Thursday, October 19, 2017

Midwest Gardening in October

I've already belabored the woes of our crazy Midwest weather this year, it's been crazy all over the country though. Bits of beauty survive in our yard despite no Fall color to speak of and everything
on the tail end of dead.

Here in Chicagoland, despite the heat and drought of August and September, the Zinnias were extremely vigorous. Not too many blossoms, but lots of growth. In drought I hold back on fertilizing, as plants are just trying to maintain their existing leaves and flowers. I'm sure this reduced blooming on everything.


The last two weeks Silver Maple trees have cast about leaves almost everywhere each day. We will be mulching all our garden beds, a GREEN thing to do.


These double layered Zinnias have petticoats of orange under there crimson centers. The lime green leaves in pots are the last of our hot peppers.


I leave perennials in the garden until they seed this time of year. 
Black-eyed Susans are in the background, ready to drop their seeds.



Leggy Coleus and the last of the Impatiens on one of our full rainbarrels.
Rainbarrels are a great way to help drought gardens. We have four and will probably add another next year.--another GREEN thing to do.



Our pond with dried up squash vines hanging. Cherry Tomatoes behind still trying.


Some Ruby Chard and Carnival (mixed) Chard. 
This will make some great greens for some soup. NUM!




Mislabeled HOT peppers----LOTS more than we will ever use.


Cinderella has nothing on us. 
This pumpkin perched itself on an OLD antique cultivator and grew to a 
spectacular size for a homegrown pumpkin.


I have big Scandinavian hands----so this will show how big this perfect pumpkin is.
We only had two large pumpkins and three small ones, about 20% of our usual production.



REDO: Hubby rebuilt the 'family' cultivator last year, and now it's a pumpkin perch.


Here's the last Spaghetti Squash still on the vine with overgrown green beans hanging there too. This was taken late in the afternoon, I love the shadows and leaves in this photo---un-altered photo.




The front porch is finally cool enough to sit on the furniture. 
Trees block the low sun now, instead of boiling the porch.  
My Fall arrangement is a REDO with dried gourds from last year. 


My house plants are still happy on the porch. But they will have to come in soon.

I haven't found my bin of Fall decor, yet or my sunflower pillows?
But then, without color in the trees, it just doesn't feel like Fall.




Next week is Halloween---really? 
An OLD thrift shop witch swinging in the wind, I call her Gerty and she is the 
extent of Halloween decor this year.

Maybe this weekend, we can get some things up. 

When is it going to look like Fall? Orange and Yellow, 
doesn't go well with Christmas Decorations, lol.

How's your Fall going?

Thanks always for visiting. 
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.
 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!






Sandi






5 comments:

  1. Hi Sandi! Thanks for stopping by to visit me at Vintage Mama's Cottage. I agree that it is interesting that with so many other bloggers linking up to these parties, that there are so few comments. I think that we've saturated the market so to speak with so many linky parties, that people just drop their link and move on to the next party. Doesn't really do what was originally intended, which is to connect us with one another. I love your garden post as we live in Indiana so we are also in the process of doing the autumn garden projects. I will definitely include your links in next week's feature for the Favorite Things Blog Hop. Would love to connect with you again soon! Nina @ Vintage Mama's Cottage

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  2. I certainly have seen a huge change in the last year on the blogging. Too many ads, I have dropped bloggers I have followed for three years, because of 15 or more ads thrust between their photographs---so many have businesses--and are pushing products and designs that really not what their blog used to represent. It's hard to comment on something that really looks awful that someone is using in their home because they got it free?

    I have an Etsy shop, but it's never pushed---and just sits quietly over on the side and if someone goes there, fine, if not that's ok. too. And your tatters shop is adorable, I hearted it, but even Etsy has changed what we see now. Seems we have to pay for anything to be promoted anywhere. Thanks for the communication, I guess we will just have to ride this 'metamorphosis' out and see what happens. Grins, and nice to meet you, Sandi

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  3. Your garden looks charming in the Fall. We have had unseasonably warm weather here in NEPA so my back yard is still in bloom!! But times are changing and next week we will be below average..... Thanks so much for stopping by!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  4. My, you have a wonderful produce garden. Those orange Zinnias with the different coloured petticoats are pretty. Soon it will be Winter....

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  5. Why I'm also in Chicagoland (western suburbs) and we do have great color now! However I can do without all the rain! Thanks for sharing your wonderful garden with us over at Vintage Charm:)
    xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home

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Thank you for any and all comments. I will be happy to answer any questions or comments in replies or email! HUGS!