For the past two nights, frost has wilted the flowers. In the morning the birdbath is covered in a thin layer of ice.
It seems too early for a frost, but I probably always feel that way.
I draped the dahlia’s in sheets and moved the outdoor potted plants under the porch wrapping them too in sheets. I brought my cactuses in the house. This year I’ll put them upstairs where it’s sunny but cold in the winter.
Most of the dahlias are wilted and dying even with the cover of sheets. Yesterday I marked them by tying yarn correlating with the colors of the flowers around the stems. This way, by the time I dig them up, I’ll be able to separate the bulbs and know what I have for next spring.
Ah, and there it is.
With gardening as with farming at the end of every season comes the preparations for the next. So when I carry the dahlia bulbs in separate boxes and bags into the basement, for their winter’s sleep, it’s with the expectation of spring.
It seems like your summer was so short and ours is neverending in California. I love how you honor the seasons changing. I miss having seasons. Beautiful writing and photo!
I wish you some winter weather soon Janet.
Everything was/is early this year. Spring was early — too early, and the apple blossoms got hit by a snowstorm mid-april. Summer temps were soaring to July and August levels by May. Now it’s mid-september and the trees are already losing their leaves. I feel like I’ve lost my seasonal compass.
It is all off isn’t it Jill.
My Dahlias are still in full bloom and it still is in the 80s during the day here. They did good in all the heat we had. The pink ones are especially beautiful. I made a nice arrangement for the dinning room when we had family over for dinner. Thank you again.
I was thinking of you when I was tagging my dahlia’s Uta. I’m so glad to hear they’re doing so well. And I love to hear they’re still blooming somehwere!