Thankfully, a friend, engrgirl, was over today to help cut back some of the perennials. Haven't had a frost yet so the annuals which haven't set seed still look good. With my back surgery, limited to ten minutes twice a day, this year I may not get everything cut back this fall. Other friends will help also but what doesn't get done will wait until spring.

Dang mice! I opened the glove drawer in the garage yesterday to find a mouse nest made from a shredded heavy waterproof garden glove. Cleaned it out and added some feverfew foliage but the mouse was back today.

Good night, dear Sebastian.

It was 74 here yesterday and 73 today. I just couldn't get in the mood to cut back the remaining perennials or the ones I cut back the last of Sept/early Oct. and are growing nicely again. Seems too warm to start laying down the leaf mulch also.

lol mnwsgal, whenever I put Sebastian into the storage barn and as I shut the doors I say, "See you next Spring". I'd like to think he feels the same. : ) Sorry about your garden glove. I have mice in a wall cupboard in the garden shed/barn. It smells to high heaven in there, even after giving it a scrubbing. I'm always startled when I open the door and the mouse pops out of its nest of shredded twine and whatnot.

I'm thrilled to have stayed on top of my leaves this year. We have countless huge oak trees that inundate us with leaves every year. This year I was able to get out to mow often enough to let most of them stay right on the lawn. The rest have been shredded with the mower and spread on the garden beds. In a normal year , we are racing against snowfall to get the leaves done. This year it has been like Indian summer all fall.

Martha

Friends were here today to rake leaves. I concentrated on putting chicken wire around shrubs to prevent rabbit and deer damage during the winter. Dug dahlia tubers and cut back iris foliage. Also removed tender annuals that succumbed to light frost. Emptied and washed ceramic pots and stored in garage. Brought a few potted perennials into the garage for winter. Temps forecast to fall into average range for November, low 30Fs for highs and mid20Fs for lows by the end of the week. Waiting for ground to freeze to add shredded leaves to hibiscus and zone pushing perennials.

I've given up trying to save dahlia roots - it's just a form of slow death for them. :(

I got the lawn cut one last time and mulched and shot the leaves onto the bed all at once - love my antique mulching mower. I didn't get my mini-peppers picked before the killing frost so I lost all them, and they had been prolific. Very yummy stuffed and done on the bbq. I've left everything standing till spring. There was an article going around on Facebook about leaving garden litter till spring because of the ladybugs and the orphan bee eggs. So, we'll see how that works. I still haven't brought the hummingbird feeder in - need to do that. That was the best thing last summer as a couple of juveniles had found it!!

It's almost snow time!!

Nancy.

Having a few rainy days so yesterday was spent cleaning and organizing the garage. It was unusually messy with empty pots and wintersowing containers scattered about. Amazing how much free space there is when things are organized.

Cold, windy and rainy! Winter is here and it was down to 21 degrees F. the other night. All the leaves are gone, except for a few of the roses against the house. They're still green!

We planted lots of bulbs, so this spring should be beautiful. Now, it's time for hot cocoa, garden books and lots of planning :)

So far I've put a 3" or so layer of good composted soil on the beds but no leaf mulch yet - too warm. Mums are still blooming. This Sunday the weatherman is calling for snow but no accumulation, low temps in the upper 20's both weekend nights and windy too.

I'm trying to decide if I should cover the teapot topiary now or wait awhile. Speaking of which, I don't think I'll put up the burlap wind breaks around the boxwood hedge borders this year. It really didn't seem to make that much difference the last two winters I did so. I didn't do a second trimming of the boxwood this season either. If there is any winter damage, it will hit the old tall growth, protecting the rest, and then it will be trimmed off next Spring.

The crabapple trees are loaded down with apples!

Got the new Stokes catalogue!! Yea!! I'm ready for winter now.the new format is awesome!!

Lows in the teensF expected soon so drained the hoses for winter. With four inches of rain in the last week we won't need to water before the ground is frozen. Also moved the birdbath to the deck. Added some deer netting over the top of fenced in weigelia . Will add netting to other shrubs another day . Picked a small bouquet of bright orange calendula and two yellow iris. Rained on and off today with a smattering of snowflakes this evening. Wind is howling.

My final winterizing plans are on hold until I get over this awful cold. :( However, looks like we will have temps in the upper 50's again next week so no need to panic yet.

Did any of you get hit by the snow in the upper midwest?

Only a few snowflakes in the air here. Area along the southern border had a few inches. May have snow on Thanksgiving.

chicago based dd sent a photo of their first snow, but I wasn't told how much. I hear we'll have a dusting tomorrow morning. I haven't got the bulbs in yet, but it will be in the 50's at the end of the week so I'll do it then. As long as it is not in the 30's and snowing, which I've experienced far too many times due to my tendency to overdoing things.

My sister, mom, and brother are all,in Lansing, MI and they got 9 inches of the really heavy, dense snow. I'm 70 miles west and hardly got anything.

Martha

I sold my house and gardens in July. My "new" 1939 house renovation isn't going to be finished in time to do much gardening. I'm back to cottage gardens again (formerly WonByHerWits). I'm enjoying reading up on the status of names that I still remember

Welcome back Cameron :). I for one am looking forward to pictures of the amazing garden I know you will create. Your last garden was a wonder to behold.

Annette

Yes I remember you too WonBYHerWits, er, Cameron. Starting over with a brand new garden or reviving or restoring one at the new house? Whatever, you'll make it a stand out.

The 1939 house renovation/addition means that parts of the existing yard (grass) is gone, so I have the opportunity to create new gardens. There are a few azaleas and camellia around, and far too much liriope and nandina!

I need to have good garden soil brought in, but I can't do that until the construction crew has finished. By then, it will be too late to plant much.

Thanks for the welcome, as I remember many of you!

Cameron

Nice to "see" you here again, Cameron. I always enjoyed seeing your former garden, though much of what you grew wouldn't thrive here. I'll look forward to future photos of your new garden.

Cameron, I too will look forward to seeing your new gardens. You have a great eye!!

Nancy.

Thanks, y'all!

It's going to be a long wait with winter coming.

Warm temps here in Ohio, could get up to 65 today and even 70 tomorrow. Regardless, I put down my leaf mulch yesterday. Normally one waits until the ground is at least frozen a little. It was a nice day and rain was expected over night so I did it, trying to keep the mulch away from the base of the perennials - which are still green!

And I swear I passed an eye clinic that had beautiful green lawns that looked as though someone had mowed recently.