Aurora's Blog

Today in the Garden 11-22-08
Nov 22, 2008 | 1:05 PM PST

Well, we had the coldest night of the year last night. Low got down to 25! Needless to say, the few remaining plants succumbed to the cold- Elephant ears, a really tough Four-O'clock, even the Fatsia looks a little worse for wear.... Odd for us to have such cold temperatures in November- we usually don't see these sorts of temps until January!  Even my flowerpot water fountain is covered in ice- and that was at 3 pm, in the sun!!!!!!! Really thick ice too, usually all I see is a thin film....

 

When will spring come? LOL! 

Today in the Garden 11-06-08
Nov 6, 2008 | 5:07 AM PST

Boy, hard to believe I went a MONTH without an entry! Where to begin...A lot has gone on!

My brugmansia was blooming the best it has done since I got it 4 years ago- 4 flushes of blooms, and if it wasn't for a threatened frost and my wanting to root the cuttings I may have gotten a 5th round! The cuttings are now sitting in a 5 gal bucket with water- the buds I left on are blooming now!

I got all the house plants brought in- the family room looks like a greenhouse now LOL! The passion vine seems to be really happy inside- it's given me 4 blooms and is still growing flower buds. Of course picky Miss Ficus has dropped a bunch of leaves- she hates to be moved, same with Miss Persnickety Aralia. 

Steve asked me if he could take a couple of plants into the office to "brighten" it up. Of course I said OK! If they start to look a little sad, bring them home and we'll switch them out with something else. Maybe I'll make a plant lover out of him yet LOL!  

Have started the fall garden bed clean up. Pulled out all the dead Tithonia and cleaned up the Four O'Clocks..Cut the Jerusalem Artichoke down, dug up and re-worked an entire bed. Now I have the space to grow some of the seeds I have traded for :) I finished the front walkway beds- planted some columbine, a beauty berry, and the mini rose in those- still have lots of space for more plants there too :) Also planted more beauty berry, a spicebush, and a Possumhaw viburnum too (Thanks Ga-Girl :) )

Used the blower to remove all the leaves from the shade beds, got them into a big pile and let the kids jump in them for a while. The plan was to use the mulchng mower to chop them up, then put them back. Well, I couldn't get the stupid mower to start, so the kids had all day to play in them. Important tip about kids and leaves: They do a great job of turning the leaves into small pieces  if given enough time to play in them :) I got them put back on the bed- only have half the bed mulched though...

The last few days have been very windy and rainy- LOTS of leaves are fallen- now for the rain to stop so they can dry up and be mulched! I have lots of beds that need a winter mulch!!!! 

Picked the last of the peppers and tomatoes. Once the toms ripen up I'll get some more salsa made (if Logan doesn't eat them all first LOL!) Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to get out to pull the plants...

Logan will be tuning 7 years old next week- hard to believe! Need to get a party planned pretty fast... These birthdays just sneak up on me!

Well better get going- have a bunch to do inside today

Until later, Have fun Gardening :)