Good morning, and happy(?) Epic Fail Day. Welcome to Saturday Morning Garden Blogging.
As is typical for Denver in September, temperatures are moderating into the 80s, although we did get one aberrant day in the low 90s last week. As also is typical we're not seeing much moisture, and none is forecast for the immediate future. That weather pattern, combined with the gusty wind, has bad news for the fire up in Boulder County.
The forecast for the next few days is for lower temperatures, higher humidity and, blessedly, decreasing wind. The fire is now over 50% contained. There's been no determination of the cause yet -- the official word is the terse "investigation into the cause continues" line.
The signs of fall are definitely here.
When I step out the back door these days the scent of the autumn clematis is thick, and it's not yet in full bloom. The thing went nuts this year, sending out a half-dozen robust new stems from the base in the spring. It now engulfs the fence and the rose arbor — to the extent that I can barely find the rose. Fall blooming asters are also blooming; mostly light purple but I do have some hot pink ones that are starting to spread. This year I need to mark the pink ones, so I can transplant some of those into other areas.
I'm pleased with the number of perennials I have blooming, along with the shots of color provided by gladiolas and dahlias. In the front beds I have hot pink and red salvias, and agastaches of various types going strong. Additionally both pink and white Jupiter's beard are putting out a second, smaller flush of blooms. I cut a lot of my perennials back hard after they bloom in early to mid-summer both because they get messy and floppy after they bloom the first time, and because they will bloom again in late summer or early fall to finish out the year in style.
I had a horrible time getting brassicas to grow this year — most of my seedlings were wiped out by rolling cats, hard rains, leaking hoses and high winds. For plants that are so big and tough when mature they are so very delicate when they first emerge.
I did have one kohlrabi make it to maturity. Kohlrabi was one of my favorites when I was a kid, but I haven't grown it in many years so this was the first time Younger Son had a chance to taste it — and taste it he did, over and over and over. I got a couple of slices, but the kid ate the majority of it. Next year I'll make sure I plant plenty. The variety I planted was "kossack" — no, I'm not kidding. I was very pleased that, despite the size it didn't get tough and woody at all.
I also have one — just one — romanesco broccoli make it to maturity. I had started both purple and gold cauliflower, along with more romanesco broccoli, but only one head made it through.
I'll do some puttering around outside today, but nothing major. I have some plants that need repotted for their eventual home inside for the winter. It's time to move the Christmas cactus upstairs so the natural light pattern of shortening days can trigger their blooming cycle.
And to commemorate the Epic Fail of George Bush's presidency, we'll watch Brazil, Terry Gilliam's history of 21st century America, which he somehow managed to make in 1985.
That's what's happening here. What's going on in your gardens?