Beet and carrot tops may die but the roots can survive. Some flowers can also tolerate mild frosts, such as sweet alyssums, dianthus, calendulas, petunias, Shirley poppies, sweet peas and snapdragons. However, some flowers that prefer cool temperatures won't thrive if your weather in August is still warm or hot.
Some good candidates to plant now include hydrangeas, daylilies, lilies, sedums, ornamental grasses, peonies, and bearded iris. Just be sure you keep your new plants well watered if the weather is hot and dry. Mulching the beds also helps preserve soil moisture.
It's not too late to plant in your garden! In much of the country, summer still is full steam ahead in August. In other regions, the hint of cooler evenings mean the growing season is beginning to slow down. But regardless of where you live, there's plenty of time left in the season left for growing things!
For this Blooming Period, we're highlighting some late summer/fall favorites: callas; China asters; lisianthus; perennial sunflowers; and zinnias.
Late summer and early fall, such as September, is the best time to plant chrysanthemums which are hardy perennials that will grow back each and every year with the proper care. Peonies are also perennials, so after you plant them once in September, they'll come back year after year with the proper care.
Vegetables that can be planted in August include leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, collards, kale and mustard. Radishes, turnips, beets and carrots can all be started from seeds in August.
Plants in the Cole or Brassica family are perfect crops you can plant in August. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and Brussels sprouts all do very well in the fall. One very important thing to keep in mind is that you plant all of these plants from seedlings NOT SEED's.
In fact, many plants — such as spring bulbs and perennials — need to be planted in the late summer or early fall months, depending on your zone, in order to generate enough energy to bloom in the spring. Not to mention, it's never too late to add some colorful annuals to your outdoor space!
Passionflower is a perennial vine (meaning it comes back every year) that dies back in the fall; it needs rich well-drained soil and partial shade to full sun. With winding tendrils, this vine can climb vertical structures like trellises and armatures created from chicken wire or similar materials.
While spring may be the most common season to tend to your flower garden, that doesn't mean you can't grow something beautiful this fall! August is often the perfect time to start planting because it encourages root growth in the soil before things start freezing, giving your garden a head start for the spring.
Remove Most Annuals
If the spent foliage and blossoms on these plants are free of mold and disease, we put them in the compost pile. If we see traces of powdery mildew (zinnias are often afflicted), downy mildew or other diseases, the plants are put into trash that's hauled off the property.
This method encourages the plants' roots to reach deeply for residual water, even when the surface of the soil appears dry. The standard rule of thumb is to give your flowers and vegetables the equivalent of at 1 inch of water per week (and as much as double that amount in the peak of summer).
During May and June, garden plants will use about one inch of water each week. In July, August, and September, they require about two inches of water per week for best growth. It normally takes this amount of watering per week to maintain production if no rain falls.
It's never too late. It just matters what you put into that garden. It's too late to grow tomatoes in your Chicago garden in September because you'll be getting cold weather soon, but you could still grow carrots, radishes, and lettuce plants.
Late summer planting
Choose quick-maturing crops. Spinach, lettuce and greens, beets, carrots, peas, and beans can be sown now. Most seeds will readily germinate in the garden now because the soil holds heat well into autumn; warm soil (in the 70°s) is ideal for seed starting, as long as the weather is not too hot.
Let's look at plants that love to be in warm soil and warm air, which is just what we need in July and early August: Bush beans, pole beans and lima beans like the heat and are great choices. The beans are easy to freeze or can for winter use.
Fall is a good time for developing tomatoes because the cooler temperatures allow for better fruit set and insect problems diminish. Mid-July to the end of August is the ideal time to plant. When choosing your fall tomatoes, make sure you know if you're selecting a Determinate or Indeterminate type.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.