I feel like I just wrote the September post and now its almost October. I’m flummoxed and mystified as to how this happens every fall. Its here and then its gone and I’ve managed to complete less than half the projects I swore I’d do. Like clockwork.
I’m sure some of this is in part due to Rich’s hunting which has us traveling to family in Minnesota a fair number of weekends through fall and into early winter. And we have our anniversary and Rich’s birthday and the weekends inevitably get away from us until the bitter chill has set in and its no longer “nice” to be outside. But not this year! Despite landmark birthdays and whatever visitors and visiting we may be doing, I’m going to try my darnedest to stay apace with the season.
Of course Mother Nature’s mercurial ways leave one always feeling like you are playing with fire no matter how prepared you are. Last week we had two Frost Advisories and skirted right up to 33F. This coming week looks more reasonable with highs in the 70F and lows in the 50F range. We all know the clock is ticking, but none of us know just how fast…
I’m already planning for the tender and tropical plants’ move inside. I’ll hold off until its too dangerous to do otherwise, but they take up a good bit of space so I’ve got to shuffle some furniture and get benches/tables ready for when the task simply can’t be avoided. The sooner I do this, the better.
The last bits of tomatoes and peppers will need pulling and beans will need to be shelled. Squash will need seasoning and I’ll harvest the cabbage for putting up. And then it will all get pulled up and run through the chipper to prepare the compost bins for their long winter slumber. The 33F night nipped the cucumbers and some other plants so I should be able to start tackling parts of this now.
Potted trees will need to be either set up for overwintering in the nursery bed or planted out before it gets too cold. Again, the sooner the better!
How are you all feeling about your late season to- do list? Have you gotten any frost yet?
Box & Bay 
Yes, two nights of frost now.Friday night = 25.5F and Saturday night = 28.2F. Low 30s was what was predicted but I know it’s always colder here. Took cutting of coleus and sweet potato vine, brought in all the houseplants. Said goodbye to all the dahlias that hadn’t even bloomed yet. The one thing I didn’t do, and regret, was cut some of the brilliantly colored hydrangea blooms to dry. I will remember next year! Enjoying my colchicums very much, and I expect the phlox to continue blooming for a while, but there was no light frost to ease me gently into the senescence.
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Yikes! That is really cold, really early! I only had 2 of my 4 dahlias bloom and I appreciate the reminder to get out and grab some stuff for drying!
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