Welcome to Fall, Garden Spider Webs

Fall is a time for gathering: nuts, flower seeds, leaves. It's also a time to enjoy the changing of leaf color, which seems like a daily changing rainbow on the hilly countryside. Getting ready for winter is on the list; we try to keep plants outside as long as we can before first frost hits.

Fall is also a good time to write down what worked well in the garden this summer; what plants you want to grow again next year; what spots need some work; what you don't want to do again.

It's also a good time to make bird suet; collect dried flowers for potpouri; bake a pumpkin to make a real pumpkin pie from scratch; air warm gloves and hats and collect leaves in black garbage bags to make your own Halloween garden spiders.

Spider webs are not all alike. There are spiral orb webs, cobwebs, funnel-webs and tubular webs.

They tend to proliferate in late summer, early fall. The spiral web (photo) is usually associated with garden spiders and are used to catch prey. Garden spiders do not bite (unless you're a fly or other bug caught in their webs.)

They are also one of the strongest filaments in nature.

"I just wanted to tell you I have enjoyed my tour of your fall garden! In MN right now, everything is covered with snow - so the natural countryside was refreshing. I enjoyed your site..." -- Donna