What's doin in your neck of the woods today? Fall 2011

Can't believe that the weather forecasts call for SNOW over much of our area. I haven't put my plants to bed for the winter or done more than sweep the oak leaves!

Is this a cold snap or the beginning of a long haul to Spring?
Hate it when I find those all black wooly bears...3 so far.....not an overly abundant crop of acorns
this year. What lies ahead? I'm totally resisting turning on the furnace but found my little space heater to keep my feet warm while I type

I've been wanting soups and stews and chili since the end of September .

So, I'd like to hear if you've had a frost or freeze yet and how this October nor'easter treats you and yours.

And, of course anything else you care to mention.

We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1186435/



This message was edited Oct 28, 2011 7:28 PM

Thanks, Judy.

I have been bringing my plants in slowly--over the last few weeks. Was trying to avoid the
last minute freak out when the forecasters say: "Tonight, we will have an inch of snow--which is
exactly what will happen tonight....I am glad all is in safely!

The last things I brought in were all my CC pots this morning. I always leave them out to get a cold snap--
but--last night, we had 36*. That is more than a "cold snap"...They are all budding--so i did not want to lose any.

I had already brought in 3 of my Brugs. All trimmed back. Yesterday, I dug up the biggest one (Dr. Seuss)--
took a zillion stem cuttings and potted them up. Now all is well outside!
The only thing still needing--maybe???--to be brought in are all my pots of Purple Oxalis.
I do have them all covered up.

Need some advice here.....How much cold can these take before they get damaged?
I have, by now--about 7 or 8 pots of these! NOT like bringing in one or two pots! This will need a lot of room!
I could stash them all in my Shop--like I do all my Clivias. Out of sight--out of mind!
I know the Oxalis goes dormant--but they haven't done so yet! Still all leaves and blooms....

The rest that still has to be done outside is the usual garden clean up. Pulling up all the dead annuals and raking leaves....
Generally--I like to send my garden to sleep in as cleaned-up state as i can.
Spring is busy enough as it is--so having everything cleaned up in the fall helps.

I am not feeling 100% right now. have had a cold--which is now, basically gone--but I am left with this awful, dry, hacking coughing.
It wears me out--and makes me very exhausted when i just try to walk a couple times up and down the steps.
I think my lungs are worn out from the constant coughing--and, sometimes, it is hard to breathe when i do too much.

Went through all this last year--when I had the bronchitis. That whole episode of yukkiness lasted from Oct. to March.
I did not even get a Flu Shot this fall--as I did not want to aggravate the existing condition. Might later on.

HEY! What are you all doing for Halloween???? Decorating???? Drowning in bowl-fulls of chocolates?
Here--we seldom get any Trick-or-Treaters any more. It has become an "oldies" neighborhood...
I only buy the candies that I like--so I can nibble on them for months on later...

Gita

Pat and I spent the afternoon preparing our plants for the predicted several inches of heavy, wet snow. We have a number of large potted tender perennials we overwinter inside; Mexican Bush and Pineapple Sage which are currently in bloom, six bromeliads, two massive Boston Ferns, a Lemon Verbena etc. This unexpectedly early task involves removing the fall leaves and acorns they have collected as well as weeds and stray critters such as the tree frog Pat found in one of the bromeliads. Then they are throughly sprayed with a neem/insecticidal soap mixture and transfered to the quarantine ward in the garage. Since many of our hardy woody plants still have most of their leaves we felt compelled to protect the ones we could from breakage by the wet snow. We muscled two Beautyberry bushes across the deck to the (hopefully) protected area under the eaves and set high-backed patio chairs in front of them. A host of other potted plants were crammed under outdoor tables or against the house for protection. We have a particularly ornamental Japaneese Maple in full leaf that while only 3 feet high spreads about 8 feet, making it very prone to being split by the snow. We set a step ladder astride its narrowest dimension, saw horses at the ends, and covered it all with a large tarp anchored with pots of plants. This is not how folks in this area usually prepare for Halloween. This trick of Mother Nature is no treat.

We too were getting the last of the plants taken care of. Ric planted a few bushes that were still in pots in the driveway and I planted the last of the perennials. Everything that was tropical was pull out except for the cannas they should be ok till I get back. The Tropical water lilies have been tucked away for the winter, hopefully they will make it though the winter. This is the first year for trying to overwinter the TWL.

Had a "Duh!" moment as I finished my paper route this morning. I've always known that high humidity makes summer temps feel even hotter, but never connected that high humidity makes cold, colder. Cold and wet not a good combination. May go shopping for some boots if I decide to go out at all today. Maybe while the roasting chicken is roasting.

Another observation from my morning route today....there will be a lot of worms on sidewalks and parking areas for those birds who venture out between showers.

Speaking of worms, this is almost the anniversary of my backyard venture into "Raising Earthworms For Fun and Profit" "Wiggles Wigglers". My starter setup came from a company in Tenn and consisted of them installing 4 4x8 by 12" beds in my backyard. Each bed had heating cables and was filled with peat moss, sprinkled lightly with chicken laying mash. Ten pounds of red wiggler worms were introduced to each bed after it was wetted down by the installers . Then they placed a sheet of exterior plywood over each, plugged in the heating cables and gave me the 25# bag of mash and said I'd be good for the winter. It was late October. I handed them a check and went inside to study the guide to growing and marketing they left with me.

Next day I was out bright and early with friends. By the time I returned early afternoon, the weather had changed to chilly and misty drizzle. I noticed a few worms at the end of my driveway where I parked, and a few more when I reached my sidewalk, then a lot more as I came to my back door. I decided to check my 'farm' and sure enough, there were worms crawling out of all the beds! I checked the heat. OK Moisture and pH levels (included in kit) all OK.

It being a Sunday, all I could do was leave a HELP me message on the company help line. I got a bucket and thought I would just return the escapees to the beds. After returning 5 buckets full, I realized that they were crawling out faster than I could collect them! The Great Worm Exodus! By the next morning there was nary a worm to be found in any of the beds, indeed nary to be found in my yard! The company offered to express ship replacement worms but I had already put a stop payment on my check and they didn't pursue it.

What is it they say about most businesses failing in the first year?

This message was edited Oct 29, 2011 8:16 AM

Judy--

Did you ever find out WHY the worms crawled out of the beds?
What was wrong?
Maybe you could have, quickly, changed the business to selling worms to fishermen.....

Rainy and cols this AM. I will work on switching out my summer clothes to my winter ones.
Right now--I have piles on the beds in my guest BR. My wayward daughter from Seattle
will be here on Nov. 3rd. Need the beds empty.

I still have my Purple Oxalis pots outside. I have so many now--since I dug them all out of
the clay W-Boxes and potted them up. They are NOT dormant yet! I DO have them
covered up with a sheet.

What to do???? What to do?????? Will have to write Donner----she gave me the one full pot at the Plant Swap..

Gita

43 degrees here. Rainy. Wind picking up...20-25 and a 50% chance of snow late afternoon.

Gita, I'm glad you were able to get all of your plants inside ! Next year ima gonna do the bit by bit method instead of the mad dash marathon...Hope you can quickly shake your cough this year. Do you drink any special teas or have any "home remedies" to share? I've always felt that coming from good peasant stock has contributed to my good health. Don't worry about the flu shot thing: reports coming out now saying shot for over 65 yo not as effective as thought. Just pump up that immune system! Any funny comments to share on your one eyed glasses? Any visions.....?

Ric and Holly, you done good getting those last few plants into the ground yesterday! Ric, how's that greenhouse doing as a bulb drying facility? Sure hope you'll find time to treat us to the details of your "improvements' to same for increased structural stability. What kind of snow load wind resistance is it rated for? All of my alocacia/colocasia and two twelve foot bananas in pots are still out. They should survive as temps should stay above freezing by a pretty good margin and I have to cut off the leaves anyway. Any one here know if I can cut off my banana trunk or will I have to overwinter it on its side?

David and Pat, you all have been busy, too! I love your 'shelter in place' solutions especially your tent for the JM! My Japanese Maples in pots did not fare well this summer/fall and I'm crossing my fingers they come back in the spring. Twas either drought or drown for them here with nothing ideal about it at all.

I bring my plants in to an unheated enclosed porch (no garage) and almost all have survived their semi-dormancy with little care from me for quite a few years now. Is this what you do with your boston ferns? Or do you keep them actively growing? I always seem to miss an acorn or two so have lots of white oak sprouts come Spring possibly planted by critter pictured at start of this thread.

Here's hoping heavy wet snow will not cause major problems for any of us or our trees.

Coleup- that really stinks about the worms. Glad you were watching, and stopped the check. I wonder how many others are not so careful.

Pat and David- wow, I hadn't given a thought to that aspect, the leafy shrubs and trees. Sounds like you've got it covered (pun, un-intended) I remember being shocked the first time I saw snow lat on the last of the tree leaves, just before Thanksgiving one year. This event could blow that away.

I got some purple oxalis from Jill and I think those are the ones that had sent up the pretty leaves and even flowers that I saw yesterday. They are planted in ground with others that I knew had survived previous winters. I expect that this snow will freeze the leaves but not freeze a whole potful of bulbs.

I've been bringing plants in...and out and in...with the changeable weather, Since I have a rotten cold (too) I asked DH to bring that last couple big ones in yesterday.

My DD and friend went to the Harrisburg PA area to a college open house, arrived yesterday morning for a one night stay. They say its already started snowing heavily. Looks like they will be able to stay in the dorm another night. I said, certainly if the college wants you to bring your thousands of $$$ next year they will do everything they can to make you feel welcome and continue all the open house activities!!!

Speaking of tree branches breaking- well its a surprise to have to think snow prep and power outage prep this early.

Snowing big, thick, yucky flakes. It was a challenge this morning finding the paper under the snow cover! It is indeed a surprise to think of snow prep this early. David heard it on the radio yesterday while out on errands, and we got busy. So glad we got the Japanese maple covered. It had a lot of damage 2 winters ago in that big snow, and that was without any leaves on it.

Loved the worm story, but sorry that the farm didn't work out. What an image of the escapees. It would have been nice for the company to give buyers a heads up on things.

The Boston ferns get set out as if they were year-round indoor plants. Each year it is more fun getting them back outside. Looks like a trail of brown/green confetti. This year with far fewer acorns, I was not finding any sprouting within the Bromeliads.

Sally, hope your daughter and friend receive an extra day of hospitality in Harrisburg. Sunny tomorrow.

Stay warm.

Just pulled my space heater a little closer and took a look at my favorite weather watching site, "The Capital Weather Gang" blog.

Here is a link http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang

Omg...the first thing I see is this pic from the Blue Ridge Pkwy!

Woah Sally Mama....! Two kids in college! Yikes! And I hear you on the money, too. Incredible that college indebtedness out ranks cc debt, Of course cc debt is what so many live on while paying off those student loans so it is likely to rise,too. Seems that more than our tender plants may be sheltering in place in our family homes and basements while the cost of getting an education rises sharply. Glad your DD can have an extra adventure up north and that the roads are safe for travel back tomorrow. Hopefully, this will give you a bit more rest to shake that cold. Kudos to all those helping hubbies, too!

Speaking of colds and congestion stuff...Sometimes when its been damp and wet for so long here I feel like I am inhaling "growing medium' instead of air. Remember that guy who actually had a tree growing in his lung? Sounds like a number of us could use a good cup of tea on a day like today!

Any suggestions anyone? Or what's your favorite beverage on a day bleak and drear?

Has the snow stopped there yet Pat?

Wonder how Jill, dd and dh are doing up in Frederick?

Off to research why worms migrate and herbal teas...Will check back later.

PS Glad to hear at least two of you still get a paper delivered, even if you have to bundle up and look for it! Makes me hopeful that I will have some income to shop for boots with when the weather improves. Judy

Judy--

Go snoop around your local Thrift Shops for the boots.
Sometimes you can snag something really good!

Gita

I've been drinking Gypsy Cold care , and Throat Coat , herbal teas, and Stash Chai decaf teas, for couple days. I don't know how good they are but I do feel half human today, thats a marked improvement sice yesterday morning.

Pat, I read couple years ago in DG, a suggestion to put your Boston ferns into a dry cleaner type bag, to catch all the dang leaves. Maybe even to help it stay more humid and not lose so many. (if you have it inside not as a decor item but just for survival, of course)

Some snow flakes here now, mostly rain.

My DD loves the Gypsy and Throat coat teas! My favorite for a simple sore throat is a well steeped cup of mint sweetened with honey and a splash of lemon, I inhale the vapors as well as sip it. If nothing else, steamy liquids are soothing and keep us hydrated.

Latest research indicates that worms form herds!
"Earthworm Swarming

New research published in the journal Ethology revealed that earthworms form herds, swarming together to make "group decisions," as reported by BBC.

Earthworms use touch to communicate and interact, according to scientists who performed experiments on earthworm swarms outside of soil.

Research confirmed that social cues among earthworms influence behavior.

Exactly why earthworms have come to form herds is still being investigated, but it is possible that worms swarm to protect themselves. Protection from weather elements hasn't been ruled out."
Link:http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/28916/why-do-earthworms-surface-afte.asp

Who knew?

Nat Weather Service just issued a freeze warning

Freeze Warning

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
440 PM EDT SAT OCT 29 2011

DCZ001-MDZ013-014-016>018-VAZ025>027-029-036>039-050>057-502-
WVZ055-300445-
/O.CON.KLWX.FZ.W.0002.111030T0400Z-111030T1300Z/
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-
ST. MARYS-CALVERT-AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-PAGE-NELSON-
ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-ORANGE-CULPEPER-
PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-
KING GEORGE-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-HARDY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...ANNAPOLIS...WALDORF...
ST MARYS CITY...STAUNTON...WAYNESBORO...HARRISONBURG...
CHARLOTTESVILLE...CULPEPER...MANASSAS...MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...
ALEXANDRIA...FALLS CHURCH...FREDERICKSBURG...MOOREFIELD
440 PM EDT SAT OCT 29 2011

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM
EDT SUNDAY...

* TEMPERATURES...WILL RANGE FROM 20S IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS TO THE
LOW 30S IN URBAN AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR
HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER
SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

Hope you feel better, Sally. Thanks for the plastic bag suggestion. The biggest mess comes with taking them back outside again, since they are so huge, and can't make it through a 3-foot doorway or hallway without the fronds hitting. Hard to find a really good spot that is not by a register and still gets sun.

So glad the snow finally stopped. Much too cold, but easier to deal with minus the snow. Really only minimal accumulation, but the plow was out this afternoon.

Not sure why Pat characterizes our snowfall as "minimal accumulation". While measuring from nearly 4 inches to less than 1 inch in different locations in the yard, if I were to clear it it would be like shoveling bricks. About as wet and heavy as a snow can get.

P.S. Despite the mid-40s temps and good sunshine Sunday I still had to shovel a couple inches of slush off our deck in the late afternoon, not that we'll be getting any "Trick-or-Treaters" out here in the sticks. Happy Halloween everyone!

This message was edited Oct 30, 2011 9:42 PM

Perhaps...it was similar to the "minimal dishwashing" that is often the gals job in the household...according to the guys.
Hope you didn't get any damage, outside or inside (the muscles and joints if you chose to clear that)

We had a little ice left this morning and the sun is working on that for us.

Here nothing froze or even frosted so my tenders/annuals are still good to go (unlike myself) .

Pulling my space heater even closer I decided that this morning will be when I get educated about the weight of snow .

Snow is a mix of water and air and the weight of a cubic foot of water is 67+ lbs. So, David those "bricks" could weigh from 16-20 pounds! Yep, not minimal at all!

---------------------------------------------------------

The moisture content of snow can range from about 1% to about 33% so snow can weigh from about 1 pound per cubic foot to over 21 pounds per cubic foot.

Any ice needs to be added to this formula. Use 5.2 lbs for every inch in thickness.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Thinking about those heavy bricks again I have calculated that my newspaper delivery this morning of bricks (bundles) of 20+ lbs saw me load 84 bundles and then lift and deliver same for a total approximate "shoveling" of 3400 pounds! Hope this counts as "weight bearing " exercize. Will continue like this now thru New Year as I do my part to stimulate the economy. (Somehow that old Ernie Ford song "16 Tons" just popped in my head.

Seriously, hope your plants and JM survived and you can relocate to winter digs with some leisure. Also hope our NorthEast neighbors are okay. Some of them got 19 inches of the stuff.

Here is what Suzy Snowflake looks like

And here is what heavy wet snow looks like. I think the on on the right is splat not a flake...

Very interesting reading folks. Even though I see the Blue Ridge Mountains from my back yard, thankfully the snow seemed to stay mostly on the mountain and on the other side of the mountain as we are known to call it. My son who lives on the other side of the mountain called yesterday morning and said that he and the kiddies were heading outside to play in the snow. All the snow at our house was melted before I got going good yesterday morning. I had awakened earlier and looked out back and saw a slight covering of the deck. The mountain top was covered though.

Because we have invested so much time, energy and money in our houseplants this year we brought them all in almost a month ago. I wasn't going to risk having anything die on me now. There were two Christmas Cactus on the porch which were on the living room table when I awoke this morning, so the other half done his part on getting them inside before the freezing temps.

Good grief.......I am not ready for cold and snow either. I am still wearing shorts and sleeveless tops around the house during the day. Today I am dressed in short sleeves and long pants and I am still a bit chilled. John had the back door open earlier and took the inside temperature down quite a bit. Heck with the cost of electricity......I am turning that sucker on in a minute. All the talk of the hot teas, with my chilly body at the moment sounded very tasty. Yum......either a hot tea or a cup of cocoa. Gonna get one in just a second or two.

Since so many of you here have been responsible for adding specimans to my houseplant collection, let me take this opportunity to let each of you know that I think of you whenever I am working with the plants. Always nice thoughts I might add. Same for outdoor plants too though I won't be seeing much of them for the next few months. I am not ready for winter!!!

Great thread.

Ruby

We have been out "log bowling" in the snow. Had a lot of oaks taken down earlier this year and one of the tree people came by to get some. He cut and we rolled the logs down the front lawn to the road. Oh what a difference having a couple of big trees gone made in the garden. He had managed to get one oak to fall just between 2 azaleas and saved them both.

David was yanking my chain with his earlier comment. There were indeed a few places with 4 inches, but way out of the way, and the path to the house and the driveway were essentially clear. Shoveling would have been a back breaker for sure. Was nice not to have to go out yesterday in the midst of it. And our crazy tarp creation saved the Japanese Maple from harm. I'll second Ruby with not being ready for winter!

Hey Ruby glad the storm passed you by and that your grandkids got a chance to frolic some in the white stuff. I love to hear your tales of houseplants and that you have such an indoor garden to tend while I here must just dream of spring while my indoor plants are in suspended animation. Come join us on the Holiday Cactus thread. We've started a new one and it has just 12 posts (not the over 200 ones) and some great info and pics. Please? Here's the link and all are welcome to chat away
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1227023/

Sally, lol on the minimal comments! Hope your daughter arrives safely back. Have no idea what the roads are like she'd likely travel. May be "early enrollment" time!

Hope everyones cold and cold are doing better.Still haven't heard every one's favorite tea..

Pat your talking about log rolling reminds me of the time I went with some friends to gather firewood out of the forest on their farm. We had to wait for a snowfall so their team of draft horses could pull the "skid" into the woods and haul out the bigger logs. I undertand that appalachia has a number of active teams as does upstate New York and New England
Here's a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHGb1bNzij4

Off the eat the roast chicken leftovers with steamed kale , sweet potato and brocolli. Ate all baked apples yesterday. Hearty work needs hearty food!

Judy

Gita,

If you want to, you can keep a few pots of them as house plants over the winter. Even if all the existing leaves have to be pulled off, you can water them and keep them in a sunny location. They will grow and bloom over the winter months. Dig out the rest of the corms and keep them in the garage/basement over the winter. You can bury the corms in peat moss or potting soil. As long as they stay cool, they won't grow.

Good luck. You did great with those plants.

Donner

First real frost here today made sure nothing got missed by Satiurday's sleet.

Thank you for the invite to the Christmas Cactus thread. I will think about it. I am trying to get six or eight of them to bloom for me this year. All are very small at this point and only a few have actual buds. Not sure whether the others may decide to bud later or not, but hope so.

John and I are giving more care to the CC than any other of our plants. They sit in a window in the bedroom during the day and as soon as dark rolls around, they are tucked in to the middle shelve and covered with a towel which stays on for at least twelve hours daily.

Sally, the white CC you gifted me with is one of the ones with buds on it. Thank you so much for it.

Gita, the three pots that came from you are looking healthy and happy and I believe only one pot has buds so far. I will definitely do an update and sing hallelujahs when they begin to bloom.

Pat, during the few extra minutes that John finds, he too is working with trees on the property of a couple of our neighbors. He came in Saturday feeling a bit defeated by nature. He was explaining that he was working with extra nice and large pieces of wood and somehow one of them slipped and rolled down a hill causing all the others to follow suit and all his earlier efforts ended up being in a patch of briars which he didn't feel like contending with that day. Poor guy, often times Murphy follows him for days on end. Just this morning he left for work with out his cell phone and needed to come all the way back home to get it due to needing it for the job. It is less than a thirty minute drive to work, but doubling that sure puts the day off to a lousy start. Thankfully he is easy going and most things roll off his shoulders fairly quickly.

Have a good one all.

Ruby

For those of you who were not around in 2008 and 2009, I am adding a link to
"THE RECIPE" for spraying plants.
This Thread went hot and heavy--and someone just bumped it up.

Read through, thinking of next season, it now that gardening is pretty much done in this one..

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/956114/#top

I have never used it--or made it. I am not all that fanatic about fertilizing everything .
Maybe I should--I am sure my beds are pretty depleted of nourishment. I do not add to much to them....
NOT a good gardener in that respect.....too much work!

Gita

When you hunker down , there is a TV series called Growing A Greener World available locally this fall on on line. The one I caught yesterday featured Shennandoah Growers.

Here is a partial listing of upcoming episodes for DC area:

WFPT DT2 and WWBP DT2 M-F
Wed 11/2/2011 1:30 PM ET
Thu 11/3/2011 1:30 PM ET
Fri 11/4/2011 1:30 PM ET

WHUTDT
Fri 11/4/2011 8:30 PM ET Greenhouses (Harrisonburg, VA & Atlanta, GA)(203)
Sat 11/5/2011 12:30 AM ET Greenhouses (Harrisonburg, VA & Atlanta, GA)(203)
Sat 11/5/2011 11:30 AM ET The Edible Schoolyard: Using the Garden as the Classroom (Berkeley, CA)(108)
Fri 11/11/2011 8:30 PM ET Living Homegrown Fresh (Los Angeles, CA)(204)
Sat 11/12/2011 12:30 AM ET Living Homegrown Fresh (Los Angeles, CA)(204)
Sat 11/12/2011 11:00 AM ET Living Homegrown Fresh (Los Angeles, CA)(204)
Sat 11/12/2011 11:30 AM ET Fetzer: The Most Earth-Friendly Winery in America (Mendocino, CA)(109)
Fri 11/18/2011 8:30 PM ET Behind the Scenes at the Making of the NW Flower Show (Seattle, WA)(205)
Sat 11/19/2011 12:30 AM ET Behind the Scenes at the Making of the NW Flower Show (Seattle, WA)(205)
Sat 11/19/2011 11:30 AM ET Annie's Annuals: Preserving Heirlooms While Promoting the Environment (Richmond, CA)(110)
WHUTDT2
Fri 11/4/2011 8:30 PM ET Greenhouses (Harrisonburg, VA & Atlanta, GA)(203)
Sat 11/5/2011 12:30 AM ET Greenhouses (Harrisonburg, VA & Atlanta, GA)(203)
Sat 11/5/2011 11:30 AM ET The Edible Schoolyard: Using the Garden as the Classroom (Berkeley, CA)(108)
Fri 11/11/2011 8:30 PM ET Living Homegrown Fresh (Los Angeles, CA)(204)
Sat 11/12/2011 12:30 AM ET Living Homegrown Fresh (Los Angeles, CA)(204)
Sat 11/12/2011 11:00 AM ET Living Homegrown Fresh (Los Angeles, CA)(204)
Sat 11/12/2011 11:30 AM ET Fetzer: The Most Earth-Friendly Winery in America (Mendocino, CA)(109)
Fri 11/18/2011 8:30 PM ET Behind the Scenes at the Making of the NW Flower Show (Seattle, WA)(205)
Sat 11/19/2011 12:30 AM ET Behind the Scenes at the Making of the NW Flower Show (Seattle, WA)(205)
Sat 11/19/2011 11:30 AM ET Annie's Annuals: Preserving Heirlooms While Promoting the Environment (Richmond, CA)(110

And the same 1:30 scheduling for Baltimore on
MPT DT 2
WMPB DT 2
WMPT DT 2

Here's the link to the Growing a Greener World site where episodes are available to watch on-line
http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episodes/

Happy hunkering !

This message was edited Nov 2, 2011 5:27 PM

Good info, Coleup!! This is something to keep busy with during winter. I was very surprised (and irked) by last weekend's sleet slam. I was ready, though. I moved my scented geraniums into the make-shift "greenhouse on side of the house in time. They did very well there last winter. I am also trying to re-bloom a Christmas poinsettia from last year in there.

I was worried that the early sleet would poop the fall foliage display this month. Fall was just starting here a week or so ago. The colors seem to be peaking this weekend. My Henry's Garnet (Itea virginica) has lost some leaves but still has some green on. The big blue asters just opened last weekend, too. Their show isn't as lovely as last fall but the sleet didn't seem to faze them. Amazing. Fall blooms came much later this year or not at all. I'm ready to quit till 2012. Hunkering down....

Hi All I missed all the snow. I snuck out of town before it started. Ric had to deal with the snow, he doesn't quite have all the GH supports in place yet so he was down there with the pool brush removing the snow from the roof. I expect he will have it all in place in the next few days.

It Was a very heavy wet snow, as shown by many broken trees and branches that put people out of power (we hear)

pinched nerve in shoulder so it is painful to post.

Wanted to share this video with you all. Welcome back Holly. Looking forward to Ric recounting green house adventures et al.

http://vimeo.com/31158841

That was phenomenal!!!

Jan, It was posted on my facebook page and the instructions are to feel free to share it...

How are things in s.Jersey? Did your gardens survive while you were on your road trip this summer? Hard to be so far from the Grands. I have two now, both in Vermont. Seriously contemplating a move as I enjoy them every bit as much as my gardens/life here. Wonder what plants will relocate well. lol

Judy

Judy, things are going well here, thank you for asking. ;). The gardens were on their own for 2 months. I hadn't planted any annuals, so that was a plus. Most things did well, especially the weeds. They are still doing well, BTW. Heehee.
Grandies are the best!!! Our youngest is in Annapolis, born Sept 30. Time to visit her again, soon. That is the hardest part-being far away from most of them. Our son in Texas shares videos of his 6mo old on Facebook. We love that. Probably won't see her in person again til Easter break.
If your plants won't relocate to VT. then that is just an excuse to go get more. ;)
Our leaf color is spectacular now

LOL Jan, I know just what you mean about missing the Granbabies. Ric and my first long trip (6) was so funny. JR about 5 at the time stopped talking to us when we were gone for over two weeks. He told us he wouldn't talk to us till we came home. We got a few words out of him at week 3 as we told him we were sending him a present. I think the words went something like "What is it and when are you coming home?" That was the end of all discussion till I came home. The last week I call my Parents house and my Mom said that Daddy wasn't going to talk to me till I got home either. LOL

Heehee
The 5 yr old that lives around the corner from us was especially concerned about when we would come home.

NEED TO GET MOTIVATED!!! Aack!!!

We have a lot of yard work to do too. Ric has been doing a good bit but I just can't seem to get myself really motivated. Today I dug up the OSP tubers and I think I am going back up to dig up the cannas.

I've never had success digging up cannas or OSP. Actually did some cutting back. Yay!! Now to babysit.

Jan just digg up those OSP and toss them in a brown bag and stuff it in the corner of a closet until Feb. They are great fun to start just when we are feeling the need for a little greenery.