Enjoying Fall with Our 5 Senses

It is officially fall according to the calendar and the recent cooler temperatures, however fleeting they may be. I love this season of the year, and I appreciate the enjoyment I get from fall with my 5 senses.

First, we feel fall when there is a coolness to the air, especially in the mornings, which will eventually expand to a briskness and even a cool breeze throughout the day. It is much more pleasant to go outside and take a walk or do some yard work when the sun isn’t quite so swelteringly hot.

Next, we see the fall colors as they begin to show on our many trees in the county, some to rival those of the New England area, in my opinion. There are still some summer flowers hanging on, but now the chrysanthemums are beginning to bloom. It’s a good time to plant pansies and snapdragons which will withstand the colder winter temperatures and give beautiful color from fall through spring. Also, get those daffodil, tulip and Dutch iris bulbs in the ground to ensure a spring bloom.

Soon we will have the first rain of the season which gives everything a good rinsing off. There is something about the smell of the rain that for me promotes a sense of renewal. The summer dust is gone, and foliage seems brighter and healthier.



There are fall fruits ripening now that we can enjoy. Persimmons and pomegranates have beautiful orange and red colors as well as taste sweet and juicy. I have sometimes used them as table decorations before eating or baking with them.

And lastly, how do we hear fall? I think it is through the wind blowing through the trees and sending leaves falling from the trees, listening to the gentle rain falling outside your window, or maybe the sounds from the birds that come through our valley in the fall. 

Whatever it is about this time of year that you enjoy, take some time to appreciate the change of seasons and notice the small differences. Perhaps we all need to slow down and smell the roses, or in this case the foliage and flowers around us. Relax!

Denise Glassett, President of the UC Master Gardeners of Merced County

Want FREE plants? Have extra plants, bulbs or rhizomes to donate?

Come to the FREE Merced Colony Grange semi-annual Plant Give and Take on Saturday, October 10, 2026 – 9am-10am.

Plant drop off and lineup begins at 8:30AM

Location: St. Patrick’s Church Parking Lot, 671 E. Yosemite Ave. Arrive early for the best selection. 

More Details for the Sat, October 10, Grange Plant Give and Take

Vermiculture Community Workshop at the Merced Library with Rebecca Ryals

Come hear another perspective on vermiculture from Rebecca Ryals, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Life & Environmental Science at UC Merced on Tuesday evening, October 20th from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm in the Gracey Room at Merced County Library, 2100 O St, Merced.

Rebecca will discuss composting, emphasizing red wriggler worm vermiculture ...they will be at the workshop. And learn about current and future research projects at UC Merced ... the worms have their opinions, too!

Photo of Vermiculture Bin and hands by Tom Dinwoodie, Photo of Seed Library in the Merced County Library - Photo Credit- Judy MacLaren

Planting Garlic this Fall?

Here is an excerpt from an excellent article about all things garlic, written by our fellow Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.

Planting

• Garlic is best planted in late fall, at least two weeks before the first frost (mid-October through the end of November).
• Select a sunny spot that gets at least 8 hours of direct sun.
• When ready to plant, break the bulb into individual cloves, taking care not to damage the very bottom of the head. Do not remove the papery skin from the individual cloves (the skin protects the cloves from rotting). ...



Read the full garlic article here.