Yesterday last day of summer 94+ rather hot
this AM 52 and not to get above 65 .I guess fall is on it's way

the large potted canna is loosing it's color


The coleus have done exceptionally well this year

Hi Cinda!

New-ish to both I suppose? I started gardening the fall of 2019 after we moved into our current home in West Michigan. I realized our property was covered in invasive honeysuckle and garlic mustard, so that's how it all began…ripping out invasive bushes and trash bags full of garlic mustard. Then all the extra time spent at home in spring of 2020 during lockdown I invested in the garden. Every year I remove more bad guys, and plant more welcome ones. Wanted to join the forum this year instead of just being a spectator. Need other people to talk plants with aside from my husband. I'm learning so much here!

Here's some first day of fall happiness from last week…my toddler and I cut some of the last zinnias of the year.

Katy !
Love those zinnias.
I wait until after frost to collect zinnia seeds. Make sure it's a dry day and the seedheads are as dry as possible. Even though they are all brown & crunchy, I can tell the difference between a bud & a developed, mature seedhead by how big it is. I collect the mature heads, lay the seedheads in a single layer on a flat, dry area (my hay wagon), in the dark barn, and leave to dry for a few weeks. I then load them into cardboard boxes for winter storage in the dry, cool basement. At a convenient time I take the boxes out to the garage to break up the seedheads and separate the seeds from the calyx & stem. Discard the calyx & stems. A dusty, messy job. I stow the collected seeds & petals in gallon zip bags in the house until planting time.
Side story: I did the breakdown process one sunny calm day in late fall on my deck. The next spring I had an unexpected zinnia garden around my deck from just a few errant seeds ! So I KNOW zinnia seeds will winter over in high, dryer ground.
Note: during the growing season, when you discover an odd bloom or plant, mark it with blue painters tape (similar to masking tape) and write notes with permanent black marker. Easy to find later when harvesting seeds.
Fortunately I am not bothered with the birds eating my zinnia seeds since I plant a 100' row of sunflowers for them.

That's an adorable picture, Katy.

Katy, welcome here if I haven't already said it. Those Zinnia's are beautiful. I have never seen large petals like the one at the front.

Happy autumn everyone.
Charcoal says 'Hi' !

It has been down into the 30's the last few mornings
this bumble sleeps here at night , she has been there every morning for almost a week now.

several tropicals still in bloom

pinta

lantana


and mexican sage just starting to bloom





It always blooms late and I have to take it into the greenhouse to extend the blooms.

Love the kitty , great fall photo
I have been gone a couple days visiting my sister and her new puppies
6 weeks old.






the cute stage

Precious Cinda!

Cinda, strange about your Russian sage blooming so late in your area. Here it's one of the early bloomers and goes strong all summer until fall freeze. Throughout the season it is always teeming with diverse wildlife. Is yours in full sun?





I know that some species can be excessively prolific in some areas but I can't bring myself to dislike it. You probably know it is no longer Perovskia; now reclassified as Salvia yangii.

I did not hear of the reclassification good to know
can't keep up

but the above plant in mt post is Mexican sage
salvia leucantha
I know common names confuse people but even after taking 3 years of Latin I still can't spell proper botanical names with out looking them up

this is last years plant in bloom
love the fuzzy flowers

Sheesh, my goof . Says "Mexican" right there in your post. Hard to believe it will have time to get that big and beautiful this late in your season. Can't be hardy in zone 5...is it in a pot?

I grew it in California and loved it — bloomed off and on year round, if I recall, and required virtually no care other than an occasional trim.

I just looked it up and discovered there is another plant called Mexican sage that is S. mexicana


as opposed to yours, which is listed as Mexican Bush sage


Common names are often confusing. Admittedly, neither one is similar to 'Russian."

katesflowers said: Happy autumn everyone.
Charcoal says 'Hi' !

This picture is so cute!!!

Cinda, I'd love to pick one of those puppies up in my arms and squeeze it! They look very cuddly.

Cinda !
The puppies are so cute !

thank you
the puppies were fun to play with
..........................
dragging things into the greenhouse to extend the season on a few things
only 36 this morning
our average frost/freeze is October 10
I am not ready

well with no rain for 3 weeks now, and two light frosts there are still blooms here and there








also still enough cosmos and zinnia for house flowers

Beautiful Cinda!

slowcala said: Beautiful Cinda!

Hello together!

You all have beautiful plants in your gardens!

Here in Germany we have a mild October, so some plants are still
blooming.

A delphinium shows its last blossom



Cosmos is still in bloom



Japanese anemones



Autumn asters


Catmint



Geranium




Kind regards, Versicolor