In an old comic strip I read recently, the characters lamented the fact that even though the days of July and August are some of the longest of the year, the months seem the shortest. Indeed, summer’s balmy weather and long days are fading quickly, and as September ushers in the shortening of daylight hours and the beginning of a new season, it’s time to make the transition to early [...]
Ben Franklin once said that “nothing is certain in life except death and taxes,” but he had obviously never visited the Pacific Northwest in autumn and experienced the rainy season that, though delayed this year, has finally arrived. As the traditional wet fall season begins to take hold in Western Washington, this month is a great time to get a head start on next year’s gardening success, so here [...]
A year ago, we ended a warm, dry summer with a splash of sorts—October’s arrival brought a drastic change in the weather that began one of the wettest winters on record in our area. This year, we’ve once again experienced a dry summer and pleasant early fall, and while rainy weather is arriving, it's now the perfect for getting some extra lawn and garden projects done. Here are a [...]
By all accounts, autumn has arrived. Although we continue to see unseasonably warm weather, rain has returned, leaves are falling, and plants are beginning to go dormant. Although your mindset for the yard may be one of winding down, here are some easy tasks to accomplish before the season passes you by. 1. October is still a great time to plant shrubs, trees, and perennials as well as colorful, hardy [...]
In the spirit of all things weather-related in 2015, it’s looking like we're starting autumn earlier than normal this year. Sure, September rarely passes without good stretches of nice weather, but after the rain and stormy weather that came at the end of August, you’ve likely seen a lot of your plants starting to show the weariness of a season nearly over. As you gear up for autumn, here are [...]
What a summer it’s turning out to be—and there's still plenty of it left! While long-term forecasts can be wildly off, if this summer’s dry weather pattern holds, it may be awhile before we see any worthwhile amount of rain. So, as you take care of your yard and garden, what can you do to keep things green while also being water-wise? First, remember that it’s almost always better to [...]
I have a confession: when it comes to picking a favorite season, I’m as indecisive as they come. Winter, spring, summer—I love them all. Autumn, though, has a special beauty of its own. Although we can’t boast of having the kaleidoscope of color that New England has this time of year, autumn in western Washington can be beautiful as well. As a gardener, you can take advantage of the season; [...]
