August: hot, dry, humid, hazy, lazy, sweaty, sticky, yucky.

Many of us stay indoors as much as we can, out of the hot weather.

But a true gardener is always thinking, if not doing, something about the garden or in the garden, even during the dog days of summer, as August is known. Believe it or not, once September hits, history tells us that the weather will indeed cool down. We will want to be in the garden for longer stretches of time.

Pulling those weeds we avoided during August is just one of the chores we need to tend to during the fall months. September has proven to be a great month for transplanting, dividing, and planting.

Now is the time to think about fall planting. Maybe there is a new bed you would like to create or an area that needs to be redone. Trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs do very well when planted from early September to late October.

If you’re in the planning mode, try measuring the area that you will be working and commit it to paper. This will allow you to see the space you are planting and work through the design of the garden. When you do this, it also allows you to learn about the plants, see on paper the potential size of the plants, and, therefore, determine the right plants for the location.

Visit native-plant nurseries and garden centers and check out what is available. Many trees, such as sweetgum, sourwood, red maple, and serviceberry, offer wonderful color in the fall. Shrubs, like oakleaf hydrangea, are beautiful during the fall months.

Many shrubs offer beautiful berries, such as red chokeberry and inkberry holly.

Also look at perennials like Blazing-star and Great Blue Lobelia. There are so many good fall plants available.

Why plant in September and October? Warm soils in the fall encourage root growth of plants and typical rainfall in our area reduces the amount of watering that gardeners need to apply. And the weather is so much cooler to work in the garden.

Because of better root development in the fall, when hot weather arrives the plants have a much better start as compared to plants planted in the spring. The plants planted in fall will be well-established and can withstand the tough summer environment.

When planting perennials in the fall, earlier is better. Don’t wait until late October because the plants will not have enough time to take root into the soil and they could heave out of the ground because of the freezing and thawing periods typical during our winters. Shrubs and trees are not as likely to heave.

Container grown plants as well as balled and burlapped plants do well when planted during the fall season. If planting a container-grown plant, be sure you break up the root system before placing it in the hole. This will encourage the roots to grow into the existing soil.

A balled and burlapped plant can be planted well into late fall until the ground freezes. If you have selected a balled and burlapped tree, the root system will have already been cut, so you are not going to have to break it apart.

What you do need to do is remove as much of the “stuff” that’s around the root ball as possible. This includes the wire basket, the burlap, the twine and anything else that you may find. Do not leave this material on and then backfill the hole with soil. All of these can girdle (strangle) structural roots and the base of the tree.

Whether planting a container-grown or a balled and burlapped plant, be sure you don’t plant it too deep. The top of the soil ball should be level with the existing grade. Be sure to water the plant well after planting.

This is an exciting time of year. In the fall, there is so much color from leaves and berries that you can really appreciate living in this area where there are four seasons, each treating us with beautiful color of different kinds.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Lehigh County Extension Office Staff and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613.