Fall Survivors

(Kale in late November)

I decided it was time to talk about the plants that are still surviving in our garden. This has been an above average November, so I'm sure things look better they would in other years. So far we have had most nights freezing, but only a few in the teens (F).

Above, the kale hasn't been phased yet by the cool weather. In fact, it is probably tasting it's best with nightly frosts.

Some common thyme we planted from seed seems to be alive above ground still. We will see if it can come back next year.

(Common thyme)

I was surprised this lavender plant was still alive. It didn't really get the best growing conditions and is very small. I will try to protect it and see if it will come back.

(Lavender Lady - Lavendula angustifolia)

The parsley always stays around into the late fall. This particular planting doesn't usually survive the winter, but our south side planting has come back this year and went to seed.

(Curled parsley)

Walking onions getting their last bit of sun before the winter sleep. I think next year we want to try some potato onions as well.

("Walking" onions)

Many leaves of strawberries are still hanging on. The plants on the north side have many red leaves -- a sure sign there have been hard frosts.

(Alpine strawberry)

Here are some parsnips we will leave in until spring. Also, in the lower right is a swiss chard that was a volunteer -- probably a dropped seed.

(Parsnips)

I have noticed a lot of seeds growing in this mild fall. I wonder how many will actually survive and how many were just fooled.


I like the fact that the heuchera never looses its color. Even with the leaves are dead and dried it will look like this.

(heuchera)

There are even a couple flowers still blooming. This viola waited until the canopy of dill died before spreading its own leaves. (Actually you might spot the dill seedlings in the photo.)


Not sure what these little flowers are, but they are hardy -- probably a weed in someone's book. For us it is in a wildflower bed.


We still have green grass, but the vegetable beds are ready for winter.


A number of plants are done for the winter like this rhubarb.

(Rhubarb)

A (late) Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

Still Fall

I feel compelled to produce evidence that it is indeed fall here and not the dead of winter yet.

Yes, the days are shorter and we tend to experience snow "sprinkles" rather than rain - but it's fall. Taking walks this time of the year tends to be interesting for wildlife spotting. It's easy to spot deer and squirrels in the trees without the cover of leaves to hide them. Surprisingly I haven't really spotted rabbits near the house this fall.

In the morning any little bit of water tends to be frozen, but the river is still flowing.


Just a few leaves left in the yard. We did get a great day over the weekend to clean up most of the ones that fell in the front yard. The back tends to stay fairly leaf free on its own.


This brings up one question I have been pondering lately - do I need to clean up my leaves? I have vaguely heard somewhere that if you have a fine type of grass that too many leaves will damage it over the winter. I wonder how much is too much...which begs the question, if grass really isn't suited to where it is (under trees) what is better...

Highs: near 32 F

What is Quiet?

That's the question that came to me the other night as walked outside and noted how quiet everything was. It might have been the late hour - everyone was home from work and the sun was set. It might have been the rain - every sound seems to become dampened in the wet. Finally I knew what it was....there was no wind!

I had become so used to the blowing and rattling of leaves and branches that it was so different for things to be very still and calm.

As timing and luck would have it I am making a post with snow again - get used to it because it will become more common from now 'til spring. The snow we had before did disappear - really.


We are on the lucky side of things...no blizzard with 50 inches here. Just rain and now a small amount of snow.


There are some awards for plants that have stayed around longest through the frosts...raspberries (can't wait 'til next year when we get to harvest them).


Curly parsley has proven fairly hardy as well.


The swiss chard near the house has also survived.


Thanks for stopping by and let me know...how to you know when it is really quiet?

It's Fall...

...And I am falling behind in my garden updates. I will try to make some posts even into the winter, but as you can tell I have slowed down a lot from Spring.

This time of year the garden is moving into hibernation and the weather is turning. The fog above is my breath Monday morning - our first frost to hit the car windows. We've had a couple light frosts, but this was the first I had to scrape from the windows.

The grass was highlighted in white, although many protected areas did not get condensation this time. Today many very tender plants like Basil and Tomato have been killed. Many hardy and semi-hardy plants are still fine.


Ah, the autumn...the last warm sunny days are great with smell and sounds of fallen leaves.


The sound of little paws crunching though the many piles brings a smile.


The Red River of the North had a late flood this year with a very wet September.


Just last week the river was about 7.5 feet above flood stage - enough to cover no parking signs on the low roads. If I recall this was close to a record for fall. Today it is below flood stage until Spring.


Well that's my update - now I need to visit all of my bogging friends out there.