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.

You Buying Seeds

One of the best surprises is coming home to a plant related delivery. You started buying seeds for the new gardening season? Mail delivery has been difficult and I'm glad to finally receive a seed order from Botanical Interests that the post office said was delivered 3 days ago. To who's house? Why do they document that something is delivered when it's still on the truck? Color Blends notified me by e-mail that my bulb shipment would be late. I hope they arrive fresh and ready to plant and before the ground freezes. I never start until the end of November anyway. Although this year it's predicted that the North East will have a cold and snowy winter with early snow. We shall see.

My new favorite and easy to grow from seed although I didn't smell any scent. The foliage is large and it blooms until frost although I finally pulled mine. No dead heading required.

Salvia did well for me but sowed it twice last winter and it got some type of disease when the plants were good size. This year think I'll use an antifungal.

Think I'll start the lettuce to eat under lights this winter.

These should be beautiful.

This will be my first time growing dusty miller. The seed packet has a picture but I didn't post it because it was blurry.

The larkspur needs a cold treatment and will go in the refrigerator.

Will refrigerate for a few weeks before sowing.

Blooming in the house today. Bouquet from Target. Tried to avoid the produce market.

Is that safflower in the center? Don't know what it is although I've seen it before. After searching images, I think it is.

And my bedtime snack, diet Coke and a Jello fruit cup.

October Morning

I haven't taken many pictures this season. Today after my firewood was delivered thought I'd share a fall morning in the city. It's beautiful and cool with low humidity, blue sky, and bright sun. A day to sit and soak up the beauty of fall.

This is all the dahlia did all season.

Lantana, dusty miller and ornamental cabbage.

Hollyhock to bloom in spring.

Zinnias and some petunias pulled that didn't look good. Waiting for fall bulbs to plant.

I think this is a foxglove it's first year. I look forward to seeing it's bloom in spring.

Some plants have went to sleep including 2 ferns. The didn't seem to like it here although it is shaded. Going to remove them in spring.

On the sunporch

Bird of Paradise from Home Depot. Shocked to see it and in good health. It'll go in my daughter's room since she moved out it is now the multipurpose room and my excuse to buy more plants.

Philodendron from White Flower Farm.

Sansevieria

From a friend at work. Can't remember it's name.

Have to water and take better care of
 these. Pelargoniums to go in the kitchen window.

Perennial purchases from the discount rack. Anemone.

False Sunflower

Amaryllis

Soon to go back indoors before the temperatures get too low on the sun porch. There's still time.

Pansies

Watching the critter and birds living their lives.

Begonia

Didn't find a nice variety of pumpkins for the mantel and one rotted and had to be removed. I may buy some for the table at Thanksgiving, something different. I like the white ones but they discolor so fast.

Crocodile or alligator fern purchased from the supermarket along with pony tail palm below. Amazing what you can find at the supermarket when supposedly grocery shopping.

My favorites because scindapsus requires little attention. Just a little water every now and then. And they'll let you know when to water.