Last of summer, start of fall

Pulled my tomato plants today. This bucket is mostly full of green ones, but we'll see if any turn. I've still got some beautiful heirlooms in the fridge that need to be eaten.

But when one door closes another opens. I'm harvesting bok choi and green onions, with snow peas right around the corner. The bok choi was planted from nursery starts only 5 weeks ago. Wow, it's fast!

More Iris Photos

A helpful poster on the GardenWeb forum said this might be Mariposa Autumn.

First Frost

It got down to 35 in the garden last night.  I'm pretty sure this marks the official end of my summer season.  Tomatoes will be pulled and composted this weekend.  My morning glories probably have another month before the cold does them in.  In a way, I like the break I get in winter.  With only a few things in the garden, I get to relax and do things I never do in the summer, like watch TV!

My bloomin' Iris

I bought and planted this iris a year ago.  Almost immediately, it shot up a batch of green leaves that sat there and did nothing all summer long.

I was pretty convinced I'd done something wrong.  The websites said you can't plant them too deep, or if they're in the wrong spot, they'll never bloom.  I was also reading that I'm supposed to dig them up every winter and replant or they'll just rot in the ground.

Fortunately, I never got around to doing any of these things, because last week, I looked down at the plant and saw buds forming!

The excitement was that I'd forgotten what color I even planted!

I went back to the wonderful people at the GardenWeb forum who told me in California I don't have to dig them up.  Just let them sit and divide and get bigger.  When they get to the point where they seem crowded, I can pull them up and divide.

How fun!  I think the bearded Iris has officially become my most favorite bulb flower.  I will definitely have issues just walking past that annual display at Lowes without picking myself up a few more bulbs!