Today I planted the daffodils and the Siberian squill (scilla). I gave them all an alum water bath before planting so hopefully that will keep the squirrels from getting after them. The squirrels were conspicuously absent while I was about my business. It was creepier than when they were watching me plant garlic. Where were they? Did they get better at hiding? Were they peering at me
between leaves or dressed in camouflage crouching behind hillocks of grass with binoculars? I don’t trust them, they are up to something!Sadly I had to throw five of the daffodil bulbs on the compost because they were moldy. The box had been delivered in the rain and got wet. Since the bulbs were in plastic bags I didn’t think anything about it. I guess I should have. So instead of three “drifts” of daffodils with scilla mixed in I have two drifts of daffodils and a drift of all scilla. Note to future self, do not leave any plant material in a box that has gotten wet no matter how they were packaged. Lesson learned.
In a week full of surprises I noticed mums blooming in my front garden. I had planted them a very long time ago and they had come back a few years and bloomed but for the last several years they were scrawny and there were no blooms. So it was this year I didn’t even notice that they came back and looked pretty good. And now their deep burgundy flowers are looking quite striking among the fading greens. The variety of mum is Minnesota, a hardy variety developed, especially for Minnesota weather.While the mums are pretty, the real star of the garden this time of year is the foliage. The big bluestem is turning red before it fades to straw. The hazelnut tree is orange and red and yellow and green right now and looks especially gorgeous in the soft late morning light of autumn. And Melody, the silver maple in my front yard, is green and
yellow with a touch of red. So pretty. She is one of those trees that holds onto its leaves until the last possible moment and then drops them all at once on a windy day.We are cooking apples like crazy and still have a lot more. I have lost count of how many jars of applesauce and apple butter we have canned. Yesterday Bookman and I picked two five-gallon (18L) buckets and there are still more on the tree, at least another bucket, maybe two. We were too busy this weekend for Bookman to make an apple treat, but he’s got
something planned for later in the week. By the time we are done with the apples the pumpkins will be ready. We also have a number of green tomatoes that, with the weather turning cool for good, will not get ripe. I found a recipe for green tomato relish that we are going to try. Oh, and I think we will finally get to making mustard this week. We needed red wine vinegar and almonds for Roman mustard and we kept forgetting to buy them when we went shopping. But we have them now. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out.Goodness, I am tired just writing about all the work ahead. When the snow starts falling and the urge to hibernate comes over me, I am going to curl up with a book and a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy not doing anything at all for a while.
Great Post!
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Thanks!
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I so love reading about your garden and the pics are an added treat! Thank you for this sweet post!
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sidon, thanks! It’s been fun writing about my garden this year.
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I don’t know anything about gardening but I so do love your posts. Your enthusiasm really shines through.
On another note, I am currently reading The Signature of all things, and couldn’t help thinking it’s the perfect book for gardening/plant lovers. Do try the book. So far, it’s great 🙂
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Nish, thanks, I am glad you enjoy them! I haven’t heard much about The Signature of All Things other than it has something to do with botany? I am glad you are enjoying it. It has a very long wait list at my library so I added myself –number 401! 🙂
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We got the cold weather this past week and more to the point the wet weather. For the first time in months I had to change the route of my walk because there was flooding across one of the paths I use. I don’t mind the cold but I DO NOT DO RAIN!!
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Alex, it is a chill, wet autumn day with a raw wind as I type. No flooding though. Goodness, I hope the waters recede soon!
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The mums are beautiful – what a great surprise! I was very excited to see our mini rose bush flourishing last week but then we got tons of rain this weekend and it seems like all the blooms are gone. Boo-hoo but it was good that we got rain. Can’t wait to see what treat Mr. Bookman makes with all the apples!
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Iliana, thanks! They stopped me up short when I was walking up to my front door after work one day. Your poor mini rose. I had one once and really liked it but it only survived for a couple of years before being buried in winter snow finally got to it. Maybe you will get a second bloom on yours.
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I enjoyed such a good laugh at the vision of the squirrels holding binoculars and spying on your gardening progress. They are always up to something.
I’m looking forward to reading how your green tomato relish turns out.
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Vanessa, I wouldn’t put it past those squirrels to have binoculars! We picked the green tomatoes yesterday since we are expecting frost this weekend. There weren’t as many as we thought but enough to make a small batch of relish. Hopefully it turns out good!
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I should consider doing a relish with mine also. I used four cups worth for a pie yesterday but I still have many little green tomatoes left over.
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