If paper whites make it until Christmas that would be nice with their scent smelling up the kitchen and living room. Makes me wish I bought more but I still have hyacinths waiting and seeds to start for spring. Did you start paper whites? This is the best they've done for a few years. Decided to put both containers in cool window seals to force and I think that was the key. 

Although we've had frost some perennials have not yet hibernated.

Foxglove

Nicotenia has never stopped flowering even with some nights in the 20's.

Dusty Miller

Lantana. I removed some dry seeds and will attempt to start them indoors soon.

Critters have already started digging up last falls bulbs but the won't eat this allium.

My seed starting supplies.

Dried flower from on the table at Thanksgiving. They were beautiful. I love all flowers even dried one. I'll put them in the bathroom until they their color fades.

Saturday morning making biscuits.

I have 1,000 bulbs to plant. Better get started soon. Most will go in containers. This year I ordered from Colorblends and Dutch Grown.

 

Saturday

Now my time goes to gardening indoors, forcing bulbs, and seed starting although I haven't started any yet. When I go get some soil, I'll put bulbs in containers on the porch. Received 2 orders and waiting for the last one from Color Blends.

Overhead shop lights have helped my cactus fill out on top. I've had her for many years.

 

She had lots of blooms but only one left now until next time.

Begonia seeding I grew last winter. If taken better care of it would look much better by now.

Rabbits foot fern and how can I forgot the name of the other one.

Grown from 1 tiny baby. She's making progress.

Sansevieria now in the spot where my yearly peace lily sits. I moved it to under the plant light to try to save it.

Said I wouldn't buy another Chinese Evergreen but how could I leave it in the store. After killing seveal I've learned they like to be on the dry side. If it doesn't survive until spring that's okay. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Found big mealy bugs on her today. I've been battling them since last winter. Added systemic to soil and watered and sprayed the leaves and will check again later this week and wipe the leaves with alcohol.

Her name is Gabby, from a friend.

Euphorbia with a small bloom. Two have been with me for years have gotten tall but not full. This winter I'll repot them together.

It's that time. Actually I should have started them in September but most mail order doesn't send them that early. They'll go in the cellar sometimes next week for cold and darkness.

I have 5 more paper whites to start. Last season I forced them in soil but went back to water this season.

Sorry for the blurry picture. Rick Rac Cactus grew nicely on the sunporch this summer. She'll return to the porch in the spring.

 

Saturday

It's that time in my zone to take house plants indoors. Bird of Paradise is now in it's new home for winter in my daughter's bedroom. Now the multipurpose room. Sansevieria, philodendron, rick rack cactus, a begonia in bloom, a hoya, and the other plants were sprayed to hopefully prevent insects from hitchhiking indoors. A rabbits foot fern, dracena, pothos, and 3 pelargoniums are waiting to come inside. The pelargoniums will go in the kitchen window seal and hopefully continue to bloom during the winter. Time to collect some seeds. My lantana has small dark berries. Possibly future seedlings for next season. This would be the first time trying to grow it. Hoped my hyacinths would have arrived by now so I can start forcing them. I do have 10 paper whites. Maybe I'll start them.

My pansies aren't doing well. Probably because I squeezed them in.

Can't wait to see my hollyhock in the spring. I believe they're biannual and will hopefully self sow seeds.

Yarrow

The weather hasn't killed the worms on the salvia. Didn't disturb it.

Lambs ear didn't thrive this season. Got some type of dot like disease that started in spring and lasted all season.

Didn't pull up the root of nicotiana and it's started to regrow but frost will get it. I'll start more from seeds again this winter. Too large of a seedling to overwinter and they are so easy to start from seeds.

Blooms are done on the mums. I'll plant some perennials brought from the discount rack in their place. They'll have all winter to keep growing roots underground .

Going to let the dark berries get a little more dry before I pull them and hope birds don't get to them first.

Will attempt to overwinter the coleus and dichondra silver falls. No fall planting for this container. The plants are still thriving and I hate to pull them but will soon before frost.

Dichondra

Moved a lot of the plant indoors from the sunporch which is unheated and gets as cold as being outdoors in winter.

For the backyard birds for Christmas. Surprised it came so fast in the mail in only 2 days.

I use this in the soil before taking houseplants back indoors and spray with Raid House and Garden although not organic. 

Hope the pumpkins won't be squirrel food.