First Frost/Freeze

The temperature when I woke up this morning was 29 degrees F. Even though I covered as much as I could, I don't think many of the warm weather crops will survive. That's life in Minnesota. I heard there was snow further north. The photos are native geranium (above) and hydrangea (below). Hydrangea flowers are so pretty at every stage of growth, including with a frosty glaze. 

Happy First Day of Fall!

I'm a fan of mums, of course, yet these native asters look really good. They're a little floppy, so next year I'll trim them in early summer. I've been harvesting the second crop of beans. I'm not sure how if they'll continue to produce with these cool nights (in the 40s F). 

The photo below is our local park as the sun rises. The oaks have not begun to change colors yet, but now with daytime temps in the 60s (thank goodness!), we'll see some fall color soon.

September Update

I planted three cucumber plants (Muncher), and now I have too many cukes. I thought they wouldn't make it, but with the warm weather and consistent watering, I've got more than I need since I'm the only one who eats them. And with everything going on, I don't have time for pickling. I'll give some away. 

The wild asters are blooming, and they look nice but a little uneven. The plants are a bit floppy and they aren't blooming at the same time, which could help extend the bloom time. Native plants can be tricky, I'm finding. Below is sedum, the flowers are more on the pink spectrum than this photo shows. I inherited this plant from the previous owners so I don't know what variety it is, but it has thrived in this space. 

I replanted pumpkins (Wee Be Little) when I saw that the squash vine borers killed my other plants. One tiny fruit, the size of thumbnail, fell off when I investigated it, but this one fruit seems to be doing okay. Pretty cute!

And let me end this post with this beautiful rose. To be honest, I'm not showing the black spot at the base of the plant, but no matter. The blooms are just gorgeous. I've stopped trimming the spent blossoms as the season cools (nights in the upper 40s) so rosehips develop. My intention is to have winter interest, but the reality is that the squirrels will be happy to have a treat when the weather gets colder.