After a hot and rainy summer in the Shenandoah Valley, it’s the perfect time to shift gears and prepare your garden for a vibrant fall season. In this blog, we share what cool-weather vegetables to plant now, how to refresh your flowerbeds with hardy perennials and mums, why fall is prime time for spring bulbs, and how to wrap up your summer beds for winter success. Whether you're extending your harvest or planning ahead, Milmont has the tools, plants, and local know-how to help you grow into the season.

As the calendar edges toward August, gardeners in the Shenandoah Valley know it’s time to look ahead. While summer blooms still linger and tomatoes are ripening fast, now is actually the perfect window to prepare your garden for a successful fall season.

Thanks to our region’s relatively mild autumns, you still have plenty of time to plant cool-weather crops, freshen up tired beds, and make decisions that will carry your garden into winter, and even spring.

Here’s your late-summer guide to prepping for fall.

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1. Start Seeds & Plan for Fall Vegetables

If you want a robust fall harvest, August is the time to take action. Whether you're direct sowing or starting indoors, cool-season crops need to go in soon to beat the frost clock.

Start from seed now or pick up ready-to-go plants in the coming weeks:

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Brussels sprouts

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Spinach

• Carrots

• Radishes

• Beets

Some of these (like brassicas) benefit from a few weeks of indoor starting, while others (like carrots or lettuce) can be sown directly by mid-August.

Pro Tip: After a rainy summer, weeds and pests may be lurking. Add a layer of compost and mulch to boost your soil and suppress problems before they start.

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2. Refresh Tired Beds with Early Fall Color

August is the bridge month between summer fatigue and fall freshness. Many flowerbeds are showing signs of stress, this is a great time to:

• Cut back spent perennials

• Remove dried-out annuals

• Add compost and re-mulch

• Divide overgrown clumps of hostas, daylilies, or iris

Looking for instant color? Our early mums will be starting to show color soon and will only get better over the next few weeks. Plant now so they can root in before fall arrives in full swing.

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3. Plan for Fall Bulbs, But Don’t Plant Yet

Fall is bulb season, but bulbs don’t go in the ground until soil cools, usually late September to early October here in the Valley. That said, now is the time to plan:

• Take note of where spring color felt lacking

• Sketch out beds for tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocus

• Prep beds with compost and make space while it’s still dry

We’ll have a full selection of spring-blooming bulbs available by early September.

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4. Feed & Maintain What You’ve Got

This year’s weather has been intense with plenty of rain and plenty of heat. That means your plants may be stressed, leggy, or nutrient-depleted. Help them finish strong:

• Fertilize summer vegetables and flowers to extend blooms and production

• Remove diseased leaves or damaged foliage

• Water early in the day to avoid fungus and reduce evaporation

• Stake or trim anything that’s flopping over or outgrowing its space

• Add pops of color with ornamental peppers, flowering kale, or late-season annuals, great in containers or front beds

• Don’t forget your fall herbs, now’s a great time to plant parsley, sage, thyme, and chives for late harvest and wintering over

Even as you plan for fall, don’t forget to help your summer garden go the distance.

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5. Stop by Milmont, We’re Prepping for Fall, Too

Our team is already busy getting fall veggie starts and early mums ready for you. Throughout August, you’ll find:

• Fresh veggie starts for fall planting

• Homegrown mums(late summer/early fall)
• Soil, compost, organic fertilizers, and mulch

• Friendly advice on timing, spacing, and fall garden care

Early morning visits are especially peaceful, come enjoy the views, grab a cold drink, and walk the greenhouses before the rush of back-to-school and fall festivals begins.