FALL'S IN THE AIR!

Category: gardening | Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:42 pm

The trees aren't losing their leaves yet, but all the signs are there: the feel and smell of the air; sounds of the birds gathering for migration; seeing pickup loads of fresh cut firewood being hauled off the Mountain; and seeing the differances in the animal's coats as they get themselves prepared for what's fastly coming..WINTER!
So far, we've had beautiful weather for September in this part of Wyoming, very DRY but beautiful none-the-less. Days are still quite warm, nights have put frost on the pumpkin in some local areas, but..to date..have been "spared" at this location, a REAL ODDITY! Time is limited so have been busy with fall cleanup and trying to get as much done/prepared for the next growing season. As containers have been denuded of what grew in them, they've been hauled into workshop, emptied, soil "reworked" then marked and bagged. All needed to do next spring is water the soil down, add compost, fertilizer and transplants. As workshop is HUGE, I have plenty of room to make a GOOD mess and store everything.
Last two days, it's been taking cuttings from various plants and prepping them for starting. If anyone looked in the fridge, they'd be in total SHOCK: have one whole shelf covered with cuttings of scented geraniums and ivy geraniums that need "callusing" before having their little feet placed in soil to begin rooting and a warm place to do it. The scenteds will be grown in large styrofoam cups (that let forming root systems "breathe"), the ivies are slated to go right into sphagnum moss-lined hanging baskets to begin their growth: all will be quite LARGE by May. Am not propagating any zonal geraniums this year..am, literally, overrun with them..just giving the ones in containers a drastic cutting back and fertilizer to ease the shock of what they've underwent (I really DO have a "heavy hand" with the clippers, nothing is safe when I start in!). A few have already gotten the treatment, are already showing new growth, should begin blooming along about March and continue on thru the summer despite of how they've been treated this month. They're like the Duracell Bunny: just keep going and going, are really amazing!
Was given a neat little Australian Shepard three weeks ago to replace my Saint Bernard I lost in August. Is very well mannered; extremely QUIET; LOVES to ride in the truck; is a real joy to have! Didn't take him long to begin "ruling the roost" but isn't overbearing about it, just lets me know..for sure!..what's what around here! He's on a DIET due to fact he's one bubbly chubby guy: couldn't believe it when the Vet looked, from the back, at him sitting down and LAUGHED saying: "Buddy's PERFECTLY PEAR-SHAPED! Small head, HUGE BUTT!" So, diet it is for him: weight-watchers canned and dry chow; diet cookies and bones; absolutely NO table scraps. It's working as can be witnessed by his expanding energy level..NOW, if only I could do the same!!
Back to work! Went fishing a week ago: lake had just "rolled over", caught nothing but did manage to be privvy to the Canadian Geese "discussing" about leaving for Southern pastures. The breezes are still warm; the trees are "talking"; the antelope have cleaned up the remainder of the fallen apples: YEP! Fall's here!

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glendann wrote on Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:20 pm:

Sounds like your about ready for one of Casper Wyomings heavy winters.It is a beautiful area.You have really been busy.It sure sounds like fall is there.

Droopy wrote on Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:28 pm:

You've really been busy, and it sounds like you had fun too. We've had the first autumn storm - rather late for this area of Norway, but no night frost yet, thankfully. This morning we had snow on the mountains too, also a first this autumn. If the rain lets up I shall have to do a bit of what you have done, or I'll be too late. Again. *lol*

glendann wrote on Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:29 pm:

It sure sounds like one of Caspers heavy winters is not to far off.You have really been busy getting ready for winter.It sure sounds like fall is there.

glendann wrote on Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:30 pm:

Well I posted and it didn't show so I redid it and now I have two.Oh well!!!!

Sjoerd wrote on Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:00 pm:

It sure sounds busy there...a good kind of 'busy'.
I hope that those cuttings root for you.
--and how nice that you have a new companion...pudgy as he may be, he sounds of a good temperment. Hope you guys have fun together.

weeds n seeds wrote on Tue Sep 30, 2008 2:53 pm:

Thank you everyone for comments, really enjoyed them! Weather's STILL holding nicely, can't stand to be inside on days like these!! Just WAIT a WHILE, I'll be crying the blues over snow, snow and MORE snow!