Preparing For Fall-In the Yard

I finally make it into the yard . Five hours later than expected. After cleaning up the front I ate breakfast, sat down and snoozed on the porch and then decided to go out back. I knew that one of the tomato vines was yellow tomatoes but until today I didn't have any. To my surprise I had 2 good sized ones. I was so excited. Made me not want to pull up the vines but it was certainly time. I got a nice amount of cherry tomatoes off the other vine. There were many tiny baby developing cucumbers. Two that were large and a smaller one misshapen one. I included a picture for anyone that's never seen how they start off from the flower. I am going to cut the other one and see how it taste. If left it would have possibly filled out. Well I didn't feed the neighborhood this summer but it was still nice to get some fresh veggies for salad most tomatoes and a small amount of Swiss chard. Practice makes perfect and next year is a chance to improve. The bumble bees will be upset tomorrow when they come and there's no vine or flowers to pollinate. They were buzzing in the flowers today.

Last fall I  bagged up leaves and cut some leaves off perennials but left a whole lot to be cleaned up in the spring. This year will be different since today started my first day of cleaning. The pots the veggies were in will be emptied and cleaned and fresh soil put in next season. It would be nice to get compost for the containers. I topped off the peony because it had finally developed powdery mildew. Browned or damaged leaves on plants were cut off. So many plants have been devoured by slugs or some leaf eating insect. Organic gardening is one thing but to have almost everything eaten is a problem. I only get to enjoy my heucheras (coral bell) in the spring before they get eaten. The rose bush actually did good this year but now it's leaves have been eaten. The yard is full of so many spiders. I hate spiders and webs. I know they are helpful and eat some small insects but they can also be a nuisance.

I can look at the yard and see where I want to plant bulbs in October. This year I won't plant them in some of the spots as last year because some bulbs were placed too close to things coming up. No new perennials. I think I'll try to dig up the ones I put in bad places last fall and try to relocate them and hopefully give them a better chance next season.

I threw this one out.

I kept this one. They were ready to be pulled. The leaves had powdery mildew. I need to learn how to control disease.

That's how the cucumber start off. If the bloom is pollinated the cucumber forms where the bloom is attached.

Poor broccoli never planted. Now it will be. I will definitely need to dust it because the white butterflies were around and I'm sure knew it was there.

There are lots of small peppers on it. I don't have good luck with peppers in the yard. Possibly not enough sun for them.

I'm proud that black eyed Susan adapted to my yard and may return.

The geranium and chocolate mint coleus seedlings grew. The coleus is real large although I can't seem to capture that.

I would love this to be pretty and lush. Haven't figured it out yet. Next season is another chance to improve.

Poor little flower bed. One day I will get it right. Something will do good here.

Peony covered in mildew, cut down.

It's been really dry even with rain. We had light sprinkles today but the ground doesn't show it.

Just a mess. The clematis and other plants in this area did not preform well this season.

Will deadhead the coneflower and by fall place in a larger container. It won't be planted in the ground.

The elephant ear was the star this summer followed by the fern.