THE AGING GARDENER

I will be teaching a course at the Dartmouth ILEAD (Institute for Lifelong Learning at Dartmouth) program on THE AGING GARDENER.
I have begun to search for material to include. This will be a course essentially for those with "creaks, pains and canes"! It is quite amazing how little seems to be available on this subject. Maybe I should write a book?
At any rate, I would hope any of you aging, or handicapped, gardeners out there might tell me some of the things you have done, or used, to make your gardening easier. There is nothing as good as tried and true methods.
As I go along, I'll tell you about some of the things I have found. I'd love it if you could learn from this as well.

And now...SNOW!

It started yesterday about mid-day and snowed through the night. Fortunately the ground is not very cold, so the snow only stuck to grass and leaves. I guess winter is REALLY on it's way. BRRRR.....

A HARD FROST-FINALLY!

This morning when I awoke and looked out over the deck roof, there it was, the tell-tale whitish cloak of frost on the roof! If you can believe it, that was the FIRST time I've seen frost this autumn at our home. That's pretty unusual up here in northern New Hampshire.
When I ventured into the living room and looked out at the garden that frost was visible again. The hosta and the peony leaves were all very dark green, and looking just a bit worse for wear. Yup, they had definitely been nipped by a good hard frost.
So the next season has definitely begun! There are a few things that come right up to my gardener's mind. I need to get those hoses into the garage after being drained AND I need to get burlap covers on the shrubs I want to protect from heavy snows. The birdbath needs to be taken in so it doesn't freeze and crack...which I've allowed to happen once too many times!
Then there are the few left over bulbs I haven't gotten into the soil. It's definitely TIME!
If I still lived in Connecticut, I'd be ruminating about the leaves that continue to fall covering the grass...which is NOT a good thing. However, up here in the North Country, I don't worry about leaves too much. There are a few spots we rake, but generally the leaves are not an issue.
So, I welcome the entrance to another season. It will be less colorful, but definitely just as beautiful. I tend to leave the flower stalks with their flower heads containing seeds alone so the birds can find them. They also add a certain interest to the garden. There are times during the winter that I wonder just why it was I left them up. They can begin to look pretty sad, but hey, the birds loved them, so who cares how they look in February?

Comment Spam

Well, I guess I've tasted the unpleasant phenomenon of "comment spam". Because of this, I have added the little spelling out word "thingie" that hopefully will eliminate this unpleasantness. I hope you don't mind taking the 10 seconds or so to do this.
Isn't it too bad that we have to subject everyone to this kind of time consumption? As I understand it, by having to spell out this little word before leaving your comment, it stops the comments put on the web-site via computer, rather than personal effort. So, I'm giving it a try. Let me know if you REALLY find it offensive. (Actually, I think it's less offensive than the computer generated comments!)
Peace!

AUTUMN FOLIAGE

My husband and I were discussing the lack of color outside our window this morning. Usually by the beginning of October, our foliage is about at peak. This year it's pretty much just GREEN!
Color change is always a question gardeners get from just about everyone...including other gardeners. It's a complicated process and not one I'll take the space to explain here. However, I did do a little research to find a page that would put it in simple, understandable language. Try going here and checking it out.
I usually don't enter two posts in one day, but I thought this topic was worthy enough to break that habit.

CHORES FOR OCTOBER

Here they are! Check them over and see if you've forgotten anything. Pick a nice day, and get out into that garden for some of the final chores before the snow flies.
By the way, that frost still hasn't arrived in my neck of the woods. Wonder what's up? In fact, we've hardly got any autumn foliage color. How is YOUR foliage???

OCTOBER

You can still plant spring bulbs

If you have gladiolus, this is the time to dig the corms up.

This is a wonderful time to fertilize both lawn and garden

Plant cool and warm-season lawns

Move worm bins to basement or garage to maintain at least 40* through the winter months

Divide a clump of chives and bring indoors

If you haven't lifted your dahlias yet, this would be the time!

Bring any plants that are growing in containers inside for the
winter

Reduce feeding houseplants(do not feed dormant houseplants)

Give your compost pile a final turning.

Try to keep the fallen leaves raked off the lawn. Put them in
the compost, shredding them first if possible, or mix them really well as they tend to compact.

You can plant garlic now for next years harvest.

Mark any perennials you want to separate so you can find them
next spring.

Clean and oil your tools so they won't rust over the winter.

Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees, fruit trees, shrubs and vines

Keep watering the shrubs and evergreens.

Plant container roses

Cut back your perennials

Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials

Try using evergreen boughs over your shrubs to provide winter
protection. They can be forced into the ground before the ground freezes, draping their branches over the shrubs.

Pull out your annuals and put them in the compost

It's time to store your hoses inside. Remember to drain them first
so they don't freeze and split!

Get those bird feeders up!

Any questions about October?