OK everybody, it you haven't done so yet, today is the day to bring in any houseplants that might still be outside! A Frost Warning is in effect for the northern and western suburbs of Philadelphia tonight and tomorrow night!
So that means, bring it in (houseplants), cover any fresh plantings and get ready to dig up those taro, elephant ear and canna bulbs! You don't have to dig them up today, but if there is a frost, any vegetation will be dead and/or dying tomorrow. You can either cut the foliage off or dig up the bulb and wait for it to turn brown and fall off.
And don't forget to wash those houseplants. Set them in your shower and give them a good rinse. Then examine each individually, removing bugs and yellowed growth. Repotting can wait till spring.

This past weekend provided the perfect weather for some much-needed yard work. So I spent yesterday outside getting reacquainted with the garden and starting the task of dismantling some of my oasis. It was time to say good-bye to my solar tiki torches, the rope light flamingos and my floating parrot boat till next summer :(

But I didn't mind getting rid of my spindly tomato plants at all! Tearing down the vegetable garden almost seemed like a labor of love!

Funny how things seem to run their course each summer ... from first planting the young seedlings, watching them grow, imagining all the fresh vegetables ... waiting and waiting for the first tomatoes to turn red, savoring those first few home-grown salads ...Then a few weeks later, bribing coworkers just to take all the excess tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. off my hands ... Also, mowing the lawn doesn't seem like such a horrible task anymore, now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. There should only be a few more cuts till next year!
I also finally got that Japanese Maple I bought way back in July planted. And I recommend that the rest of you do the same with any new purchases of perennials as well as shrubs. Plant now so that the roots have time to get established before the ground freezes. There is still a little time left to divide those perennials too. I divided all mine last fall, so they get a break this year (I try to leave 2-3 seasons between divisions). Although just about any perennial can be divided, I wouldn't bother dividing any fall bloomers right now. Wait till they start coming up next spring.
Also get any new spring bulbs in the ground now. I'm telling you this, while my newly-bought alliums still sit on the kitchen table. Hey, I couldn't get everything done in just one day!
Now is also the time to transplant trees, evergreens, shrubs and perennials. So if there's anything you didn't like the position of this year, move it! Just make sure to give it plenty of water over the next couple weeks.
And last but not least, I finally got the front of the house decorated for fall, just before dusk ... So I didn't get a chance to take any photos yet, bear with me ...