Yanking

We all know what yanking means, it is ruthless, not kind and definitely is the end of something.  Believe me, yanking is not easy to do, it somehow means we were not successful.  Oh, I know, the weather is to blame, not enough water, etc., but the end result is yanking!

I have been trying to rejuvenate these two hanging baskets by placing them on the ground and watering constantly.  I think they are going in the yard waste bag today, too much labor this late in the season.

I have yanked my hayracks on the north side of the house, my hanging basket by the back fence, my concrete pots in front of the garage and my hanging basket by the back fence.  I have salvaged some other hanging containers by bringing them down to the ground and keeping them there for watering.

Here's another one I was trying to save.  I have been tripping over all of these containers on my patio.

This is not something I like doing as many years I have enjoyed my annuals well into the fall season.  Not this year, I already have pansies hiding in the garage from the intense sun and heat, a few cabbages too.  It is supposed to cool off next week, can we believe this? 

Lemon Twist got so big it lost a large stem.

I will slowly be going around the garden taking plants out that are no longer viable, like my coleus that has grown beyond bounds, my impatiens around the front tree that look trampled and water starved, some of my tomato plants that look brown and savaged by the weather.  Oh well, I had better look at my alley garden as I have certainly neglected this one!

This is a basket that still looks good hanging on the fence in a protected spot from the sun.

I think I am ready for this!

These are faux pumpkins (you know I have that squirrel problem) from the craft store.  They are getting better and better looking each year.  Do you think the squirrels are going to try and bite them?  I'll keep them in the garage for a while because the real ones are not around here yet.

Mum's The Word

There are many alternatives to the yearly display of mums in our containers and in the landscape.  My husband feels they are a waste of money because they bloom for such a short time and rarely come back (in our zone) the following year.  If you do put them into the landscape and they do return they must be pinched in a semi-circle shape several times up until July to get that mounding shape you see in the nursery.

Each year I say I am not going to buy many mums, and each year I see a variety that I cannot pass up.  I never realized until a couple of years ago when I began to research certain varieties that there are certain bloom times.  There are early season varieties, middle and late, so if you are going to spend the money it is worthwhile to span the fall season.  I see many people walking out with plants in total bloom and know that they will not be pretty for very long.  Select your mums when the buds are still tight with just a few opening up so you can see the color.

Helga is an early mum in a creamy white.  The insects seem to leave this one alone and it blooms for a long period of time.  I also have had luck with Helga returning for a couple of years.

The pale colors and dark tones look lovely up close, but if you want your mums to pop out of the landscape from any distance, choose the bright yellows and oranges.  I love white mums or creamy colors, but some of the pure whites attract slugs at night.

I have begun to use some perennials in my containers in the fall.  Sedums, like Vera Jameson look wonderful hanging over the edges of a containers, ajugas, cabbages, sedge grasses, some bright orange pansies all look great and all can be transplanted to the garden late in the season.  I have my Vera Jameson from last year hanging over my vegetable garden.

Upright White Peacock Cabbage

Yellow Stemmed Swiss Chard

In the landscape, cabbages will hold up until December and some of the pansies are guaranteed to come back in the spring.  http://www.plugconnection.com/downloads/mums-f2008.pdf  This is a link that will give you an extensive list of mums, their chacteristics and bloom times.

If you must have mums, and I will probably give in and buy a few, bring your list with you of the bloom times so you can have them throughout the fall season.