As we are nearing the end of August, many of us will see a continuation of summer and others will start getting ready for fall. Either way, there are lots of things to do in your garden. 

Here are some of the tasks you can get started on right now:

 

Add Some Color To Your Garden – As your summer flowers are starting to fade, add some new color by adding Chrysanthemums, Violas, and Snapdragons to your garden.  These easy to plant flowers can inject bright cheerful color to your fall garden.  Look for plants with buds on them, so you will be able to enjoy them for a longer period of time.

Improve Your Lawn – Cool-season lawns will profit from some attention this time of year.  You can dethatch, aerate, and fertilize your lawn.  If you have bald spots in your lawn, you can seed or sod them now too.  Don’t forget to also mow your lawn this time of year.  Check out our five tips for taking care of your lawn this fall.

Shape Up Your Vegetable Garden – Now is the time to harvest what is left of your vegetables.  If you live in an area where you can’t grow vegetables year-round, then you can start cleaning up.  Remove any rotting fruit, diseased foliage, or dead vines.   This will help to avoid insects and diseases.  If you compost, you can put some of this in your composter.  If you use cages or stakes, make sure you clean them off and put them away.  All of this will make it much easier to get started next season.

Get Ready To Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs – This is the time to start planning your garden for next season.  Figure out what bulbs you want to add.  The selection of Alliums, Crocus, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Tulips, and other specialty bulbs is better early in the season.  Try selecting different varieties that bloom at different times, so you can have blooms all season long.  Remember you can also plant these bulbs in containers or even force them indoors too.  For more tips on planting these bulbs, read this blog post, Fall Bulbs 101.

Bring Your Houseplants Indoors – If you move your houseplants outdoors during the warmer weather, it is time to start acclimating to the indoors again. Make sure you clean and inspect the plants for pests before you bring them indoors.  Also, clean up the exterior of the pots too.  Over the summer you might find your plants have gone through a growth phase and need a little pruning.  Prune them before you bring them indoors.

Let us know how you make out with your garden transition!