October 23, 2011

October Gardening



Last weekend I worked in the garden and got it ready to put to bed for the winter.  At 8 AM Charlotte and I were outside cleaning the spent plants in our pots, planting spring bulbs, hanging up bird feeders and re seeding the lawn.


I moved the pole with the bird feeders closer to the porch so that I can bird watch from the couch.  Before it was hidden around the side yard but now that the birds are returning to the yard for fall and winter I wanted to put the feeder where I could easily see it and the birds that land on it.  Last winter I would unintentionally spend hours bird watching, waiting to see a new species or one I hadn't seen in a while.


Next, I cut down the dead flowers and perennials from summer and replanted my pots with daffodils and tulips for the coming spring.  I only cut the summer plants back to the soil level.  I left the roots in the soil so they would come back early next summer.


In this area, I planted tons of daffodil bulbs I dug up early this fall from the area I put in the rock path to the back gate.  I was to lazy to actually dig any holes to replant the bulbs so instead I scattered them along the fence and buried them in 6 inches of soil I stole from the empty raised beds that I won't fill until next spring.  The bulbs should be fine.  I used the same technique last fall and the bulbs came up just fine.  I really only have to worry about Brett the squirrel finding them and digging them up and moving them to a new location.


While outdoors I felt a tickle on my foot and found a honey bee on the edge of my shoe.  I delicately picked him up and found him a new home in the flower pots.


Charlotte is watching me stick the bee in its new home.  (Can you see the old plants I cut down in the pot?  They looked pretty hideous right before I replanted them with bulbs.)

Charlotte making sure her little friend is comfortable in her new home.  Charlotte is always so thoughtful taking care of others, just ask the bunnies.


Another view of the potted plants.  I moved a few more containers on the porch.  In the spring I will have a very pretty view of the garden and all the colors of the season. I put some fall pansies in the containers.  They will bloom all through winter and long into spring. I also put a bird bath near the porch hoping to draw in some thirsty birds to my viewing area.


This is the apricot sunset blend I picked out from the garden store and put in the large blue/green pot.  I really like these colors and think it will be a nice combination come spring time.


In the smaller pots I filled them with white daffodils and these ice cream tulips.  They were somewhat expensive but I'm very excited to see what they will look like when they are blooming.



Charlotte watching the birds outside from the bedroom window

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