The Back to School Garden Reset
There is something about the start of the school year that resets everyone’s schedule, gardeners included. Buses start running again, lunches get packed, and somewhere in the middle of all
that shuffling, a lot of us realize we have not touched a trowel since the Fourth of July. Late August and early September turn out to be one of the best stretches of the whole year to get back into the garden after a busy summer, and there is a real window here worth taking advantage of before it closes.
Use the Routine Reset to Catch Up on Garden Tasks
With kids back in school and summer travel winding down, many gardeners suddenly find they have a bit more time and headspace for the yard projects that got pushed aside in June and July. Maybe the daylilies never got deadheaded after their first flush. Maybe there is a hosta bed that got away from you sometime around the Fourth of July and has been quietly bothering you every time you walk past it. This is the window to deal with all of that. Deadheading spent blooms, doing a light pruning pass on shrubs that have gotten leggy, pulling weeds before they set seed for next year, and general bed cleanup all belong on the list right now, before the fall planting rush pulls your attention elsewhere.
It also happens to be a good time to walk your beds with fresh eyes. Summer heat has a way of making everything look a little tired by August, and it is often not until the weather breaks that you notice which plants held up beautifully and which ones need to be moved, divided, or replaced come fall. Ornamental grasses like Andropogon ‘Blackhawks’ are just starting to show their late summer color shift toward deep purple, which makes late August a great time to evaluate whether you want more structure like that in the border.
Cooler Mornings Make Garden Work More Enjoyable
As temperatures start to ease, working outside becomes a genuine pleasure again instead of something you grit your teeth through. Early morning hours in particular offer a stretch of cooler, calmer air that makes tasks like digging, dividing perennials, and planting far less of a chore than they were during the peak of July and early August heat. If you have been putting off dividing an overgrown clump of Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ or moving a struggling Heuchera to a spot with better afternoon shade, this is the stretch of the season where that kind of work stops feeling punishing and starts feeling satisfying again.
There is also something nice about being back outside at that hour. The garden looks different in early morning light than it does at high noon in July, and a lot of gardeners rediscover that quiet, unhurried feeling of being out among the plants before the rest of the day gets going.
Get Ahead Before the Fall Planting Season Ramps Up
Late August is also a smart time to start lining up your fall planting list, whether that means trees and shrubs, perennials, or bulbs for next spring. Fall is genuinely one of the best times to plant in central Illinois. Cooler air and warm soil let roots establish before winter dormancy, which gives trees, shrubs, and perennials a real head start on the following spring, without the stress of establishing during peak summer heat.
If trees or shrubs are on your list this year, a few things worth considering right now include Carpinus c. ‘Native Flame’, a native understory tree with striking red fall color and a smooth, fluted trunk, and Cornus alba ‘Neon Burst’, a compact red twig dogwood with chartreuse summer foliage that turns to scarlet stems for winter interest. Stock on that one is limited this season, so if it is on your list, do not wait too long. For late season color in the perennial beds, Anemone ‘September Charm’ is one of the most reliable performers we carry for late summer through fall bloom, and it pairs beautifully with ornamental grasses and sedums as the season winds down.
Getting your list together now, even loosely, means you will be ready to plant as soon as the best fall conditions arrive instead of scrambling once the season is in full swing and everyone else has the same idea.
Stop By Hornbaker Gardens for Your Fall Garden Projects
Whether you are catching up on deadheading and cleanup, dividing perennials while the mornings are cool, or building out your fall planting list, Hornbaker Gardens has what you need to get ahead of the season. Stop by our garden center, arboretum, and display gardens in Princeton, Illinois to see this year’s fall selection in person, walk the gardens for inspiration, and talk through your planting plans with our staff.