What’s Growing on in the Garden: August 2026

As September begins, the farm and seasons are transitioning, and I see the end of the growing season approaching. To me, the transition into fall has always coincided with back-to-school. We moved our son back to college a few weeks ago, and it was bittersweet. We miss his laughter and energy when he’s away, but seeing him flourish fills us with such joy. Watching him become an adult reminds me that the seasons aren’t the only thing in our lives going through a transition.

I welcome the slower pace that autumn affords and hope to catch my breath, stop, and embrace these moments.  But there is still much to do in the garden and more blooms to come. Before we move forward, let’s take a look back at what was growing on the farm in August.

The weather in August was one note: rain and more rain. While not having to water any of our plants was a relief, the downside is that excessive rain can bring disease, leach nutrients from the soil, and increase pest pressure. By the end of the month, some of our blooms had started showing signs of fungal infections and pest damage. Powdery mildew and botrytis had set in, which isn’t uncommon this time of year, but the infections seem to have arrived earlier with all this rain.

Despite the excessive rain, more perennials bloomed last month, bringing a new wave of color to the farm. While we still miss our annual flowers this season, it made us appreciate our perennials all the more. Our alliums, rudbeckia, sedum, and goldenrod all looked glorious in August, and the David Austin rose, Charles Darwin, delighted us with a flush of blooms. The hydrangeas were also abundant, with varieties Little Lime and Vanilla Strawberry starting to get their cool-weather blush.

August brought an end to the blueberry season. We harvested far fewer berries this year due to extreme weather and wildlife pressure throughout July. But with all the rain in August, the bushes perked up a bit, the berries filled out, and the wildlife pressure waned. We harvested enough berries from the late-season varieties to fill our cereal bowls each morning and make a dessert or two. We enjoyed every berry we managed to harvest.

On the new farm, we were thrilled to discover three mature peach trees loaded with juicy peaches in August. I’m not sure what variety they are, but the peaches are white-fleshed and sweet. We quickly bought a picking pole to harvest dozens of peaches, and enjoyed them fresh, baked them into our favorite desserts, and froze some for winter enjoyment. These trees were such an unexpected delight. Unfortunately, the local bears also found them delightful, and broke several branches off one of the trees while climbing to get the fruit.

Speaking of the new farm, we’ve had many wildlife sightings over the past few weeks, and have thoroughly enjoyed the wildness of this property. Deer with fawns, bears, turkeys, turtles, frogs, and a plethora of birds have been spotted while walking the fields. Immersing ourselves in nature will not be a problem here. While we love and respect the nature here, we also realize we will need to be more aware of our surroundings than on our current farm. I purchased bear bells to wear when we walk the property and give all the wildlife a wide berth. This is their home too, their sanctuary as much as it is ours. Of course, I realize the extra challenges that gardening alongside all of these residents will bring. Hopefully, we can find a balance.

I have to chuckle at the “traffic jams” that we’ve encountered in our driveway, from flocks of turkeys, geese with goslings, herons, deer, bears, and turtles. They remind me to slow down and soak in the moment. I’ll have to remember to always leave a bit earlier for appointments, just in case one of these traffic jams occurs. These are the types of delays I don’t mind at all.

While I was sad to see August go, I’m looking forward to fall. I welcome the slower pace and the cooler weather.  I enjoy watching the season, the farm, and the flowers change. That’s what’s been growing on in my garden; what’s been growing on in yours?