Most of us think of fall as the time to plant fall flowers. Turns out, that thinking is a little late.
Mirela Bajic, Senior Garden Designer at U.K.-based studio House Designer, says midsummer is actually when the magic happens. “July feels like the middle of summer,” she told Parade, “but for fall color it’s actually planting time. What goes in the ground now is what’s still flowering in October.”
So if you want a yard full of color come September and October, the time to act is right now. Here are the eight flowers Bajic recommends planting in midsummer, plus three she says to leave alone until next year.
8 Fall Flowers to Plant Right Now
1. Asters. Bajic calls asters “the classic fall performer.” Plant them now and they settle in through late summer, then burst into purples, pinks, and blues from September into October. Pollinators love them too, Bajic says they tend to pile onto asters in late summer.
2. Chrysanthemums. You have probably seen potted mums for sale at garden centers every October. Skip waiting. Bajic says planting garden mums now, rather than buying them in pots in fall, lets them root properly. They flower harder and stand a real chance of coming back next year. “The supermarket pot mum in fall rarely survives because it never establishes,” she explains.
3. Black-eyed Susans. These golden-amber bloomers are fast to establish, says Bajic, and they flower from late summer deep into fall. They are also tough and drought-tolerant once they get going. As a bonus, the seedheads feed birds after the flowers fade.
4. Autumn Joy sedum. Plant Autumn Joy now and it settles in easily through the heat, then its flower heads shift from dusky pink to copper as fall arrives. Pollinators are drawn to it in late summer, and the plant holds its structure well into winter.
5. Japanese anemones. These soft pink and white beauties bloom between August and October. Bajic says if you plant them now and water them well, they take a little time to get going, but then reward you for years to come.
6. Ornamental kale and cabbage. Here is one that surprises a lot of gardeners. Plant ornamental kale or cabbage in late summer and the color actually gets better as temperatures drop. Bajic calls it “one of the few plants that peaks after frost.” A great choice if you want something eye-catching well into the cold months.
7. Pansies and violas. Both belong to the Viola genus, and both are reliable, affordable sources of fall color. Planted in mid or late summer, Bajic says they flower through fall and often keep going into winter.
8. Goldenrod. Plant goldenrod now and it blazes gold come September, says Bajic. According to Family Handyman, goldenrod can actually be planted any time of year; just water it consistently for a few weeks until it roots. Bajic also notes it is excellent for late-season pollinators.
3 Fall Flowers to Skip This Summer
Not every fall flower belongs in a summer garden. Bajic flags three that people commonly try to plant now, and shouldn’t.
1. Dahlias. Dahlias are everywhere at garden centers in early fall, which makes July and August feel like a logical time to plant them. But Bajic says that is too late. Dahlias need the full season from spring and should go in the ground after the last frost has passed.
2. Potted mums. Similar to the chrysanthemum advice above, potted mums bought in bloom in September almost never root before frost hits, says Bajic. If mums are what you want, plant them now, not in the fall.
3. Sunflowers. Sunflowers peak in midsummer and early fall, but they need to go in the ground well before July. Bajic says a July or August planting in most of the Northern Hemisphere runs out of season before the flowers have a chance to bloom properly.
The takeaway is a good one for any gardener who loves a colorful yard come October: a little work now, in the warmth of summer, sets you up for a front porch and garden bed you will be proud of all season long.
