Gardener's Group discussion
OGSG Archives
>
Autumn 2010
The last few tomato's have come off the vine. I brought home pumpkins on Saturday. Things are looking festive. More rain thru Wednesday but that's okay, hopefully it pulls us out of our drought.
We've had a string of blue sky sunny days with temps in the 50s and a couple of light frosts that haven't done much damage to the plants. Nipped a couple of morning glories on the back deck. The veg garden is done and will be pulling the rest of the plants out of there this week. Have a few mums set out for color and will be picking up pumpkins, corn shocks and gourds in the next few days. Hydreangeas and asters are the big show right now along with colorful leaves with about 2/3 of them still on the trees. Neighbors have been raking, but I like to wait until they all come down.
Autumn.... to be honest I am not sure which day it will be before winter sets in. Here in sunny Q8 it is planting time as the summer blistering heat has abated and though my window boxes need lots of water, the cucumber, aubergine, courgette, basil and ginger are doing nicely. Tomato is doing well, the only plants I need to try harder to figure are dill and chives, though the chives might be ok...... will keep you all posted on their progress!
In my area chives are tough to kill and they spread all over the place. Dill also reseeds freely and I haven't planted any for years, but still have all I want. Harvey--what is a courgette? I think aubergine is eggplant, is that correct?
Courgette is, I believe, a zucchini. Autumn arrived in Ontario as well. I picked up a pair of loppers and a turf edger and have had some lovely days to use them. I pruned down-growing branches off my maples and oak, then let the hubby attack the weeping mulberry that was a living green waterfall in the front yard. I just don't have the heart to cut that much off of one tree. He did a great job once I explained what needed doing. The kids and I did the clean-up.
After that I made a neat little trench around the cement patio and thought about pulling up my annuals, but they still look nice - nasturtiums keep blooming and impatiens have been blooming since spring. Once they go, I have daffodils to plant!
I have a brand new rose bush. Anyone know if I should prune that at all? And we had our first frost last night. Boy that was early! So the mints in pots and the ivy that was having a summer camping trip in the backyard all came inside.
The best was I got a first bloom of my brand new hydrangea. It's pink! And I've put it in a blue teapot for a vase and carry it with me from room to room when I'm going to be in one room for a long time.
Cheryl S. wrote: "In my area chives are tough to kill and they spread all over the place. Dill also reseeds freely and I haven't planted any for years, but still have all I want. Harvey--what is a courgette? I th..."The British use the French word for courgette, North Americans use the Italian; zucchini. As George Bernard Shaw
said, two countries divided by the same language!Good luck with the dill... delicious!
Adrienne, since you've already had a frost, it's best to prune your roses in the Spring after the danger of the last frost has passed. You can google the estimated last frost date for where you live to use as a guide along with how the winter and early spring weather are going. I love the image of you carrying your pink hydrangea from room to room, I do that too!Another round of rain that started Sunday evening has either brought us out of our drought or close to it - yay!!! That's a relief. Also because of the rain our grass it growing in nicely. We'll fertilize by the end of this month. Hopefully we'll only have small patches to fill in the spring. 2 Morning Glory vines have appeared in the back yard, neither of which are from any of the seeds I planted out front, such a pretty purple! The zinnia out back are on another bloom as are the knockout roses. There are even still some bits of my newest butterfly bush still blooming! I pulled nearly the last of the tomato's from the vine this weekend out front. The lavender is blooming & smells heavenly! The morning glory vines out front look like their on their last leg but the flowers are blooming like crazy - the same with the marigolds! The raspberry bush & butterfly bush foliage is turning pretty shades of yellow. I just love my garden in the Fall!
The basil I planted with my ginger is growing like mad! Seems to be outperforming other basil sown the same time...
Have I mentioned that I have 4 jalapeno pepper plants growing in various locations/containers in my garden that I didn't plant seeds for?! lol
no....you didn't. But aren't birds kind sometimes!
We are having a fall to remember in our area. Because of the copious rain all summer the leaves have been spectacular in color this fall. Plants that usually don't put on much of an autumn display have suddenly become interesting. We had 10 days in Oct over average temps many of them in the 80s!! Now the leaves are mostly down and it's clean up time. We haven't had a hard freeze yet so I still haven't cut back my perenniels, the foliage on them is just too pretty to get rid of right now. I love the image of carrying the hydrangea from room to room. I can't bring any into the house because my cats won't leave them alone and make a big mess, but have thouroughly enjoyed them in the yard.Made a visit to the greenhouse today and came home with another mum plant, some gourds, 3 big pumpkins, a decorative fall swag for the front door and a fall plant stake. Plan to decorate outside for Halloween/Autumn tomorrow and also start chopping up the leaves. Our string of great weather is supposed to break this week-end and then it's back to reality with jackets and gloves to finish the rest of the fall chores.
My Grandpa Ott (deep royal purple) morning glories did get nipped in a light frost the other night. They were one of the things I started in milk jugs last winter and were my favorite of everything new I grew this year and completely covered the back of my garden fense by the end of the season.
Thanks for the info on the courgette. I'll never look at zucchinni the same way again!
Harvey wrote: "no....you didn't. But aren't birds kind sometimes!"Yes, the birds as well as the wind can be generous!
Everything sounds lovely Cheryl!
Sorry I haven't been around much as of late - I had surgery a week ago today (on my left kidney & back to remove a drain tube and also to remove an obstructed kidney stone and had a stent inserted) to follow up the one I had on July 5th (had to wait so as to get over the near fatal infection I had which resulted in the first surgery). I guess I'm officially on the road to recovery now though I'm not feeling too great just yet! (This surgery was harder on me than I expected). Stent comes out on 11/2 and then I won't be so uncomfortable.
My garden is looking very pretty right now, I think I love my garden best at this time of year. (Have I said that before? lol) Splashes of pink from the roses and zinnia's as well as the periwinkle blue of the morning glories and purple of the lavender against the background of the Autumn foliage makes my heart sing!
Wondered why you were so silent of late Jo! Good to hear surgery is over. Pray that all is well and speedily is getting better...Sounds like your garden is (as they naurally are) theraputic, especially your favourite time of year. Sing on!
Jo--so sorry you are still contending with health issues. I had a renal stent for a few weeks years ago and know how much fun they are not! Your garden sounds so pretty and hopefully is giving you lots of pleasure while you recuperate.
Thanks so much Harvey and Cheryl!
Been locked out of GR for a few days. Am wondering how you are doing now Jo?
Locked out of GR, Cheryl? Very bad! Hope everyone is doing fine. The basil sown with my ginger is going crazy and has offered fine cooking material. The local oregano is also succulent and is excellent with goat's cheese. I'm having to move some seedlings to the cultural centre my friends are working at... space! Over Eid hopefully the space problem will be solved as my friends are going to make a stand out of some timber left behind after a production there. Recycling at its best!
Bravo for the recycling. I wish more people would think about it instead of thoughlessly discarding. I'm jealous of your fresh basil--have to depend on my frozen stash from now till spring, nothing like fresh though.
Of course I have the opposite problem; everything liable to burn up in summer! By then I hope to have a solution. As to recycling, all it requires is some thought and imagination. If everyone recyled just one item it could make a difference...
Cheryl S. wrote: "Been locked out of GR for a few days. Am wondering how you are doing now Jo?"I'm doing well Cheryl, thanks! Had the stent removed yesterday and am now officially on the road to recovery! Such a relief!
First hard frost here on the coast last night into this morning! (Have already had that up by our home in north west NJ).
Crap! It's supposed to be 40 for a high tomorrow with snow flurries. I haven't planted anything for spring!!!!!!!! Also - I've been hearing a lot about forcing bulbs and how you have to start now to have them ready for a Thanksgiving table - does anyone know how I might do this? I don't think I understand it correctly...
Frost! Ice! Lucky folks! You can plenty Red/White and blackberries!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wish I were there. OK I'm happy with the winter we are having... but I LOVE berries!!!!!!!!!!!!
Erika... there is a nice flower! (In Latvian at least!)
An Erika flower? Or did I miss something?
Yes.... I think it is a heather type flower. Very common name in Latvia where most girls' names are names of flowers
Wow! How cool is that. Thanks for the info.
Welcome Erika! Any time! Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet..... oooops! LOL (In lieu of a slap on the wrists). I'm half Latvian hence the info, my housekeeper's name is Erika too. Not an uncommon name and maybe it extends elsewhere in North/Eastern Europe? Don't know. I think there was a German marching song by the same name. Some plant/flower/fruit names seem to travel well and cross borders.Just trying to get a coconut to germinate. This morning my tobacco seeds popped up through the soil. Another blow to the anti-smoking lobby! :)
Over the Eid holiday next weekend I HAVE to make a platform to extend the area for my produce. My balcony is getting severely crowded!
That's so interesting. I can't believe what you're growing!
Well.... neither can I! Just pushing the envelope. One Indian friend suggested the coconut so here goes....
It is worth a try! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Its all a learning curve and I am enjoying it!
Interesting, I named my oldest daughter Erika and had no idea it is also the name of a flower. Even more interesting as she is currently going to school for landscape construction and design. Serendipity?Harvey, your growing adventures are fun to follow. What are you going to do with your tobacco?
Jo, so glad to hear you are one the mend---it's about time!!
Supposed to be in the low 60s by Monday. Crazy weather for Nov in this area, but I'll take it.
Oh good, Cheryl! Very a propos for a landscape gardener! She will just have to commission me to do her corporate identity/logo etc! Very good rates for group members… (It is incidentally my line of business so not completely in jest). I’m pleased I complimented Erika on her name.I am happy that following my adventures is fun. Great fun for me too. Hoping that the tobacco is successful! I might become small tobacco and either make a stogie or put some production in my pipe. I am not sure my wife will be rolling the stuff on her thigh and I’m equally sure our maid would not inspire a composer to make a new production of Carmen. One always hears from the US reports about ‘Big’ tobacco, who ‘small’ is never explained so maybe I could fulfill that role.
... or maybe Metaphysical Tobacco as in the song by East in the early 17th cent...
O metaphysical Tobacco !
Fetched as far as from Morocco :
Thy searching fume
Exhales the rheum,
O metaphysical Tobacco !
Doing the tour as part of my morning ritual I see two shoots of Eccremocarpus. Tresco Designer Mix are popping their shoots over the parapet. I got those seeds to take to Mersa Matruh and cover a large boring patch of concrete wall. We await results…..
Thanks Cheryl! I couldn't agree more that it's about time!
I raise my glass to everyones health and happiness! Pip pip!
Agreed!
Thanks Jo! I was sure you would... good you are are on the road to getting mended, good gardening of course and good eating afterwards! :)Just waiting for my borrage to bloom to put in my Pimms. By that time maybe I'll figure a way to make or get Pimms... Q8 being 'dry' and all that.
Did someone mention the mother of invention?
Harvey, you rock, as my grandkids would say. If your experiment does end up in your pipe I want to hear about it.
I'll be delighted to give a full report on my tobacco's progress from pot to pipe! :)
Oh, Harvey, I haven't had Pimm's in decades! I will have to get some next time I am in Chicago! Such fond memories... Bengal Lancer's, Pankaj, good food, good drink, good company, love...Jo, So glad to hear you are feeling better!
Cheryl, I can only keep cut flowers in my fridge! They do last a long time, though, and I enjoy them every time I open the door. Occasionally, I will take them out and carry them from room to room, but I stay alert for the dreaded Willy- he is my cat who loves to eat flowers. The others just try to drink the water and knock them over doing so.
Where is Willy coming from? He likes the smell of the flowers? He wants to say it in flowers? Gerry (a former long-haired Persian of ours) used to get up to similar tricks on occasion. Mr. President is bringing back some Bengal Lancers?
Just been pottering about the garden. Had to sadly ditch the peas; they just don't seem to work. One of the thankfully few disasters. Planted salad leaves instead mixed with a few herbs. That seems to be doing ok in the next container. Giving sorrel another try in a different position. Love sorrel with poached egg on crumpet. That remark might need a UK-US dictionary. My late father used to like sorrel soup. I think it is used quite a bit in Latvian/N.E. European cooking... maybe someone can further enlighten. The obsessed gardeners seem much lighter (in tone) and much more fun than the 'sustainable foodies'!
Before this turns into a blog, replete with streams of consciousness I'll get ready for a Polish concert I designed the programme for. Must have best bib and tucker... poppy buttonhole and all!
Cheers!
I'm not familiar with sorrel or Pimms but I think I would recognize a crumpet and I've heard of Latvia. I do like to imagine you all decked out for the concert and hope all goes well.Peas can be really finicky in my experience. Two years in a row my crop was a dud and then last year they went wild. We had tons of rain early in the season and the other years were dry. Since I eat most of them raw while working in the garden I was very happy to have my convenient snack available again this year.
Good news about crumpet. British and US English can be misleading sometimes, see G.B. Shaw. Oh well.... I'll give peas another go sometime. Like the idea of peas young and raw. Classical Roman Fast Food!
Concert went well... did my fashion plate special with Baltic amber cufflinks and tie pin. :)
Thanks Harvey & Miriam! I'm so glad to finally be moving forward with all of this instead of being in limbo. I have a long road ahead but I'm glad to be on it finally!
.... raises proverbial hat to jo....A petunia has decided to make its home here... from where I have no clue but nice pink and white flower to greet me...
Its nice!
I love gardening surprises! Long forgotten perennials that re-appear or flowers & veggies which appear that weren't planted by me! (The wind/birds/squirrels are generous here with that).
Nature nurturing.... a 'garden' is what we make, but when we allow nature to intervene isn't it wonderful!
Yes, it is. That why I'm not one who does So much to control nature in my garden like some gardeners I know (in person). Mother Nature has her own plans which may or may not take into account our own and I'm fine with that!
We'll see how much is left w/their petals attached after we're done w/the 50mph winds! Nasty weather's been moving through the area since Monday though it seems home #2 up in north west NJ is getting hit far worse than here on the coast so I'm worried about that.
Anyhoo! What's happening in your garden so far this Autumn?