Fall Tasks: The Rules Are Different

This has been a crazy autumn. Many people still have flowers blooming in their yards in Kellogg. There has only been one hard frost. The most damage our plants have gotten in the last few days is from the wind. I am used to in the past coming home to help Mom put her garden "to bed" now, wearing a heavy vest and cutting down numerous dead plants. I thought I should deadhead the mums. Those are the flowers above in the bottom of the garbage can. Now the plants have new buds.

This year nothing has died back yet. When I did a tour of Mom's yard the other day she still had calendulas blooming.  I bought and planted a rose about a month ago and it is still blooming. JEJ did put the winter fertilizer on the grass today. I hope it doesn't get new growth now!

I think the garden task calendars are getting a bit out of whack now. The rules are different when it comes to getting a garden and yard ready for winter. I am all for a long, lovely autumn, but I just hope five feet of snow doesn't fall tomorrow. Some time we need to put protection around the roses.

Of course, my Christmas cactus is now blooming. I don't need a fuzzy blanket, but use one anyway. I am ready to wear my mittens, hat, and scarf, but like the milder weather.
The only thing that has been consistent is the time change and darker afternoons.

So much for my plans and to-do lists. I am just going to go with the flow. Maybe it will never get cold. Maybe roses will still be blooming in December. Maybe we will have to gas up that lawn mower again. Time will tell. I will keep you posted!