Late Summer Reflections from the Garden
— by Gail McIlroy
We’ve had an excellent summer here in this part of Ontario! June brought warmer-than-usual temperatures, even with all the rain which continued well into July. July was extremely hot and dry. By August, the weather had returned to seasonal norms. I mention this because many of us noticed our gardens bursting with growth this year—it was hard to keep up with all the deadheading and watering!
Now, as cooler nights creep in and the days grow a little shorter, the question becomes: what do we do with it all?
Here are a few timely tasks for the late summer and early fall gardener:
- Divide perennials
- Add fall colour to your garden
- Repot houseplants
- Continue heavy-duty weeding
- Replant divided perennials
- Water shrubs deeply
- Harvest your herbs
You can also plant new crops this time of year! The following vegetables thrive when sown in late summer:
- Beets
- Carrots
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Turnips
Keep in mind: root vegetables do not transplant well. It’s best to direct sow seeds into the soil. Late-summer planting often results in a satisfying fall harvest—just in time to supplement our winter tables.
Busy Bees & Dormant Creatures
While we begin to wind down, bees are still frantically collecting nectar. It’s fascinating to know that honeybees don’t hibernate—they stay awake all winter, huddled together inside their hives. They shiver their flight muscles and consume stored honey to stay warm. Other garden dwellers, however, do go dormant, often curling up under grasses or nestled among perennial roots.
Time to Tidy Your Tools
Don’t forget to show some care to your gardening tools:
- Clean them with hot water and a 10:1 bleach solution.
- Scrub away rust and grime using sandpaper, steel wool, or a dollar store sanding block.
- Sharpen edges with a file, and finish with a bit of mineral oil for protection.
Clean, sharp tools make gardening safer, prevent the spread of disease, and help your tools last longer—plus, it’s one more way to reduce waste by avoiding unnecessary replacements.
Seed Collecting: A Gift for Winter
Late summer is also a wonderful time to collect seeds. Do this on a dry day as soon as seed heads are ready. You can either remove seeds directly or harvest whole stalks. Lay them out on paper towels in a sunny windowsill—or better yet, use an airing cupboard if you have one.
Granted saving seeds isn’t for everyone—it can be a bit tedious—but it’s a great way to extend the gardening season into the winter months. It’s especially satisfying for those of us who find joy in planning ahead. If you’re heading south for the winter, the window-drying method works beautifully, it’s most definitely cost effective! I’ll share more about winter sowing in our next issue. In the meantime, collect and save any clear plastic jugs from milk or vinegar etc. You’ll need them if you decide you want to try winter