Beat the August Slump: Keep Your Garden Blooming Into Fall

Smart plant choices and simple maintenance can extend color and support pollinators through Northern Colorado’s hottest weeks

By Blaine Howerton | NorthFortyNews.com

FORT COLLINS — By the time August arrives, many Northern Colorado gardens begin to look a little tired. Weeks of intense sunshine, afternoon heat and occasional dry spells can leave flower beds looking faded just when homeowners want to spend the most time outdoors.

The good news is that August doesn’t have to signal the end of the gardening season. With a few simple maintenance practices—and by relying on plants that naturally peak later in the summer—you can keep your landscape colorful well into September and even October.

Late-season flowers also provide an important food source for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds as they prepare for the changing seasons.

Give plants a second wind

One of the easiest ways to refresh a perennial garden is deadheading, or removing spent blossoms. Many flowering plants respond by producing another round of blooms instead of putting energy into seed production.

Black-eyed Susans, blanket flowers, salvias and many coneflowers will continue flowering longer with occasional cleanup. Just don’t remove every seed head—birds such as goldfinches depend on those seeds later in the season.

Water deeply, not daily

Colorado’s dry climate often tempts gardeners to water every day, but shallow watering encourages shallow roots.

Instead, water deeply once or twice a week, depending on rainfall and soil conditions. Early morning irrigation reduces evaporation and gives plants time to dry before evening, helping prevent disease.

A two- to three-inch layer of mulch also makes a noticeable difference by keeping roots cooler, reducing evaporation and suppressing weeds.

Add plants that peak late

While spring flowers receive most of the attention, many of the season’s best performers don’t reach full color until August.

Reliable late-season bloomers include:

• Coneflowers
• Black-eyed Susans
• Russian sage
• Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
• Asters
• Blanket flower
• Joe-Pye weed
• Native sunflowers

Many of these thrive in Colorado’s climate once established and require relatively little supplemental water.

Think beyond flowers

Late summer is also when ornamental grasses begin adding movement and texture to the landscape. Feather reed grass, little bluestem and switchgrass provide attractive seed heads that remain beautiful through winter while offering shelter for birds and beneficial insects.

Shrubs with colorful berries and plants with interesting foliage can also help carry a garden after flowers begin to fade.

Support pollinators through the season

Pollinators don’t disappear after spring. In fact, late-season nectar sources are especially valuable as bees build winter reserves and monarch butterflies continue their migration.

By maintaining continuous blooms from spring through fall, gardeners help create healthier habitat while enjoying a landscape that’s constantly changing with the seasons.

Plan now for next year

August is also an excellent time to evaluate your landscape. Notice where flower beds seem empty or where color fades too early. Those observations can help guide fall planting, one of the best times to establish new perennials in Northern Colorado.

Cooler temperatures and warm soil allow roots to develop before winter, giving plants a head start the following spring.

A successful Colorado garden isn’t defined by one spectacular month. With thoughtful planning and a little midseason attention, your yard can provide color, wildlife habitat and enjoyment from the first signs of spring until the first autumn frost.