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!

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 ...

I should have mentioned this yesterday, but better late than never. We didn't actually have a frost last night in Douglassville, but the next few nights could get pretty cold.

So, if you've received any early perennial deliveries and planted them during last week's warm weather, you'd better cover them up tonight thru Thursday.

I planted those perennial geraniums last Thursday night and I'm happy to say that they're really starting to come up. So last night they needed covering.

All you need is a leftover pot from last year or a bucket. Actually any container will do. You can even use plastic trash bags lying across the plants. Nothing too heavy to crush the plant though. Just remember to uncover them early in the morning after the sun is up, or it'll get too hot under the covers!

Enjoy these red lillies from last summer.