Fall Tasks at My Farm

October 15, 2025

As cooler weather sets in, my outdoor grounds crew rushes to complete the long list of fall tasks around my farm.

One of the main projects is to gather and prepare all the tropical plants for winter storage, including all the specimens planted in decorative pots. Plants are removed from their vessels, trimmed where necessary, and then repotted in plastic containers before they are put away in one of six greenhouses here on the property. It's quite an undertaking, but it's the best way to ensure my plants are ready for the cold months ahead.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: It is so beautiful this time of year when all the deciduous trees show their stunning autumn colors before dropping their leaves. Here at my farm, fall chores are now in full swing.

: Leaves can change their color from as early as mid-September all the way through mid-November. This is the carriage road leading to my woodland.

: And these are the great pin oaks, Quercus palustris, that line both sides of my carriage road just outside my pool. Some of the leaves have fallen, but these trees will show off a vibrant display of deep reds and oranges before they go completely bare.

: Off to the side of the pin oaks, I’ve started the arduous task of gathering my warm weather plants for winter storage. Many of these actually came from my home in Maine, where they are displayed for the summer months.

: I have lots of tropical plants – agaves, Bismarkias, and other palms. They are grouped together, groomed, and repotted if necessary.

: These are two of my staghorn ferns. I love displaying them under my pavilion during summer. The staghorn fern is an unusual and attractive epiphyte that thrives in the tropics. Over the years I have collected quite a few of these magnificent specimens.

: Here, Ryan grooms each one before it is carried into the greenhouse. Ryan removes any dead or damaged fronds. Doing this will encourage the plant to produce new growth and maintain overall health.

: Ryan also assesses its shape and makes his cuts accordingly. Trimming a staghorn fern can be done any time of year, but I like to groom all my tropical plants before they are stored for the season.

: Once Ryan is done trimming, Pete and Phurba gingerly remove the fern from its hook if it is hanging. They do this with a long steel rod that can carry the heavy weight of the plant.

: Then they walk it across the carriage road to the hoop house – never do they even have to touch the fragile staghorn.

: The staghorn ferns are rehung on the strong frame of the hoop house. Staghorn ferns are called Platyceriums. They are Old World tropicals native to Africa, northern Australia, and Southeast Asia.

: Here’s Fernando cleaning the outside of all the hoop houses.

: Here’s Alex working on a ponytail palm, Beaucarnea recurvata, that needs repotting.

: He trims any necessary dead leaves and then gives the root ball some beneficial scarifying cuts.

: Then it is repotted and fed. Now it’s ready to be stored. Once inside any greenhouse, potted plants or trees are arranged with enough space in between them, so they don’t touch. Keeping them separated prevents any diseases that could possibly spread during storage time.

: Agaves are also moved into plastic pots. Some of the lower leaves are also trimmed if necessary. When working with agaves, always be careful of the sharp tips of their leaves.

: Tree ferns that are too tall for the hoop houses are stored in my vegetable greenhouse. Here they will get lots of light and still be completely protected from any winds.

: This is one of my Australian Brush Cherry trees, Eugenia myrtifolia, also now known as Syzygium paniculatum. The Brush Cherry is an evergreen tree or shrub with shiny dark green leaves native to Australia and New Zealand. I usually display these topiaries in the courtyard behind my Winter House kitchen during summer. It is manually moved inside another hoop house.

: Meanwhile, all the hoses around the farm are gathered, drained, recoiled, tied, and then stored away for the season. This too is a big task – I have hundreds of hoses, sprinklers and watering wands around the farm.

: I have a long custom made yew table under my pavilion built from a giant yew tree that was at my former home in East Hampton. It is made of three separate tables and must be moved also. Pete and Alex take it to a glass enclosure off my Equipment Barn.

: And slowly, the pool is also emptied – plants are removed from the decorative planters and furniture and umbrellas are taken indoors.

: Here’s Adan beginning the weeks-long chore of blowing leaves. Leaf blowers are noisy, but they are the most effective for gathering leaves into large piles before they are discarded. There’s a lot to do. What’s on your fall list?