Yesterday I gardened till I can hardly move! It will get better after a hot bath.
Gardening is so good for my soul! I have
a hard time reaching the ground, so I purchased 3 large feeders for livestock
to use as raised beds, and then Gary put holes in them for drainage. I
have a layer of Styrofoam in the bottom then a fiberglass screen then garden
soil. As I take out summer pot plants I
am putting the soil from them in the raised beds, then will add as needed. These big raised beds are not pretty. They will be a bit more pleasing with growing
things to focus on.
Most of the pot plants are being discarded, the
remaining ones will be a significant batch to care for in the atrium and on the
sun porch. Five big pots of white
geraniums are too large to bring in, they will have to shelter in place as the
saying is.
Our first killing frost is expected on Tues night and
another on Wed night. I will plant on Thursday and hope to get seedlings up and
going. I am a full 6 weeks too late for this.
I would not plant before my trip east because I did not want friends and
family to have to take care of more here. Then I came home under par and not
inclined to work outside at all. Excuses
do not placate mother nature.
Foods from
the winter garden are so precious. Going in as seeds are beets, spinach, lettuce
and snow peas. I set out a few broccoli plants. Still bearing are two large
tomato plants full of little cherry tomatoes. I will cover them and try to save
them from frost another week or so.
A sweet neighbor
couple brought me three gorgeous egg
plants from their garden yesterday. I
think I will paint them before they get cooked. Beth will make eggplant
parmesan casserole next week for us
all. She feeds Cheryl and Linda and me
as well as herself and Gary several nights a week. Linda is staying with them
while she is in transition, moving here and doing over a little place to live
in.
I am starting to do the fall trimming of perennials. My front yard planting, put in in May, has
really done well. It is a low water
needs area, graveled and mulched and having a seating group in the center. The phlox and blue salvia and many clumps of
lantana have bloomed gloriously! Almost
too much going on visually. A man who
helps here with the yard will come next week and do a lot of the heavy trimming
I hope. He will be very welcome! e
