Well, I can fool myself no longer, summer's really gone. We had our first frost Sunday night. And just like that, everything changes.
When I went home at lunch time yesterday, I took stock of the gardens. The elephant ears that were so big and bold, are now shriveled up and hanging over.


The tall and proud, purple Persian Shield (that I must have every season), is black and crinkled.


The banana plant (Musa Basjoo) that I coddled all summer, which was finally starting to shoot up in height, oddly, this past month, has withered and turned brown almost instantly.


And, as I turned on the bubbler for the fish, I noticed that all the food I had thrown in before leaving for work, was still floating on the top. Which means the water temp has dropped below 50 degrees (the fish stop eating when the water gets too cold).
End of Summer Bummer ... sigh

So now it's time to dig up all the elephant ear bulbs, caladiums, dahlias, cannas and other tender bulbs and rhizomes, preferably as soon as possible. Take off the dead foliage and carefully store them in a cool dark place until next spring.

You can still continue to divide perennials, just make sure to cover any tender new plantings on night's when frost is expected. Just until they have a chance to root in.

Pull out impatiens, roots, dirt and all, and throw them into the compost. This green matter and soil microorganisms are an excellent combination with dry tree leaves.

And for Pete's sake, get those spring bulbs into the ground (that goes for me too)! Times running out. The ground is still relatively warm, but we can't be sure for how long!

Don't forget to water new plantings!

Oh, and if you have one, now's the time to start last year's Christmas amaryllis. That is if you have kept it unwatered for six weeks to induced dormancy. This worked for me the first year. Last year I only got green foliage (no blooms), because I didn't have it out in the sun over the summer. And this year, having left in out on the patio for the season, it got to waterlogged and rotted. So, if you don't have time to go to the trouble, just head over to any nursery or big box garden center, and buy a new one. But get it started soon if you want a big beautiful bloom by Christmas!