Return to the Great Lakes Gardening Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Can't believe fall is almost here....
| | |
Posted by linda_schreiber z5/6 MI (My Page) on Mon, Sep 19, 11 at 20:29
| This summer has flown. And late summer is the start of my busy season at work, so most of my 'fall clean-up' ends up being done in early spring, no matter how much I promise myself that this year will be different.
And I know that some of the more important things will be seriously "procrastinized"! So I plan for it....
Triangles of broken tomato stakes mark out where there are bulbs/rhizomes I need to dig out and overwinter elsewhere before the ground really freezes. (I always said I would never plant anything that couldn't just cope with it, but there are always the charmers I couldn't resist.) But there are times when I have to brush away a couple inches of snow to find the spot, long after the foliage is gone. Markers work better than memory.
Ditto for marking the areas where there will be room for small patches of the fall bulbs that will be arriving soon, and that I should be planting not that long thereafter. But that I may end up planting, after removing ditto snow, by flashlight, at 8pm, in fairly gentle sleet, in November [grins].
And other examples even more embarrassing....
Anyone else with fall/winter 'Procrastinator' tips?
|
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Can't believe fall is almost here....
| | |
| Every year. I just can't believe it's really going to get cold again although it's a fairly reliable phenomenon every year. I always have "panic night" when the houseplants summering outside MUST come in TONIGHT or die. If I keep ignoring the cold, one of these times it really will stay away, right? |
RE: Can't believe fall is almost here....
| | |
| Dreading the killing frosts. Looks like it will be at least another couple of weeks in southern Ontario. Had a close 2C over a week ago, but everything survived ok. Got lots of peppers, including many superhots still ripening. We have had a great yield this year. Getting a bit tired of processing everything for winter though. Nice thing about peppers though is that they freeze well without blanching. Will make lots of hot sauce in winter. Other vegetables, especially tomatoes take a lot of processing in order to save for winter. |
RE: Can't believe fall is almost here....
| | |
| "If I keep ignoring the cold, one of these times it really will stay away, right?" Ah, Purple, I really love the positive magical thinking! One of my best things! And, ah, memories of 'panic nights' across the years.... Well, every year, but anyways.... Didn't get much done this evening, but I did dig out the old sheets and dump them in the garage. Those, some old pieces of rerod, and some rocks pulled out of garden edges will do for the time[s] when I suddenly hear about the 'frost warning' at the least-convenient late-night time. We didn't get much veggie yield this year. Way too wet in May/June, way too wet-and-hot in June/July, way too cold in August. But it makes me determined to let things go as long as they can, and salvage every smidge. Hence the sheet-stash. The only good thing about the coming cold is that the places where I haven't gotten to the weeds [cuss] will be bare when the snow melts in the spring. They will look much better! Less desperate! I strongly prefer 'relaxed and laid back', but less desperate will do in a pinch.... (grins) |
RE: Can't believe fall is almost here....
| | |
| I don't do a real big fall clean up. Oh sure, I'll remove diseased or insect infected stuff but on the whole I leave everything standing till spring. It catches the snow easier that way and snow is the best winter mulch. It helps also, i believe, in ensuring winter hardiness for a few of those I try to push growing from zones they say won't grow here. I have all kinds of elephant ears, canna and brugmansia that need to be hauled inside every fall and back out every spring. Its the gardeners way to want what won't survive our winters............I just deal with the work. By the time March rolls around I am way past the patience of cold and snow and start clean up with cutting every thing down and leaving it fall on top of the gardens to insulate through the rest of the frosty mornings. By end of April they are all cleaned and up and running, |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Great Lakes Gardening Forum
|
|
|
