The calendar may still say summer, but garden centers are already thinking about fall. That shift can create one of the best shopping opportunities of the gardening year, especially for plants, pots, tools, and other seasonal supplies that stores would rather sell than store.
A giant markdown sign can make almost anything look like a bargain, but a cheap plant with root problems or a discounted bag of supplies you cannot use offers very little value. Smart end-of-summer shopping means finding useful garden purchases that can serve the yard now, later in the season, or even next year.
