The day after you plant new trees, do you go out and check them, just to make sure they are still there, to make sure they haven’t fallen over or something?
You don’t? Okay. Never mind.
As you walk around the garden, are you checking those last blooms trying to figure out if you’ll have anything still blooming on the 15th of November for the next Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day?
I am. Today I found this last little violet blooming along with some Stella D’Oro daylilies, a bunch of shasta daisies, one tall phlox, and a spiderwort or two. There’s even a confused hosta trying to bloom again.
Who knows what the next few days will mean in the garden? There is the strong possibility of frost in my area and throughout the midwest early Monday morning. After that it looks like it could be a week or longer before there’s another chance of frost.
I for one gardener am ready to get on with it. Let it frost. Without the frost, I’m whistling along thinking I have all kinds of time to do the fall clean up, and I know I don’t really. So if it frosts, I’ll get going on the clean up. Let it frost.
Do you cover plants when it frosts this late in the fall? I don’t. When it’s over, it’s over, whether that be in early October or early November. But this year, oddly enough, I’m actually thinking about covering that little hosta that’s trying to bloom again. That hosta may be my only hope of having something blooming outside in November, at least something besides pansies. Otherwise, I may just have “frozen blooms” for Bloom Day on the 15th.
“Frozen blooms” are those flowers that are still technically there, on the plant, but are frozen in time, caught off guard by a frost after an unusual warm spell. They are flowers that don’t really have a chance to fade and set seed, since they got zapped by a frost, or worse, were encased with ice or snow.
But if frozon blooms are all that you have for the next Bloom Day on November 15th, count them and post about them!
Oh, and by the way, I did check my new trees this morning. They’re fine. They didn’t fall over in the middle of the night or suddenly drop all their leaves or anything like that.
Here’s a picture of the Carolina Silverbell that I didn’t post yesterday.
You can see behind it there’s a red maple (Acer rubrum) changing colors, finally. A good frost ought to help it get going. That other smaller tree, with leaves as green as the grass, is a Redbud (Cercis canadensis). It should have yellow foliage any day now.
And here’s the ginkgo also still standing tall.
I’m hoping it will also have some pretty yellow leaves in a few days.
That’s what I’m checking at May Dreams Gardens, what are you checking in your garden?
(Tomorrow… hand made gifts for gardeners, that anyone can make, maybe.)
One other thing… I got an email that the book ‘Backyard Giants’, that several garden bloggers read and reviewed this fall, will be included in a story about giant pumpkins that will appear tomorrow, October 28, on “CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood.” I can’t believe the size of some of those pumpkins!)
hi carol! i’m glad your tree is still there. i’ve been checking all my charlie brown shrubs every day that I can. i was surprised to see some new growth on my little sickly azaleas. happy gardening, carol!
I totally check on newly planted trees, shrubs, perennials, you name it, to make sure they haven’t fallen over, been dug up, etc.. So I’m with you. And I’m sure I won’t have anything blooming for November 15th since I have nothing *in* my garden yet, but maybe I can find some interesting foliage! I love your trees, too–I’ve been considering a gingko. And a maple. And a redbut. So many trees, so little space. ~A 🙂
Checking to see if they are still there or if they fell over or something, Ha. You are out there May Dreaming.
Good luck with your Silverbell. If yours does not work out I hope to have one some day and you can come visit it. I have the exact right conditions. Who knows there might even be one hiding here in the forest now.
If we get frost, it’s usually not until January, so things are still going strong in my garden. I love reading about what’s going on in gardens in other parts of the country. We all do the same things, just at different times, I think.
Aiyana
Of course, I check my recently planted plant everyday, even several times a day. When I have planted day lillies in early September, I was a bit worried because it was still hot and very dry. So I checked that they did not dry out. In fact, they felt comfortable from the first day, and started growing at once. So I continued to check them, for the pleasure of seing them grow. That’s part of the gardening joy.
It is good to see they didn’t sprout legs and head off for the Entmoot. 😉
My newly planted bulbs have been tilled through by a persistent mole that I am having no luck in getting rid of.
Gina… don’t you feel good to have rescued those CB shrubs, and think how much money you saved.
Angela (cottage magpie)… That’s right, so many trees, so little space. There are a lot of trees I would love to have, but I just don’t have the space for them.
Christopher C. NC… You do indeed have the exact right conditions for the Carolina Silverbell. Look for them in the spring when they are blooming and take lots of pictures for us to see.
No rain… Yes, eventually gardeners everywhere do most of the same basic things, except in some gardens you don’t have to worry about snow!
Verobirdie… I always like seeing when a new plant has taken root, and starts to show new growth. I hope to see that with the new trees this spring.
Me… I cringed when I thought about a mole drilling through my bulbs. I can’t find the mole that was here a few weeks ago. And my trees are probably out there introducing themselves to the other trees right now. If they are true Ents, that is going to take a long time.
Thanks all for the comments!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Carol, Paul James the Gardener Guy had suggestions for getting rid of moles (HGTV Sun Oct 28).Some were smelly, some humorous, some silly (stand in your yard & play the piccolo) He didn’t guarantee any of them, but it was funny.
Carol:
Because I have missed all of Sept/Oct in my garden because of shingles I have NOT been seeing much and not Autumn color around my neighborhood.
We have been haveing exceptionally warm temperatures although the nights are collder. I have been posting COLOR..summer color in my garden! Mother nature has been doing a fine job at tending to my garden…I have harvested lavender this week! Come see!hugs Anna
P.S. my acer rubrum is still green as you will see and I have marked my calender to get in on your request on the 15th of NOV…now come on over and see summer color!
I too often wonder if I will have anything worthy of sharing this time of year. Glad to see that your tree survived the night!
ah, I have a ginkgo too. The fall show is always lovely and fleeting.
Carol: The first heavy frost is so pretty even if it means the gardening cycle is coming full circle. Love your trees and I really love ginkgos!
I check my garden every day. My morning walk about is the most important to me. My overseer becomes quite miffed if I skip this routine part of my day. I check new plantings more often.
Your trees are nice and will be magnificent when mature. You will have to study up on shade gardening in the future when your trees start shading your garden.