Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The spring season has raced forward during this past reporting period, due largely to unseasonably warm weather from March 30 – April 1 when highs reached the upper 70s and lows remained in the 50s. Warm spring nights seem to be a particularly strong driver of plant development in the spring, and most trees and shrubs have swollen or broken buds. A return to more seasonable conditions has tempered growth, and a string of freezing

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: A new growing season is upon us, and the landscape is slowly transforming after what many called an “old school New England winter.” This past winter season was certainly cold and snowy, something the region has not experienced for many years. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information , the average 3-month temperature (24.6°F) for Dec ‘25 through Feb ’26 ranks as the 38th coldest since 1895, putting it firml

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The dormant season has arrived and the 2025 growing season is complete. Trees and shrubs are acclimating for cold winter temperatures, and fall clean ups continue across the landscape. Peak fall foliage was late this year, but still spectacular in the end. In early October, it seemed this might be an underwhelming year, but the colors came hard and vibrant for many trees. Even Norway maples ( Acer platanoides ) across the UMass ca

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Despite worsening drought conditions across the Pioneer Valley, there were three rain events over this past reporting period that provided some badly needed moisture. Two of these events (September 23-25 & October 12–14) were long duration storms that provided a soaking rainfall. Total accumulations from September 23 to October 14, across the tri-counties, spanned 3.1–4.4”. While it will take considerably more rainfall to pull us

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: As we approach the autumn equinox (September 22), the 2025 growing season is winding down....

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The fall season has started, the days are noticeably shorter, and students are back on the...

Hello Homeowners, Please be advised that Spaeth Property Service will be closed on Monday, September 1 , in observance of Labor Day. Our...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: The first half of August was hot, humid, and dry across most of the tri-counties. The...

General Conditions: As we settle into late summer in the Pioneer Valley, there’s no doubt it’s been a strong growing season for many...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: As we round the corner into the last days of July, it’s been a very hot and humid month in...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: We’ve entered the dog days of summer in the Pioneer Valley and are halfway through the...

Garden Clippings: Tips of the Month July is the month to . . . . Plan the fall garden and plant crops. In the early part of the month,...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: We’ve rounded into the second half of June, and the summer solstice is upon us, marking the...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Cloudy and wet conditions dominated yet again over this past reporting period in the...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Cool, cloudy and wet conditions persisted through this past reporting period in the Pioneer...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: We’re rounding into the last week of May and overall, it’s been a wet and cloudy month in...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: There was another round of heavy rain to start this past reporting period (5/8–5/9) with...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: It was an extremely wet and humid week in the Connecticut River Valley as we settled into...

Pioneer Valley (Amherst) General Conditions: Spring is roaring ahead in the Pioneer Valley as we begin the month of May. Plants are...

General Conditions: Spring is in full force across the Pioneer Valley with new growth and flowering advancing at a rapid pace. After the...