Well we dodged a cold front this time. Forecast was for mid 20's, but the official low was 33, according to the weather service, not necessarily what happened in my yard. It's 34 now at 8:30 and my coleus and vinca appear to have survived. We did bring in the tropicals I want to keep and some of the nicer pots of annuals. Many years we have an early freeze that kills off annuals then we get another month of warm weather. If we can just bring those plants in, then we enjoy them for another month. I was worried about the new roses, iris and daylilies I just planted. They are mulched and watered well. This is the earliest frost we've had for many years. Everyone I talked to was hoping for the deep freeze for one night to kill the insects because they've been horrible. I was standing in a line buying citronella candle torches and a guy laughed at me, saying you won't need those after tonight! We're having an outdoor party in 2 weeks...we don't have mosquito problems normally because the wind is too strong I just like the look of torches burning at a fall party.
My mums are only starting to open, but they are going to be gorgeous. i have some orange and yellow mums at the foot of orange and yellow climbing roses. The grasses are beautiful this time of year, too. I have some ruby red grasses in front of red roses, and red salvia greggii and oh they are nice.
The lumber store (menards) that had the torches is new to our area, so sometimes they carry things we don't normally see, stuff that is more for upper midwest. (snowshoes, for example!) Yesterday they had a huge selection of rose cones. Styrafoam, recycled paper, several sizes. A lady commented to me that they must be expecting a bad winter. No..I think it's a matter of someone in Wisconsin doing the ordering. Or should I buy some for insurance? Last winter I mulched like crazy and everything stayed green and leafed out all winter. How do you anchor the cones? We have wicked winds all winter, and hardly any snow.
