Fall – One of the Best Reasons to Live in New England.
It happens slowly enough. You wake early and it’s not quite light yet. You have dinner on the patio and find you need to turn the lights on or light the candles. Or wear a miner’s cap. The hummingbirds have stopped coming to the feeder. You use the fan, rather than the air conditioner. You find that long pants actually feel comfortable. These are all signs that summer is drawing to an end.
(Read our Sayonara, Summer blog to see some of our favorite summer projects)
While it may seem sad to say goodbye to summer (unless you are one of the mothers at the bus stop I see high-fiving each other) we do have fall to look forward to and it’s one of the best reasons to live in New England. No one is exactly sure how the drought will affect our foliage; the consensus is the foliage may still be good but will not last as long. I’ll take what I can get because I know after the beautiful colors of fall comes the white of winter. Despite summer’s finale, there’s still plenty you can do in the garden.
Fall is a great time to install a garden, although being in the business we install whenever we can, weather permitting. Read about one of our latest installations.
What makes fall such a good time for planting?
For one, the air is cooler. Good for the plants, and also those who install them. I spent way too much time this hot dry summer working in the 90-degree heat and am looking forward to the cooler temperatures of fall.
While the air is cooler, the soil is still warm. This is just the opposite in the spring with warmer air and cooler, often damp soil. In the fall we are trying to get the roots established, concentrating on what’s happening below ground, so the warm soil is actually more beneficial than warm air.
Fall planting also means less need for watering although it is vital your plants receive consistent moisture as long as possible. Many towns in Massachusetts have instituted water bans in response to this horrible drought. These bans can spell death to a newly-planted landscape. The good news is that in many towns drip irrigation, because it provides as much as 90% water use efficiency, is exempt from the water ban. Whether you are installing a new garden, or simply re-working an existing one, consider drip irrigation. To find a reputable installer near you check out the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association website.
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