Yes, first frost here too. My begonias are outside still. They suffered a little but they're under a sheet on the porch so they aren't dead yet.

I had just cut my last newly opened dahlia bloom on Tuesday; it's toast now. I harvested about 18 green peppers as well on Tuesday & Wednesday; I'd never gone this long harvesting peppers. My lone cherry tomato seems to have held on though; it didn't look too damaged this morning. Yvonne's salvia wasn't hit too bad, but last nights freeze did them in. I was out this morning cutting off the remaining flowers, trying to harvest whatever seed I could. The seed had already removed itself from the calyxes, and fell with the slightest touch, so I'll have a bunch of reseeders next year. I dread the thought of all the containered plants I want to bring in; cannas, salvias, agastaches, etc...

I'm panicking after reading your posts about first frost!

I had the manager of Gardens of the Blue Ridge in NC ASSURE me I had plenty of time to get plants in the ground this week and beyond for a new Butterfly Garden so I ordered some gallon size plants.

This is my first real gardening experience, aside from bulbs I've gotten into one available bed and some containers, and I trusted a supposedly reputable nurseryman to be honest with me.

Am I sunk if I put $$$ of plants into the ground this week?

Would overwintering plants in pots with lots of mulch protection then planting out in spring be wiser? Sinking pots into soil to overwinter?

Whichever way I need to go with this I'd GREATLY appreciate input from experienced NJ gardeners. Planting in Monmouth County which is eastern central part of state.

Gallon size plants can easily be planted now. Just water thoroughly after planting and mulch in mid December with a few inches of chopped leaves, compost, or other non-blowing mulch. Broadleaved evergreens may benefit from being wrapped with burlap.

Great thanks, Steve, for your input. I'll rest a lot easier now getting plants into ground this week.

If it's not too much of an imposition I need to ask one nagging question about this butterfly garden. This one corner of the yard is the only dependably sunny plot that isn't absolutely deeply root infested by overgrown maples & white pines. I've already chopped enough roots with an axe to get irises divided and relocated. I'm putting in plants that are recommended for butterfly gardens but in reading their cultural requirements there are soil and nutrient differences among them. I don't want to ignore or discount those differences unless someone with more experience tells me not to be so perfectionistic with it.

I've been going back and forth trying to decide how to approach this mini-mass planting. I assumed I should dig up the entire plot of clay, drag out weeds and some invasive vine roots, add some "lightening" amendments and then plant. People watching me dig and chop for past couple months have said I should just dig holes double size of potted plants, add individual amendments as required and drop in plants. Will roots have enough room as they grow to break through clay with second method if I don't go at least 12-18 in. down with amendments?

Experienced input would again be much appreciated. Guess I'm obsessing about total success my first time out and should take a more relaxed approach to this whole thing. I've spent months online reading for hours on end but it's a lot to absorb, remember and prioritize when one hasn't had practical experience before. I'm reaching the point where I'm more looking forward to the end of next year to see how things turn out and learn from actually doing!

newbie in nj - I tried planting "butterfly garden" type plants in spring/summer (for my daughter) in my (poorly-treated and severly neglected for many year) soil. I did the dig deeper/wider than the pot & plant method - only to be disappointed. I then, after reading Soil Forum for a couple months, went into the rest of the maltreated/abused area of "dirt" and dug the whole thing out & amended with organic matter, compost, etc., and replanted. What a difference! My sorry-looking beebalm is happy! My lavendar might survive the winter! etc.

BTW, I had a Rutgers soil test - said I had "loam" and well-balanced and well-enriched soil. But, as I figured out when I dug out the rest of the best - sure, I had great soil - that is, the few particles of soil in between the roots and the rocks/stones/boulders!! And, the test said I had 5% organic matter, but I didn't see much when I dug, and I saw very little life in that soil - and no earthworms.

Sooooo, I would say that if the soil hasn't been planted or cared for in ages, and you have the time and energy, dig up as much as you can, read the Soil Forum for amending ideas to amend with organic matter and compost, and then plant away with high hopes! [BTW Soil Forum old-timers usually recommend treating the soil in the whole bed rather than just the "planting hole." In fact, you might be able to find some thread about that topic if you do a search.]

Also, you should know, that while some advocate the dig-it-up-at-least-once-at-the-beginning-and-treat-it-right-from-there method, others advocate no-till (which is somewhat different than no-dig) and might advise "sheet composting" or lasagna composting - which is building a bed by layers of organic materials (browns/leaves & greens/nitrogen) & then planting in that newly-built-raised-bed. Just thought (not knowing how much you've come across) that I'd throw out some ideas for you to look into.

Good luck, and wishing you,
All the Best,
Tree (NW NJ)

Thank you SO much for all the information and what your experience was with putting in a Butterfly Garden.

I thought it was just my compulsive nature that was pulling me toward digging the whole thing up, amending and then building it back up.

I've visited the Soil Forum but some things were beyond me when they got to over 50 posts on the correct ratios of 3 basic nutrients. I did find some "recipes" that were simple enough and I'll go with one of those. Just need to find a few bags of compost. I'll call around to garden centers/nurseries and beg for some. Box stores didn't have yesterday but there are 4 more bags of MiracleGro organic gardening soil in the back seat of my car to say nothing of excessive amount of fencing I bought to keep the rabbits and deer away from the tender plants!

Before I started this planting stuff this year I wasn't happy to see earthworms. Now it's a YES! moment when I find them where I'm digging...LOL.

Still trying to figure out that "lasagna" thing but it's an option given that I now know how difficult it can be to try and really do a good job of mixing in amendments. Sounds a lot easier than it is what with this heavy clay soil.

People are going to think I'm crazy but there are some prime mulched leaves and grass sitting out at the curb around the neighborhood. I have every intention of collecting a few houses worth in big black bags! Some would tell me to till them in now as part of amending soil,
some to layer them for lasagna method, some use as top mulch this winter to till in come spring and, last but not least, the start of my own compost pile. I've already heard screams of "We can't have all this stuff everywhere in the garage, shed and patio" so I'd have to hide any compost thing in the woods! Then again, I have more than enough fencing (not good with estimation) that I could make an inconspicuous little pile somewhere behind the pine trees. I NEVER thought I'd even think of making compost. Probably best off using for compost pile because I really don't want to put weeds into this garden from lawn clippings. There's some weed traveling the neighborhood that only one chemical combination will kill according to Rutgers extension website and I can't use that in Butterfly Garden.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me out. You'll never know how much it's appreciated.