5 ways to boost your garden in late summer

Even though the summer is coming to an end, August and September are not the months to sit back and relax. Instead, they are a great time to boost your garden and get ready for fall.

The days are still long and warm, but the nights are starting to get cooler. This is a perfect time to plant cool-season crops, deadhead spent flowers, and prepare your garden for the winter.

Here are our top five things you can do to boost your garden in late summer (mainly in late August and September).

1. Plant up containers

Containers are a great way to add color and interest to your garden in late summer. You can plant annuals, perennials, or even vegetables in containers. When choosing plants for containers, make sure to choose ones that will thrive in the heat and sun.

Some good choices include geraniums, petunias, and marigolds. We find a lot of these on sale at the end of the season, making a quick update to our containers easy and affordable.

• Choose annuals that will bloom until frost, such as asters, marigolds, and pansies.

• Plant the containers in a sunny spot and water them regularly.

• Fertilize the containers every few weeks with a liquid fertilizer.

For example, you could plant a container with asters, marigolds, impatiens, and pansies. These are all annuals that will bloom until frost, so they will provide your garden with color and interest all season long.

Be sure to plant the container in a sunny spot and water it regularly. You can also fertilize the container every few weeks with a liquid fertilizer to help the plants grow and bloom.

2. Deadhead

Deadheading is the removal of spent flowers. This encourages the plant to produce more flowers.

Simply pinch off the spent blooms with your fingers or use a pair of sharp scissors. Deadheading is especially important for annuals, as it will help them to bloom for a longer period of time.

• Pinch off the spent blooms with your fingers or use a pair of sharp scissors.

• Deadhead regularly to encourage new growth and prevent the plant from setting seed.

• If you are deadheading annuals, you can also remove the entire flower head.

For example, you could deadhead your Blanket flowers (Gaillardia). Blanket flowers are perennials that will bloom all summer long, but they will stop blooming if you don't deadhead them regularly. To deadhead a Blanket flower, simply pinch off the spent blooms with your fingers or use a pair of sharp scissors.

3. Cut back spent plants

Once the flowers on a plant have finished blooming, you can cut them back to encourage new growth.

This is especially important for perennials, which will come back stronger next year if you cut them back in late summer. When cutting back perennials, be sure to leave a few inches of growth at the base of the plant.

• Cut back perennials to about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.

• Be sure to leave a few inches of growth at the base of the plant so that it can regrow next year.

• Cut back perennials that have finished blooming.

4. Divide perennials

Perennials can be divided every few years to keep them healthy and vigorous. To divide a perennial, dig it up with a spade and then use a sharp knife or trowel to cut it into smaller sections. Replant the sections in well-drained soil.

• Dig up the perennial with a spade.

• Use a sharp knife or trowel to cut the plant into smaller sections.

• Each section should have at least three or four healthy roots.

• Replant the sections in well-drained soil.

For example, you could divide your hostas. Hostas are perennials that can get quite large, so it's a good idea to divide them every few years.

To divide hostas, simply dig up the plant with a spade and use a sharp knife or trowel to cut it into smaller sections. Each section should have at least three or four healthy roots. Replant the sections in well-drained soil.

5. Stop fertilizing

Fertilizing in late summer can encourage new growth that won't have time to harden off before winter. Stop fertilizing in August so that your plants can focus on storing energy for the winter.

• Stop fertilizing your plants in August so that they can focus on storing energy for the winter.

• If you fertilize too late in the season, it can encourage new growth that won't have time to harden off before winter.

Take tomatoes for example. Tomatoes are a warm-season crop that needs to be fertilized regularly during the growing season. However, you should stop fertilizing them in August so that they can focus on storing energy for the winter.

Bonus tip

If you want to start seeds for your fall garden, do it in August or September.

This will give the seedlings time to grow strong before the first frost. Some good choices for fall-planted vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, kale, and lettuce.

In addition to these five tips, there are a few other things you can do to boost your garden in late summer:

• Water your plants regularly, especially during hot, dry weather.

• Mulch around your plants to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

• Protect your plants from pests and diseases.

• Watch for signs of fall color and enjoy the beauty of your garden as it changes with the seasons.

With a little care and attention, you can keep your garden thriving in late summer and into the fall.

Here are some additional tips for boosting your garden in late summer:

• Harvest your crops regularly. This will encourage the plant to produce more fruit or vegetables.

• Protect your plants from frost. If you live in an area with frost, you may need to cover your plants or bring them indoors.

• Get ready for winter. This may include cleaning up your garden, storing your tools, and planning for next year's garden.

By following these tips, you can keep your garden looking its best in late summer and into the fall. You can also enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all season long.