Boy it feels like fall this morning. Fall officially starts on Tuesday Sept 22, 2026.

image from fity.club

Boy it feels like fall this morning.  Fall officially starts on Tuesday Sept 22, 2026 

Wet morning.  It is raining again this morning.  I think it was dry on Sunday here, but I could be wrong.  I have a window open, but I am thinking about closing it as it is chilly out.   Feels like fall temperature is at 52F(11C)  but feels like 48F and only a high today of 56F(14C)  Definitely sweatshirt weather.   Grandkids homecoming week for both St. Ansgar and Charles City.   Sorry to say the week looks cool and wet.  See what happens.  Stay dry, stay warm, stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends wrote and told me they have had some nice spring weather but the last few days it has been cooler.  Looks like the mornings have been cool.  This morning Tuesday Sept 22nd will be a low of 37F(3C) but the daytime temperatures will go up t0 60’s and 70’s (15C-20C) It looks dry for their week.  Stay warm, then stay cool, and stay safe. 
 
Time to look at what is happening in your yards, and gardens with fall here.  Things are changing and here we go we are into fall.
 
September 21 stands at one of the year’s great turning points. Across the temperate Northern Hemisphere, daylight is approaching its autumn balance, leaves are beginning to reveal hidden colours and gardens are quietly shifting energy from flowers and fruit towards roots, seeds and winter survival. South of the equator, the same light signals spring and a fresh surge of growth.
What to Observe Right Now
Take a slow circuit of the garden and look for transitions rather than tasks:
Which tree colours first – and is the change even across the crown?
Where does dew reveal webs that were invisible the day before?
Flowers still attract bees during the warmest hour of the afternoon?
Are birds feeding on berries, seeds or insects before moving on?
After rain, where does water soak in, collect or run away with soil?
These small observations create a useful record. Repeated from year to year, they can reveal changing flowering times, persistent dry spots, wind exposure and the plants that offer the greatest value to wildlife at the edge of the season.
Garden Science – Why are some leaves changing colour already?
As days shorten, many deciduous trees reduce chlorophyll production and begin withdrawing useful nutrients from their leaves. With the dominant green pigment fading, yellow and orange pigments that were present all along become visible; red pigments may be produced in some species under suitable conditions. Temperature and moisture influence the display, but day length is the dependable seasonal signal.
Very early colour can also indicate stress rather than an early autumn. A tree affected by drought, root damage or disease may begin shutting down leaves ahead of its neighbours. Compare plants of the same species nearby, check the soil below the surface and look for dieback or damaged bark before assuming the colour is purely seasonal.
Taken from https://garden-guide.com/garden-almanac-for-september-21-hurricane-forests-stone-walled-fields-and-a-garden-for-peace/
Till next time this is Becky Litterer , Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Beckysgreenhouse.com  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse  image from fity.club