Most of us do our planting in the early spring, and love to just sit back and watch as summer rolls into fall. You don’t have to hold off on planting as we pass the halfway mark of the year, though. Particularly if you went light early in the year, or have had plants die off during the summer, you’ve still got time to plant more for the rest of the year, and for years to come. Of course, that’s not all you can do to keep your lawn and garden looking fresh as fall approaches.
- Re-mulch – Chances are, your mulch isn’t looking as good as it was back in late spring when you applied it. Maybe some has been washed away in heavy storms, maybe birds or other animals have been digging in it or taking it away to use in nests and dens. Take the time to refresh your mulch, it’ll brighten it up while also giving your garden more organic matter to work with over the winter.
- Trim your hedges – If you do this every few weeks, then no worries. But if you’re like many of us, this is something you do in the spring, and then whenever your other half bugs you about them. A good late summer trim will allow you to sculpt them into nice, neat shapes. Trimming back hedges or other plants that may intrude into the designated space for neighboring plants is a good idea. Letting them crowd out other plants completely will alter your garden for the future.
Pansies, courtesy spiderwort via Flickr
- Bring on more colors – It’s not too late to plant for this year – you can still get flowers that may not be ready to bloom. These cool-weather plants like violas, mums, and pansies can continue to bloom deep into the fall – it’s never too late to plant them in the ground.
- Find some bargains and make them work – Since it’s past the traditional planting season, you might be able to find some blossoming bargains in your local nursery or garden center. A late-flowering perennial can be a smart choice late in the summer, as it will return next year.
- Deadhead weekly – By removing the old flowers that are wilted and no longer attractive, you can create space and nutrients for new blooms. This process, called deadheading, should be done on a weekly basis as you start to see flowers fading in the late summer and fall.
- Do some rearranging – Maybe you’ve got some plants in containers that you can move around – or maybe you should consider them. Containers can be rearranged to cover for dead or dying flowers, plus they can be used to spruce up your house during the colder times.
So don’t feel like your lawn and garden is on the downhill slope just because the end of summer is coming up. There’s plenty you can do to bring your garden back from the edge of dormancy. This will let you enjoy your garden well into the autumn months.
