Harvesting and clearing

We have been working – except for a week in Arizona – on clearing out our garden before the really cold weather gets here. Nancy has been cutting down pickup-truck loads of perennials now that the first frost has hit.

A few dahlias are looking good, still, and the hydrangeas always look good at the end of the year. I like especially the chrysanthemums that come back from year to year rather than the ones that have to be plopped in every fall. The chelone and asters are also blooming well after the first touch of frost. And we were surprised to see two blooming gladiolas after we had spent a week away.

The vegetable garden is just about done. We have been digging potatoes, carrots and leeks only when we need them, since I read that they store better in the garden ground than anyplace you can store them in your house. But I will have to get all of those harvested in a few weeks.

The sad part of this year is that there isn't much light either before or after work, so all of the outdoor chores get shifted over to the weekends. And if you have a rainy day or another commitment, the garden and yard duities get ignored.

Sundays column was about the new, relocated Morrison Developmental Center in Scarborough. I focused on the greenhouses, of course, but it is a superb location for a great organization.

Two weeks ago, since I didn't post anything here last week, I wrote about what to grow under trees.

Anyway, I hope the soggy forecast for Saturday improves. We still have some things to get done.