Mother Nature is Still in Charge

The first cold front of fall has come; Indian summer is all that is left of warm weather. The cricket’s song is slowing down, and I put on socks to warm my cold feet. Another growing season has come to an end.

It started out slow with a wet cold spring and a record snowmelt that lasted well into June. The creek in front of our house flowed as high as I have ever seen it.

Because summer was so long in coming, my flower and vegetable garden had a slow start with mainly successes and a few failures. I have learned garden failures are nothing personal, just Mother Nature telling me she is still in control.

Successes:
1. Spinach in March. The spinach I planted in the greenhouse last fall wintered over provided us with an early spring crop.

2. Flowers form seed. I started most of my self watering planter plants including avalanche petunias and a large leaf begonia from seed. I figure I saved at least $30 a pot growing my own plants and I have 7 pots. The math speaks for its self, especially if I don't factor in the initial cost of the greenhouse, grow lights and potting supplies.

3. Perennials. I love perennials. They come back every year, with more than enough to share. The front perennial bed was as pretty as it has ever been.

4. Fuchsia. I was able to keep fuchsia alive on my front porch for most of the summer. I didn’t think that was possible because they are a cool weather plant. The flowers look almost fake to me because they are so vibrant and exotic looking.

Failures:

1. Deer. They ate beans, beets, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers, zuchinni, tulips, petunias and geraniums. Note to self, don’t suspend a hanging planter where a deer can just walk up and munch on the petunia and geranium buds. It must be like candy to them. Luckily, I have enough to share. Barely.
2. Tomatoes from seed. I also planted heirloom tomatoes from seed. They started out great, but didn’t do too well later on. I don’t know if it was the variety I chose, the late summer, or just a bad season. On the other hand my cherry and grape tomatoes did great, climbing up the wall outside our bedroom window.
3. Cucumbers and peppers. I don't think I am getting enough sun for these veggies. And I think I am one of the few people in the gardening world who cannot grow zuchinni. But on the bright side, I usually get all the cukes and zuchinni I need by mentioning my lack of them to other gardening friends.

It is time to put the garden to bed for the winter. I am anxious for the cold winds of winter. And all ready I am thinking about next year's garden. Who knows, maybe I will figure out how to grow zuchinni.