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Wednesday, November 15, 2017

A ZILLION JOBS TO DO

Someone asked me the other day if my gardening had slowed down now that winter was approaching. In fact, I would say it has ramped up considerably. There are hundreds of things to do. A delivery of trees from Tree Folks last week gave me an extra job in which I enlisted David's help. Tree Folks took a virtual look at my lot last year and decided I should plant these trees, part of the over 4500 trees they give out every year to Austin residents. Among them two oak trees a native persimmon and two flame leaf sumac.


There are few places on our lot where you don't hit ledge stone so we were pleasantly surprised to find a couple of spots where it was just small, easily removable rocks. These trees have to learn to live in what is here so no amendment, just a layer of compost over the top, a good soaking and some cedar mulch around the tree.
We have done very little work on the trees on most of our lot. There are so many horrible cedars and I have just been content to let them stay. But now we are starting to trim some of them up and remove the ugly ones and we are finding a number of persimmons growing in among the cedars.


Several weeks ago I bought several six packs of hardy annuals and potted them on into 4" pots awaiting the cooler weather. I do this every year.


It gives them a head start when planted in the ground or in pots. These hardy annuals add color to the winter garden and the bonus of the delightful fragrance of stocks, alyssum and petunias just outside the door.


I was also fortunate to be the recipient of some of the staging plants, left by Gardeners' Supply, when they were here filming their new pots for next year's catalogue.


I used some of these plants to change out the window box on the potting shed. I left the Mexican feather grass from the summer planting removing all the soil around them replenishing with fresh compost. I have had good success with ornamental cabbage in past years so I purchased 3, 4" pots and potted on into quart containers before they finally took their place in the window box.



Alyssum self sows in the garden and on winter days they are a magnet for the bees.


As often as not it will seed in the pathways and vegetable beds and there it stays.


I really wish summer would be over. It tries to leave for a day and then we are back in summer again. My problem is the need to get summer vegetables out of the ground so I can tidy up the beds for winter, whether or not they are planted with winter legs.
Despite the fact that many were still going strong I picked all the remaining peppers and butternut squash.


It's hard to believe that the butternut squash grew to this size in less than 2 months. When I added compost to the flower bed in the sunken garden a seed sprouted and produced these. It was trying to takeover the garden.


The peppers were sautéed and frozen in batches. The butternut squash still ripening in the kitchen.
It's good to see the beds empty again although I planted garlic in one of them and peas in another. For now I am spending the days trying to tidy up before we get the next frost.




13 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your new trees! This is my busiest time of the garden year too but, after a horribly hot October, we're lucky to have summer behind us I think (and hope and pray). I also started potting up small starter plants while the heat was on and that's worked well for me too - it's an extra step but it allows me to pick up plants when they're available rather than hedging my bets hoping they'll still be there when weather conditions are right. Happy planting!

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    1. I think all plants do better when they are potted up before planting and it is so easy to do with small plants. I even plan to try and keep a few over the winter before planting out in the spring.

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  2. I really am trying to be understanding of why you want summer to end. I desperately want it back. I know we live in very different climates.

    Nice trees!

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    1. Too many weeds. That's why I want summer to end! It has slowed considerably, the weed pulling---but dang if summer isn't rough.

      I can handle this mild weather. It can stay.

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  3. I agree that autumn is just as busy as spring in the garden, just in a different way. How exciting that your garden was filmed for a catalog. I'll be watching to see if I can recognize anything.

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    1. The shots are very tight so even I have trouble recognizing my own garden. But you are right, it is fun to have them over and they do work very hard while they are here.

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  4. The trees will love being a part of your lovely garden.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan. I hope they survive. They are not going to be molly coddled!

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  5. I learn something from every new blog post of yours, or when I have an opportunity to be in your garden. This post was no exception, and I just thought I'd say "thanks."

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  6. I also got two flameleaf Sumacs from Treefolks but the trees keep falling over and uprooting themselves ( deer?). Should I put a cage around it as you did with your oak tree above?

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    1. I put cages around mine because this is the time of year when the male deer are rubbing the velvet of their antlers. They love young trees and can damage the bark easily and enough to kill the young tree. I also noticed that the trees were planted in some rather porous bark material so the roots balls weren't very firm. This may also be part of the reason. You could also put a small stake in the ground to give them sone support. I am watering mine every other day because of the porous nature of the material they were planted in. I wish it would rain!

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  7. I'm looking forward to seeing your garden again!

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