If you want to continue to harvest home grown vegetables in the winter, now is the time to plant. A few vegetables to consider planting include beets, celery, leeks, radish, Swiss chard, spinach, and turnips. Does your garden need a burst of color? Plant Angelonia for a burst of color. It is a hardy perennial that can tolerate summer’s heat and humidity with no problem, making it a colorful addition to any sunny spot. The plant blooms with a showy burst of deep violet-blue flowers from late spring to the first frosts and looks like small snapdragons. Some people say that the fragrance of these is eye-catching. blossoms smell like apples or grape soda. Now is the time to plant Iris bulbs. These flowers are very tough and drought tolerant.
Plant iris in your yard in late summer to early fall for the beauty to burst forth in the spring. The word “iris” comes from the Greek word for “rainbow” which is a good description for the flower that offers such a wide range of color combinations. There are more than three hundred species of this eye-catching flowering plant. Popular types of irises are the Dwarf Bearded Iris, Dwarf Crested Iris, Dutch Iris, Japanese Iris, Siberian iris, Yellow Flag Iris, and the Louisiana Iris. There are over three hundred species available, the iris family are perennials and will come back every year to add color and beauty to the garden.
In addition to Iris, you can also plant daffodil bulbs in August. Bulbs that have a full autumn and winter in the ground have the best chance to establish a healthy root system and burst forth vigorous growth and color in the spring. Other bulbs to plant in August and September include Anemone, Crocus, and Hyacinth. After purchasing bulbs be sure to store them in a cool, well-ventilated area until you are ready to plant them. Green Thumb Nurseries has a wide select of bulbs and experts that can provide advice on planting instructions.