By Rosellyn Kidd
Beacon Columnist
Fall is here; we see this in the cooler temperatures as well as in the leaves beginning to turn and fall. We tend to equate fall with shedding, letting go — a time of releasing what is hanging on.
We see the changes in the leaves, the number of tourists dropping off and can almost sense the coming cold. We can feel a mourning of sorts for summer past and winter being just around the corner.
But not too fast! We are in the middle place, an in-between. Winter is not yet here, and there is a lot of life left in us and our gardens as we embrace the waiting place.
Now is the perfect time to prep those beds and containers for colder weather veggies, as well as the inevitable spring blooms.
While we have a habit of equating florals and bushes with spring and summer, fall planting allows the plants to spend the energy that they usually spend in the warmer months fighting the stress of the heat in establishing themselves well in the soil. With the milder temperatures and fall’s usual rains, plants tend to receive the moisture they need to thrive as well.
A few tips for your fall gardens:
- Plan to bring some of your favorite contained houseplants back indoors. Experts say that to make the process more successful, slowly bring your plants indoors. Bring them indoors for a couple of hours a day to start. Place them in front of a well-lit window. Gradually increase the time they spend indoors over the coming weeks.
- Make sure that your houseplants are rid of pests. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth when bringing plants back indoors. Also, it isn’t a bad idea to remove the top couple of inches of soil and replace it with an organic soil full of nutrients. This will ensure their success as you bring them back inside.
- Cool season vegetables include kale, spinach, carrots, herbs, flowering herbs and perennials. Start planning now what you would love to see popping up once that snow disappears come springtime.
- While mums are the unofficial fall plant, consider other plants like zinnias and asters to line the front porch with.
- Shrubs and trees also do well when planted in the fall. Instead of using its energy in the summer sun, the plant’s energy will be used to deepen and strengthen its root system, making for a better-established tree come springtime. Not only will the tree or shrub have the moisture and well-established roots, you and your plants will not have to fight the weeds that tend to come with a vengeance to your garden all summer. Weed growth slows down as the colder air comes so that the time you’ve been spending pulling up those stubborn pests can be used to peep those reds, golds and violets that are promised to show up here soon.
Fall is the perfect time to prepare for spring. Right now, of course, spring feels far off — but it’s essential that we not waste this time. Let’s use this harvest time considering what to plant. It’s exciting to think about those things that we can put in the ground now that will awaken us in springtime.