August Bloomers
Cool season vegetables should be planted right away to ensure good crops this fall. Broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and kale can be planted now.
Feed rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias with a “bloom” fertilizer to encourage flowers for next spring. When perennials have finished blooming, cut them back by about one third, or to a flush of basal growth, to promote repeat bloom on coreopsis, lavender, penstemon, phlox, salvia, scabiosa, and Shasta daisy.
Plant snapdragons and stock now for cool season color this fall and winter. Sow these vegetable seeds directly in the soil: carrots, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radish, spinach, and root vegetables. Keep the surface of the soil moist until the seedlings are established.
What’s Blooming in August
In the months of May and June, gardens are bursting with colorful perennials, but by mid-summer, they may start to look a bit “over the hill.” August is a month for “late bloomers.” Here are some standout plants for late-summer color:
- Agapanthus (Lily-of-the-Nile) – Sky-blue, spherical flower heads in light blue, white, or rich dark blue.
- Gaura (‘Whirling Butterflies’) – Wispy, vase-shaped spikes of starry white or pink blooms; white form reaches four feet tall, while ‘Siskyou Pink’ stays at two feet.
- Crocosmia (‘Lucifer’) – Bright red blossoms on 3-foot stems, attracting hummingbirds; an improvement over traditional orange varieties.
- Rudbeckia (‘Goldsturm’) – Golden yellow, black-eyed Susan on a perennial plant; forms 2-foot clumps and pairs well with ornamental grasses like Mexican Feather Grass.
- Gerbera Daisies – Bright, cheerful daisy-like flowers in pink, yellow, salmon, orange, red, and white, with blooms up to 5 inches across.
- Gladiolus – Tall spikes of flowers in almost every color; ideal for cut flowers and the back of perennial borders (3–4 feet tall).
- Asters (Michaelmas Daisies) – Old-fashioned asters in blue, purple, red, or pink that attract butterflies.
- Verbena bonariensis – Airy purple blooms on slender, willowy stems up to 6 feet tall; no staking required.
- Hydrangeas – Large, ball-shaped flower heads in clear blues, vibrant pinks, and frosty whites, adding coolness to shady gardens.
Don’t let your flower garden slip into the summer doldrums—plant some lovely “late bloomers” now!