are in season each month.
Check it out
Apples in season, on a wood table

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About the Food Geek

Welcome, I'm Veronica, your resident food geek - experienced recipe developer and gardener. My goal is to help you enjoy eating at home by knowing what fruits & vegetables are currently in season and the best ways to use them. To do that, I've put together seasonal produce guides and recipes with practical advice.

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