Welcoming the First Day of Fall in the Garden
The first day of fall has arrived, and with it the garden begins its gentle transformation. The blazing heat of summer softens into cooler breezes, and the light takes on that unmistakable golden glow. Across the beds, goldenrod blooms brightly—its clusters of sunny flowers announcing autumn’s arrival and offering nectar to the many pollinators still hard at work. Bees, butterflies, and other winged visitors fill the air, moving from flower to flower in a final late-season dance of abundance.
Even as goldenrod and asters shine, our warm-season plants begin to fade. Tomatoes, peppers, and beans that once spilled over with energy now start to slow, their leaves yellowing, their fruits ripening more slowly. This is the natural rhythm of the garden. Plants winding down, focusing inward, and preparing for the rest and renewal to come. There’s a bittersweet beauty in these waning days, as summer’s lushness gives way to fall’s steadier pace.
As the temperature shifts, so too does our attention. Fall reminds us to sow seeds for cool-season crops. Greens, root vegetables, and brassicas that thrive in the crisp air and shorter days. This is the time to prepare garden beds for lettuces, kale, carrots, and radishes, ensuring that the season of nourishment continues even as the days grow shorter. Cool-weather planting connects us to the cycle of resilience, teaching us that growth is always possible, even in transition.
It is also the season of “putting food by.” Jars of tomatoes, pickles, and jams line shelves as reminders of summer’s abundance, carefully preserved to nourish us in the colder months ahead. Freezers fill with herbs and vegetables, root cellars take in their store of potatoes and onions, and kitchens smell of simmering broths and sauces. Preserving is more than just food storage. It is an act of gratitude, a way of honoring the harvest and the labor it represents.
The garden, in its fall form, offers both beauty and wisdom. Goldenrod and asters draw pollinators in a final flourish, while fading summer plants remind us of the cycles of rest and renewal. Cool-season sowing and food preservation invite us to participate in the rhythm of the land, preparing for what lies ahead while celebrating all that has been.
Fall in the garden is not an ending. It is a bridge between seasons, a moment to pause and reflect, to gather in abundance, and to plant seeds of hope for what’s still to come.