Fall is here, and the weather has been wonderful. I love the cooler weather and with the leaves changing colors; it makes for perfect outdoor photographs.

Most people think that fall is a time when our office slows down, but that is not the case. We still get plenty of calls and questions; below are just a few:

Question: I have leaves with holes in them and disease spots. What can I do to make sure that my trees live?

Answer: In the samples provided, they were all leaves that had fallen from the tree. Deciduous trees release their leaves every fall, so this is a common occurrence. Many homeowners get nervous or scared when they see signs of insect damage or disease. The main thing is not to panic; the trees are shedding their leaves, and they are no longer needed by the tree. If we were in spring and the tree had been defoliated once by insects or disease, they will usually leaf out again. If for some reason the tree is defoliated again, we would be concerned. Since it is fall, this is natural and nothing to worry over. The best advice is if the leaves have been eaten by insects, rake them up and use in your compost or bag up and dispose of through your municipality’s composting program. If leaves are diseased, it is best to rake them up and dispose of them off of the property to reduce the spread of the disease. There is nothing that you can spray right now to control the disease, so sanitation of the grounds, raking up the leaves, is best.

Question: I attended your Native Plants class at the Extension Master Gardener meeting; will you have any more classes open to the public?

Answer: Yes. We actually have one this month on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. with special guest Bill Godley of Godley’s Garden Center discussing new plants and landscape techniques. This is a free program being held at the Rowan County Center at 2727 Old Concord Road. This program is open to the public. To register, please call 704-216-8970 by Nov. 13.

Question: You have plant sales throughout the year; do you do anything else?

Answer: Yes. This year, we are selling wreaths. This is an annual fundraiser for Cooperative Extension in Rowan County; the proceeds go toward different programming areas within Extension. The wreaths and garland are from a North Carolina Christmas tree farm in Alleghany County. If you are looking for Fraser fir, boxwood, or my favorite, triple mix (fir, boxwood and white pine), be sure to buy something from our selection. We are also offering garland, a Christmas cross in Fraser fir, square wreaths, kissing balls, a beautiful Christmas star and peace signs for sale.

To get a full listing of items, please visit our website at: https://rowan.ces.ncsu.edu/2017/10/2017-wreath-sale/ or call 704-216-8970.

Question: I hear a nasty rumor that Cooperative Extension will be losing you as an agent, is this true?

Answer: Yes, the news is true. My last day with Cooperative Extension is today. I have truly enjoyed working with everyone in this office. All of my clients in this community have been such a blessing to work for. Do not worry about your questions. We still have a great staff at the Rowan County Center that is capable of answering all of your horticulture questions. This is not goodbye by any means — I will still be within the community, just working in a different role at Hurley Park. I hope to see you all there.

I have enjoyed my time with N.C. Cooperative Extension and all of the questions I have received over the years. Cooperative Extension provides research-based and unbiased information to anyone who needs our services. If you have any horticulture or gardening questions or you would like more information about the activities mentioned in this article, please contact your local Cooperative Extension at 704-216-8970.