Closing the growing season with style
Autumn reflections as Mother Nature adds colour to our world
It’s leaf season here in Niagara.
Our local woodlands, neighbourhoods and backyard trees have suddenly been painted with broad strokes of yellow, orange, copper and brilliant red — Mother Nature sure knows how to close the gardening season in style.
During most of the gardening year, we look toward the ground to soak up the colours of the seasons: the yellows, pinks and blues of spring; the rich reds, greens and yellows of summer; the purples and oranges of early autumn. But as autumn settles in, we turn our eyes skyward to appreciate the glorious reds, yellows, oranges and coppers of our local deciduous trees. If you train your eye, you will notice brilliant colours set against cerulean skies or side lit trees against dramatic storm clouds.
The best autumn colours are the result of a growing season with ample moisture followed by a cool, dry and sunny autumn. Warm autumn days and cool, frost-free nights are ideal. As the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, the green colour begins to disappear giving way to the yellows, oranges and reds at the end of the season.
I’m guilty of holding on to summer as long as possible, but once the fall colours start to appear, I am ready to embrace the changing season.
Beginning in early October,
I’ve made a point of getting outside to soak up the fall colours.
I started my woodland treks on a rainy Thanksgiving weekend in an urban forest on the West Coast; continued on a mountainside woods overlooking Howe Sound in coastal British Columbia; hiked along the Genesee River at Letchworth State Park in New York, and finally spent a morning hiking closer to home along the Niagara River. It was overcast, cold and misty for three out of four outings.
I learned that even on a cold, misty day it’s worth the effort to pull on extra layers and head into the woods for a walk. Yellow and amber leaves seemed to glow in the soft light, gentle green ferns and mosses carpeted the forest floor, a mulched path silenced my steps. Within a few short minutes, the inclement weather was forgotten and my mind was free to drift and absorb the sights and scents of woods.
The forest smelled of humus and damp earth and the air felt rich with oxygen. Light filtered through towering cedars, mist drifted through the woods. I discovered branches that gracefully arched above the pathway, intricate cobwebs beaded with dewdrops, mushrooms colonizing the base of an ancient tree and rows of shelf fungi decorating the side of a log.
It is amazing how much you actually see when you just slow down and take the time to really look.
While you might think that a walk is the woods just a luxury, I believe it is actually a necessity. Time spent in nature makes us happier, healthier and more creative. Studies have shown that people who spend just 45 minutes walking in a forest feel better — we can think better, more clearly and come up with more creative ideas.
Florence Williams cites numerous studies in her book “The Nature Fix” that prove the benefits of reconnecting with nature — including for school children, at-risk teens, stressed-out urbanites, cancer survivors and seniors. They each benefited tremendously from spending time in nature. By all accounts, a walk in the woods should be prescribed by more physicians. Schools, hospitals, nursing homes and neighbourhoods would all benefit from having more trees, and natural areas close at hand.
Wind and rain can quickly disperse a canopy of golden leaves — take advantage this weekend, and get outside to enjoy the fall colours.
If your property has room for trees, take note of trees that make you feel good and would suit your home garden. Do you prefer the warm, golden yellows of birch and maples? How about the clear yellows of the venerable gingko tree? Would a splash of vibrant red from a red or sugar maple (or maybe a smaller Japanese maple) warm your heart? Snap a picture with your mobile phone and keep these trees in mind when shopping.
While we are talking about trees, here are few suggestions for making the most of your crop of leaves — recycle the leaves as compost or mulch for the garden or as a topdressing for your lawn.
Leaves are a free supply of nitrogen and minerals — dig leaves into vegetable or flower gardens to improve the soil. Leaves can be piled up around tender plants to protect them from the freeze-thaw winter cycles; work the leaves into the ground in the spring. Use chopped leaves as a mulch in the garden to help retain moisture.
Store leaves in black garbage bags (wet down the layers with water) for the winter. It takes about six months for the leaves to break down into leaf mold. This crumbly byproduct is an excellent soil additive: it improves the structure of the soil, helps retain water and attracts beneficial organisms.
Are whole or shredded leaves better for the garden? Large, thick leaves can form a solid mat, this blocks air and water from penetrating the soil. Small, thin leaves are OK to use whole. Shredded leaves form an airy cushion that is permeable and it breaks down faster. Shredded leaves are light and may scatter on a windy day. To solve this problem, wet down the leaves with a hose after spreading them on the garden.
Use the mulching blade on your lawn mower to chop the leaves on the lawn, they will work their way into the lawn and feed the soil.