Autumn Begins.
Once again, it’s taken me too long to reach out and stay in touch. This could become a seasonal blog, which means only posting maybe 4x annually. There’s a thought. Like all of us, I will try to do better- until life once again gets in the way.
Yes! Fall is here, and with it, torrential rains in Connecticut.
We’re busy sewing and cleaning up per usual-with one caveat. My left foot remains encased in a walking boot for another two weeks to round out EIGHT WEEKS- due a stupid foot fracture. It’s really a quite simple practice to remember- watch where you’re going! The net result of my injury has landed heavily on my darling Larry who hauls and installs tents and materials during this busy fair season.
Next up Jerram Winery– RAIN DATE CHANGE to -Sunday, Oct. 1. This weekend for a lovely event. Live music- If you’re in the area- come on down and see what’s Paola new- not too soon to buy some astounding Christmas gifts.
Frost Dates
Autumn is the time for perennial growers, to take down their gardens and plant new or relocate existing perennials. If you’re putting in new plants, you might want to verify your planting zone as these have been changing over the years.
I always find it helpful to identify the first frost date in my area. (That would be October 1 for Connecticut). It’s peace of mind knowing exactly when you need to get your house plants inside for safety. (Who hasn’t gone outside of a morning and discovered a miserable melted, potted plant sitting outside the door.) There’s work involved here as many of those house plants really should get their pots washed and fresh potting soil for the winter season. Or not. You can find your personal frost date here.
Grand Prix
To Cut or Not to Cut
There are mixed thoughts about what to cut, and what not to cut- which decisions turn on a number of issues. I used to cut everything down simply because it looked more tidy. Actually, there’s some logic for discrimination in terms of what you cut. Some plants like hydrangeas and astilbe look nice in winter and offer a little visual garden variety. Additionally, some plants offer birds food or shelter for the winter. Plants like hosta turn to mush at the first heavy frost- the better to remove them, my dear.
This year, with all of the rain, my phlox were particularly infested with powdery mildew. Plants like that need to be cut down to the ground and thrown out, not put into compost where they will continue to grow their bad seed into spring. This article may be helpful in deciding what you’d like to do.
Suzanne Vega
Remember this song? My Name is Luka. Such a powerful, sorrowful reminder of how hard life can be. Yet, there is a paradoxical beauty to the music. This song is a more recent one of Suzanne’s Tom’s Diner. Little known fact. Singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega was reputedly a frequent patron during the early 1980s when she was a student at nearby Barnard College. It was the location used for the exterior scenes of the Café in Seinfeld. Suzanne is on tour: https://www.suzannevega.com
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