Last weekend was the finale of the fall color.  By the end of this week most of the leaves will be down and the doors will be open for winter to make its arrival.

I’m not rushing it out but I think I have to call a time for the 2013 growing season.  It’s lost its joie de vivre and from now on until snow flies it’s all downhill.  So far so good though.  I’ve been remarkably organized this fall and had most of the tropical were safely under cover a few days before the first frost.  This year I’m putting some under lights, maybe it will help them look a little less pathetic come March.

The rest will sit out winter in the back of our semi-heated garage.  No watering, little light, but it should be enough to bring them through the winter.  When I get the motivation I’ll move them back away from the door…. just like I’ll move all the other crap that tends to accumulate and fill the spot where my car should be.

Weekend plans include digging up dahlia and canna roots and finishing winter cleanup.  So far it hasn’t felt like much work and maybe my early start and the late frost date worked in my favor, but usually things happen at a different pace.  My usual method is wait until I’m in bed, see a freezing weather report, grab a flashlight, and then stumble through the dark in my pajamas, flashlight in mouth and a load of cold wet plants in my arms.  Good times, good times.

The freeze-dash makes you grateful for hardy “tropicals” such as musa basjoo.  This one is going on winter #3 here by the porch.  I think the protection of the house helps bring it through the winter, although a little extra protection would probably give it a much stronger head start in the spring.Now that the summer garden is packed away and additional rain has finally made for good planting soil I’m thinking about bulbs.  I bet I could hit a few clearance sales and add a couple more bulbs cheaply before the ground freezes.  I bet I’d be real proud of myself come May…..  I just have to remember the time change has me leaving for work and returning home in the dark, and that doesn’t make for good bulb planting.  Oh well.  I already know how this is going to turn out 😉