We've had 1 day of good frost, but it didn't really kill anything in my yard. I was thinking we'd get a killing freeze this week, but the mets have inched the temps just above or around freezing...so we may be able to stretch out our growing season just a bit longer :)

In preparation for our first hard freeze, I cut the Mandevilla vine back to 1' and sprayed it with insectical soap. I always have problems with mealy bugs on that plant. I'll be bringing the Mandevilla, boston ferns, and the Dragon Wing begonia in. I already have rooted cuttings of Coleus, Plectranthus, and Basil and they are now living in my kitchen window. I've decided that I didn't like the Abuliton (a variegated orange-flowering cultivar) enough to try to overwinter it. I still haven't potted up the Cordyline 'Red Sensation' for the winter season and I'll probably just cover it up with a sheet. The asparagus fern will be fine on the porch unless it gets down into the mid 20's.

Tell me more about rooting your basil. I haven't tried that before.

Just take a cutting and either place it in water or soil. It really roots that easy.

I have so many plants still in bloom...salvia, Encore azaleas, KO roses, gaillardia, agastache, buddliea...and my colocasia are wonderful right now.

Oh well. That's Mother Nature.

The winter garden is covered with a light row cover. I'm not at all sure it's tacked down well enough or thick enough, so I put an extra layer down this morning. This is my first year trying a winter garden, so I'm a bit nervous, but like Ralph said, if the garden survives the next couple days, it should warm up again by the end of the week. Here's hoping!!

docarwen- if it's a winter garden it should be just fine. It'll have to take much more than a light freeze or it wouldn't be much of a winter garden, after all. So long as we don't get a drastic temp drop the plants will adjust and do fine with minimal protection. If it's a big drop (like 10-15 degrees below what it has been typically getting at night), whether now or later in the season, then you'll need to protect the plants. Even if you don't, many times if they get damaged, they won't die and they'll keep growing and grow out the damaged areas. So rest easy.

Ralph was speaking more about annual garden stuff- veggies & such like tomatoes, peppers and things that if you cover through the first few frosts you can often get more weeks of harvest before you're done. Annual and tender perennial flowers are the same deal- you can often extend the show with just a little planning.

Aaah, thanks Tammy. I'm feeling slightly embarrassed to have missed the context but very relieved.

Glad to help ease your mind. Don't be embarrassed at all. If they are newly sprouted babies you can just throw some reemay on, but even without they'll probably be just fine. I never used to cover my lettuce & stuff all winter. It's only in the past few years i started using reemay and it does really speed things up and protect stuff. Plus it keeps everything cleaner.

I just realized that your handle is "doc Arwen". Are you the same Arwen who used to come to the swap and was studying medicine? If so, congrats- you must have gotten your degree! How exciting!

I know I should try to save the tender plants..........but I am ready for the next season. Winter.... Cold and Quiet. It is time for us.... "In this Yard" to clean up and plan for the spring. The growing season was fantastic this year with just enough rain and heat to make the beds shine. Thankful for the show.
Plan to plant some pansies, ornamental cabbage and kale (For Winter Color) in the many pots.
Have a ground planting plan for spring 2009 that still needs addressed. That will be next.... Not done digging and moving plants....trimming and dead heading....... raking, mulching and bagging leaves .....just done with the growing season 2008. How about You?
Happy Gardening
Dianne

Tammy -- I'm the same arwen but I forgot the password for "arwenlurks" and re-registered. Not ~quite~ to the Dr phase yet but I have been put on notice that I am next in line to defend the PhD -- probably in the spring -- and then once I have that, I head back to medical school for the last year.
It's both exciting and very terrifying -- thesis defense? For real? OH SHOOOOT.
:)

Cool! Good for you Arwen! Best of luck in your thesis defense. Sounds really scary to me. I'm sure you'll do just fine. What kind of Dr. are you going to be- a GP, or a specialist?

Dianne- I'm kind of ready for it to all be done, but at the same time i have so many green maters because we got started so late and would like for those to ripen up. Plus, my flowers look pretty good right now and i'd like the show to keep going for just a bit longer. I will cover the maters, but not the flowers- too many & too scattered. Besides, often we escape the first few frosts predicted, so i'm thinking we may just squeak through this one since they want 31. I'm nowhere near done with all the chores you mentioned, and will need to plug away at that stuff. Sometimes i don't get to the neatening phase til after the new year.

The frost & freeze damage is very evident on things in the open in my yard and almost non-existent on other plants under the trees or next to the house. The Angel Trumpets have been blooming like crazy recently, but they look pretty droopy this morning. How bad is the damage where you are? I plan to leave covered until tomorrow morning the things that were covered last night.

All my annual stuff melted last night, BUT the perennial things didn't seem to mind any of the cold. On the other hand most of those are up against the house so I'm thinking the reason for that is because they were afforded a little more protection maybe?
At any rate, I hope the perennials continue to be happy and don't go into their sleep cycle just yet.
Although I do still have some snapdragons which are faithfully hanging on, almost felt sorry enough for them to dig them, pot them up and try to save them. Mind you I said ALMOST...lol.
Everything else that was tender or too new to have good roots yet has been brought inside for the time being.

:) Fran

Interestingly, the kids said there was frost on everything yesterday, but it must have been super light, because i didn't see any damage on anything- including tomatoes, impatiens and some other non hardy things. We'll see how today or rather last night went in a little bit. i did cover the maters last night since the tarp was freed up- i moved a bunch of stuff to the basement yesterday.

Fran, don't dig up your snaps. they are quite hardy and actually sold alongside pansies sometimes. They'll come through the winter fine- it's usually the summer that gets them. Maybe protect them in it gets into the mid to low teens. Not sure how much colder you get than we do- i know you're closer to the mountains. Your noted zone is the same as ours though, so they should be fine.

only thing i saw damaged today was the big brug that's in the ground near the road. I was at work all day and didn't get home til 6, so i didn't get to look closely, but that was the only really obvious thing. Looked like my white ginger lily is ok and still blooming. I didn't realize it's hardier than the brug leaves, but now i know.

Wow, Thanks Tammy. I didn't know snaps could hang on like that. I will leave them, they are still blooming even with the low 27 nights we've had 2 nights in a row. They filled out so nicely and I hated the thought of losing them!!! Now I know I might not!

:) Fran

They actually can be perennial in our area- i've had some now for four years. I lose about 1/4 of them each year, so i'm down to the last few i originally planted, but that sure isn't bad odds for an 'annual'! Same thing with some of the 'annual' dianthus they sell. Also, dusty miller can make it more than a year if conditions are right.

The few annual Coleus I left in the ground are fried along with the Elephant's Ear and nasturtiums. Everything else seems to be showing very little signs of damage. Some Hosta are still going strong and a few have went transparent.

I'm ready to move into the confines of the greenhouse for a while. As much as I enjoy it all, I need (really need) a break.

What a beautiful November "First" Day! Spent the day cleaning up, deadheading, trimming the over stressed plants, watering and OMG! (we need rain). Moved and divided plenty. Planted allot of divisions from a fellow gardener. I look forward to Spring 2009. As soon as I am hit by a heavy frost; I will begin the pot makeover with pansies etc....Frost has been light here in Raleigh North Hills Drive ..........Happy Gardening....Dianne

Had a heavy frost Wed and Thurs nights. The really tender annuals are done for as are the cannas and ee. I did enjoy photographing it all on Thurs morning though.

{{gwi:587765}}

Here is a link that might be useful: frosty garden pics

Nothing except the brug was hit for me so far- but like i said, i tend to be a degree or 2 warmer than forecast. Not sure if it's the way my land is laid out or the fact that we're so close to lake benson. I don't know how far the protective effect of water extends. We are about 1/4 mile as the crow flies, closer than that if you consider the swamp/backwaters, but they are well below my front yard.

Vegetable garden is done for

Thanks Tammy, I do think the defense will go ok though it will be very stressful.

I'm not sure which way I'll end up doctoring in the end -- I used to think neurosurgery, and it's still really high on my list but I've been out of the hospital too long to feel very confident about predicting... chances are I'll be a specialist of some type.

I'll try to remember to announce the defense over on conversations when I have a date. (or I can send you a blog invite, though you may not want to wade through my miscellaneous ruminations!)

That would be awesome, Arwen! I wish you the best of luck and nerves of steel in your defense. Take care- t