Anyone else having some odd weather? It’s mid-October, and here in Central Ohio, we’re having near record-breaking temperatures… it’s been close to 90 degrees, which is not at all what I expected when we made it home from our vacation. The weekend started off foggy and humid, but the sun came out quickly, blazing hot, and it’s been warm ever since. The trees have started changing color. Our locust tree has dropped most of her leaves. But, the crisp cool autumn days I live for every year are, well, not here yet.
Before our trip, I cleaned out most of the raised beds, planted cover crops, emptied the deck pots, and moved plants indoors. The water pump in the pond was brought in and de-algae-ified (that’s the technical term). I thought there’d be a frost while we were away, or that it would at least be cool enough out that the fledgling pineapple plants would have some words for me. But, the changing climate is definitely making an impact. It seems like every year here, autumn starts a little bit later.
Looking online, our first frost date doesn’t seem to be listed as having changed, but my own notes indicate that the frosts here are happening later each October (I’ve taken notes on the daily temps each day for a few years now, because I am a data-loving weirdo). We’ve been setting record highs quite often over the past few years, and the last frost date in the beginning of springtime, in May, seems to be moving as well (towards the middle of the month).
Notes like these are handy when it comes to planting out tender vegetables like tomatoes in the spring, because a frost will kill them off. I’ve also been taking some notes about rainfall, when it’s happening, and how much. This year, we had a LOT more rain than usual, at times when it normally doesn’t occur. The summer months are usually dryer, but we had quite a few days with flooding rains. My tomatoes caught blight, so next year, I’ll look for some varieties that are less likely to catch this disease. And, I’ll plant them even farther apart so their leaves have a better chance at drying as quickly as possible, keeping the blight spores away.
For now, there’s really not much to do around the yard but wait for the frosts to arrive. Once they do, I’ll cut the hostas back to the ground (their leaves get really slimy after the cold hits), but everything else will stay put until the springtime. I know I’ve written about the benefits of waiting to do the annual clean up until the spring before, but I’ll just quickly recap to say it’s best for the wildlife to leave as much as you can standing. The birds, pollinators, and other insects will thank you, and your yard will be healthier and happier.
Since many of the flowers have finished for the season, my attention has really turned to the trees, both in and around our yard, and out at the park. Autumn is such an art show for trees in my area. I’m so fascinated by their display each year, because things always seem to look a little different. Water and temperature impact the color of the leaves, and of course, there’s always new trees, trees that are no longer growing, and trees that have grown quite a lot to change the landscape. This time of year, I find myself wandering out of my garden quite a bit more than usual for a nice walk in the woods.
Hopefully you are having a wonderful start to October and the fall season (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere). Happy gardening!
