Notes From Zone 4

You can tell it is fall and we are far behind on the firewood, because we went out after work again to pick at it. But we were sitting in the gazebo with a glass of wine, and started to feel guilty, so what the heck. Frank might as well use at least one tank

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It’s stress relief to get out in the garden, even if just for an hour, after work in the evenings. This year has been so wet, though, that mostly tonight we got out there because the lawn was long enough to cut as hay, and it was finally dry enough to mow. All of the fall flowers are in full bloom right now, and looking quite lovely. I need more of them, though. I’m mostly green, with a few splashes of pinks and yellows here and there. Oh, and some purples as well, with the asters and obedient plants. We haven’t had a freeze yet this year, so the window boxes are still in fine form as well. The leaves on the trees are getting more and more color. I think we’re still two weeks from peak color, though.

I am so sick of bugs! We are really being attacked this year by both the dreaded red lily beetle and the awful green Japanese beetle. I often go out in the evening to collect them off of the plants, but it’s a losing battle. I’m ruthless, though, and when I spot them I either

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Austin and Gavin had great fun with more tractor rides in the garden, and much feeding of the fish. We are now feeding them the low temp food which they don’t like near as much. I think the boys gave them enough for a week’s worth, however. The only things blooming out there now are yellow flowers, asters and um, that’s it. Many yellows, which go great with all the colors on the changing leaves. The burning bushes look great as well. I’m complimenting Mother Nature’s colors, that’s what I’m doing. Why try to compete? The silly Halloween mums are all in bud, but no blossoms yet. The window boxes are looking very ratty. Things that didn’t get finished before I have surgery tomorrow: I have 450 bulbs that need to get into the ground. Bringing in the window boxes. Oh well. This surgery should be pretty minor, and maybe I’ll get to it next weekend.

A hard freeze is expected tonight, which is a bit depressing. I have so many things still blooming and I don’t want to lose them! I know, I should be grateful that I went this long … but but my roses are so pretty, and my dahlias. We went out there in the evening

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Fall is officially here. The air is decidedly nippy tonight. I thought we might actually be in for the first freeze of the year, but I guess my blood just hasn’t thickened up yet. But so many of the fall plants are out in full force in the garden. The burning bushes are almost at

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Our poor pumpkin! Still huge, and the blossoms are huge, but now we learn that they have to be hand pollinated. I doubt we are even going to get a single pumpkin from this plant. Stupid pumpkin. I wanted to take my own home grown pumpkin to the Keene Pumpkin festival this year. Chrysler Imperial

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It’s just the beginning of September, but fall is definitely in the air. The asters are just starting to bloom. I’d picked up two fancy ones earlier this year, and I’m quite pleased with the dark purple and dark blue colors. I’m not so sure I liked where I planted them, but I want to

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