Phil Collins was on to something

When he wrote the lyrics, "Oooh, how I wish it would rain now, down on me..." We start the dry season here in FL in today. Well, it actually started here two months ago. I didn't start counting til September. So, rainfall total for September at my house = 0.6" How pitiful. My water bill hurts and our poor diseased grass looks awful. We will be resodding some parts next spring, but I haven't broke the news to DH yet. I convinced him to go ahead and have the fence replaced. Yippee!! Then, I am going to save up and have the curbing put in the front. I will post before and after pics soon. Oh, while my wonderful parents were here last week, the resident forester trimmed trees for me. DH does not like, but DH does not know much about landscaping. Looks much more open, and I do not like that, but you prune for a year's growth, not 6 weeks. Stay tuned for pics.

Gardening tips for fall: Begin saving coffee grounds, egg shells, banana peels. You should save others, but if you don't have a large property or a compost bin (like we don't yet have), this is a great additive to the soil, and the above three break down so fast on your dirt, you don't know you tossed them out after a week. And plants will grow, grow, grow next spring. Also, if you have bushes to prune, get trimming. I don't rake leaves out of beds til spring, it helps to protect tender plants from hard freezes if you grow them like I do (in zones where they really don't belong). Also, trim back perennials. Give them a good fertilizing. They will set new growth for next year before the freeze. IF you are going to bring in plants for winter, set them in the shade now. You might repot to rid of pesky ants that love to hide in pots. Setting them in shade adjusts them to reduced light. I would also cut back on water content. Believe it or not, plants sleep in winter. In fact, many cacti can make it all winter without water or light. Some perennials can, but I give them as minimal of both as I can. I'm too afraid of killing them. However, if you kill a plant, you are learning. That's how I've learned so much. What some gardeners can grow, some can't. I can't grow African violets...but I have my first one ever reblooming. I'm so excited!!!