I shudder at the prospect of even thinking about mentioning the word: fall. But the reality is that the next season on the calendar will be here very soon, and probably before we want it. But we can be ready for it. Sept. 22 is the official first day of fall, and for us, the first killing frost usually comes in mid-September. But already we’ve had a couple of sub-40-degree August mornings at our farm.
Personally, I look forward to the cooler days; it’s the end of the growing season that I mentally struggle with. But now, in mid-August, we still have time to mentally prepare ourselves for fall, and time to prepare our gardens and yards for the looming change.
Let’s start with our trees. Have your trees or some of your neighbor’s trees started to change color already? The cooler temperatures we’ve been having, along with shorter days, can initiate an early response in some deciduous trees. Drought or saturated soil can also spur a similar response.
