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| The Mother of All Crepe Myrtles bloomed and set seed fast, so I pruned it for a second bloom. The Buckwheat in bloom around the CM grew like Jack and the Beanstalk and re-seeded itself when cut. Both plants added to the organic content of the soil. |
Winter has not yet arrived here. Nor has autumn. We have a few leaves falling but highs at 80 and lows above freezing.
Someone was really startled that I plant in the fall. "Does that work?" That works quite well. Beginners think about plants - veterans think about roots.
Hardy - or fall bulbs - need a cold winter to do well in the spring. They do most of their initial growth after being planted in the fall - the earlier the better, but do not peek out of the soil until the right time for them.They are growing roots and reaching upwards during the winter. In the spring, their rise up according to the weather clock built into their systems. Some bloom especially early - like crocus. Others can be quite late - like tulips. But even within one of those categories, there are early and late bloomers.
I no longer support the hardy bulb industry because the winters here are too mild for really good results. Next year I have a bunch of tender or spring bulbs to grow, given to me by our neighbor. Glads are one type, and I think he gave me dozens of them. Tender bulbs have to be dug up again. Mrs. Ichabod loves Caladiums, so they have to be dug up and preserved or bought again.
All plants grow according to a weather clock, and it is fun to observe and take advantage of it. Could that be a co-inky-dink? The staggered bloom cycles mean that pollinators have a constant supply of food, which benefits the insects and birds alike. The explosive hatching of bugs in the spring matches the hatching of birds and their ravenous appetites for bugs and larvae.
I pruned the Mother of All Crepe Myrtles for a possible third bloom, but the Creator trumped my ace. The weather turned just enough to signal a stop to blooms and a finishing up of seeds. Here and there a twig is showing off the incandescent pink of the bush, but overall the plant is all seeds on top - a generous supply of seeds for the Cardinals.
Likewise, the rugosa rose n the Wild Garden, has bloomed and started to form its hips. All roses try to grow hips - seed pods - and some are known for their big, attractive hips. Birds love to eat them. Because these hips are packed with Vitamin C, they are grown for Vitamin C tablets sold in stores. When we grow roses for their blooms, we stop the fruiting and seed formation, to encourage even more blooming. See John 15:1-10 for how Jesus applies this to grapes and the Means of Grace.
The hybrid tea roses will continue to bloom in this weather. At some point I will stop cutting the roses and let the bush become dormant for the winter, lest new shoots suffer frost damage.
If you want to learn the calendar of planting, just use one supplier and offer up your email address to them and "their partners." Soon you will get frantic, daily messages about something to buy. They are not selling seeds now, but plants that will get established before they take a partial rest in the winter.
Hostas are a great investment in the fall. I had some ordered in the spring, since my wife enjoys them so much. My interest increased when I saw how their flowers were attracting Hummingbirds. The tiny plants - in some cases, only the roots - arrived recently. I was warned by suppliers, "These are dormant. Do not expect much growth now." However, our weather remained warm and we had some heavy rains at just the right time. They decided it was spring and they sprang into action. Hostas with leaves grew quickly and roots sprouted leaves.
All winter, the Hosta roots will strengthen for the spring. That is why soil building matters so much. Plants can be in relatively poor soil all winter and grow stronger, or they can be nourished in rich, well aerated soil and burst into action in the spring.
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| Hosta roots grow all winter, and they grow their own Hummingbird feeders in the late summer. |
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| Hostas will bloom, even in deep shade, and the Hummingbirds love to feed at their flowers. |
