Feel like you’re stuck inside with the blustery #fall weather? You don’t have to go it alone, says Real Simple. Invite friends to brave the cooler temperatures with you at a tailgate party, hayride, ghost tour or backyard bonfire. If you’re feeling more indoorsy, invite them to go antiquing, visit a local microbrewery or join a potluck dinner. Many areas of the country are having their final farmers markets of the year, but you can still spotlight healthy fall produce such as squash, root vegetables, spinach, pears and apples. You can even pick your own! #FallActivities
Tag: leaf-peeping
Peak Fall Colors Are Happening Now
Summer may be over, but #autumn offers plenty of things to do for young and old. Perhaps the most iconic is to take a hike or drive to see the leaves change color from lush greens to bright yellows, oranges and reds. “Leaves can change their color from as early as mid-September all the way through early November,” says Almanac.com. “Typically, the second and third weeks of October are the peak times, but prime foliage schedules will shift depending on where you live and your local weather conditions.” Weather plays a role in how vibrant your foliage looks, favoring cool nights, sunny days and moderate rainfall. #FallActivities
Enjoying the Fall Foliage (And Cleaning Up After It)
Every year at about this time, deciduous trees start to change color and lose their leaves. The rainbow of colors is a spectacle many enjoy will viewing on a crisp fall weekend, as the changes progress southward through October alongside cooler temperatures.
Optimum viewing depends upon your location. Fall colors are already starting to peak in the New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, TripSavvy says, as well as the northernmost reaches of Minnesota and Michigan. Other locations are just beginning to see the leaves turn.
While fall colors come with colder weather, the good news is that thanks to an exceptionally wet spring and summer, 2019 may have some of the most vibrant fall foliage ever seen in many locations. Most areas of the country will see a range of yellows, oranges and reds in the next six weeks, according to a fall foliage forecast.
To make the most of fall leaf-peeping, says Yankee magazine’s Jim Salge, check the timing in your area online. Plan on a doing a couple of hours’ drive to chase the peak colors, he notes, and try to sample a few other fall activities such as harvest festivals along the way.
Those stuck at home, of course, may find the leaves changing color and falling to be more of a nuisance. To clean them up effectively, get the right tools, says The Spruce. Attach a bagging system to your mower, use a leaf blower or get an ergonomically designed rake to collect all of nature’s seasonal detritus in one pile or place.
Then — instead of bagging those leaves and setting them out for garbage pickup — a thriftier and more ecofriendly option is to use the organic material to amend the soil in your garden and lawn. Use shredded leaves as mulch or add them to a compost heap to reintegrate their nutrients into new growth, the site says.
Shred leaves for the best results in composting, Compost Guide says, and turn the heap at least every three weeks to ensure that the organic matter gets the chance to break down by the time you plant again. Or simply gather your leaves in a heap and let them decay into a nutritious mulch.
Whether you like to look at the leaves change colors or want the satisfaction of getting them off your lawn and out of sight, October offers plenty of options. Enjoy the season!