Is Your Garden Ready for Fall? Here's What You Should Be Doing in August • Schisandra & Bergamot

As the summer sun begins to mellow, August marks a crucial turning point for gardeners. It’s the perfect time to start preparing for the next season while tidying up what’s left of the last.

From harvesting to planting, these simple tasks will help ensure your garden enters fall looking great—and ready to grow.

Harvest and Preserve What You Can

Two people arrange jars of preserved fruits and vegetables on a wooden table, with pears and garlic in the foreground. The jars are covered with brown paper and string. — Photo Credit: antoninavlasova/Envato

August is often peak harvest time. Gather ripe tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and more—and consider drying, freezing, or canning the surplus to enjoy later.

Pull Spent Plants

A person wearing blue gloves transplants a flowering plant with exposed roots from a small pot into soil outdoors. — Photo Credit: ssvimaliss/Envato

Clear out any plants that are done producing or looking ragged. This frees up space for fall crops and prevents pests and diseases from lingering.

Start Fall Veggies From Seed

Various seedlings in biodegradable pots and opened paper seed packets are arranged on soil, surrounded by gardening tools and young plants. — Photo Credit: yanadjana/Envato

Now’s the time to plant cool-weather crops like kale, spinach, carrots, and beets. Starting them early gives them time to mature before the first frost.

Divide and Transplant Perennials

Person wearing green gloves planting pink and purple heather flowers in a rectangular planter on a wooden table outdoors. — Photo Credit: trimarchi_photo/Envato

If any perennials are overcrowded or underperforming, divide and replant them now. The still-warm soil helps roots establish before cold weather hits.

Feed Your Soil

A person sifting soil through their hands above a field of dark, loose earth. — Photo Credit: kolesnikovsergii/Envato

After a busy summer season, your soil could use a refresh. Add compost, worm castings, or organic fertilizer to help replenish nutrients.

Stay on Top of Weeds

Close-up of green grass and wildflowers with long stems growing next to a metal pole on a sunny day, with a blurred background. — Photo Credit: Wdnld/Envato

Weeds are still active in August and can steal nutrients from your fall crops. Pull them regularly to keep your garden beds clean and productive.

Trim Back Herbs

A hand uses yellow-handled pruning shears to trim green plant stems against a white background. — Photo Credit: photomaxop/Deposit Photos

Give herbs like basil and oregano one last good pruning to encourage new growth. You can also dry the trimmings for your spice rack.

Start a Compost Pile

A wooden crate filled with various compostable food scraps, including leafy greens, fruit peels, and vegetable trimmings, sits outdoors in natural light. — Photo Credit: herb007/Envato

With plenty of green clippings and dead plant matter available, August is a great time to begin or build up your compost pile for rich soil next spring.

Check for Pests and Disease

A hand inspecting a plant stem infested with orange beetle larvae and black insects, with leaves damaged by pests. — Photo Credit: dargog1/Envato

Late summer pests can be sneaky. Inspect leaves and stems for signs of trouble and treat organically before issues get out of hand.

Prep for Mulching

A person using a blue shovel to dig into soil and mulch near a building, with only their legs and feet visible. — Photo Credit: jennimareephoto/Envato

Start gathering materials like shredded leaves or straw to mulch garden beds before fall. It helps retain moisture, block weeds, and protect roots from cooler temps.

August may feel like the tail end of summer, but it’s also a gardener’s fresh start. With just a little effort now, you’ll head into fall with a healthy, productive garden. Tackle a few of these tasks this week and set yourself up for a strong and satisfying autumn harvest.