Twiggybet1's Blog

Yep, this is truly Indian Summer.  The temperature around here has been really unseasonally warm, for at least the last week.  Usually, this time in October, we expect temps in the upper 60's or lower 70's at best, often cooler.  All this last week, though it has been in the upper 80's.  Of course, the warm weather wont last, so I have been doing my best to get done what I can in the garden.  The warm temps have fooled some of the plants, though, into putting out more blossoms and fruit, so I hesitate to rip them up yet.  I put a Rose of Sharon in last fall, and I wasn't expecting it to bloom until next year, but guess what?  It has blooms.  I might be mistaken, but isn't Rose of Sharon a spring blooming shrub?  The zucchini is still (of course) putting out more fruit.  It takes a hard frost to kill that.  I was all set to yank up the cucumber vines, until I discovered more blooms and tiny cukes on them.  I had harvested all the ripe butternut squash, and was going to pull those vines, too, but it also had tiny baby squash and more blooms.  The few green bean plants I hadn't pulled yet are setting more blossoms, too.  So, as an experiment, I think I'll leaves these be for now, and see how far they get before a frost hits them. 

The compost area that I emptied last week was filled again this weekend with chipped and shredded tree trimmings.  We plan to use this as mulch after I pull up the plants.  I also got a lot of yard cleaning done.  I am still wondering how I am going to go about setting up my "rain garden".  Hubby is on overtime, 12 hrs. p/day and the days are getting shorter so it is already dark when he gets home, so I can't count on help during the week.  He apparently made other plans for the coming weekend, so I don't think we will get a chance to start it then, either.  I suppose I will have to try to get what I can ready, the plants are ordered and on the way.