It’s almost that time of year again. Nothing is more refreshing
than a vivid blue sky accented by fiery leaves of the hard woods, yellows of
the aspens and some maples, and various reds of the underbrush. Many shades of
orange and yellow are accented by the dark greens of spruce and pines. Autumn
is foliage showing off and we love it. It’s nature’s last hurrah before the
settling of wintertime and rest.
The flower gardens are looking a bit seedy (they have cause
as they are making next year’s seeds.) Have your Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon,
Obedience Plant finished? Sunflowers are nodding their heavy heads with birds
and rodents feasting on the bounty of oil rich seeds. For relief we turn to a
plant we nicknamed, MUM, but it is so not mum as it speaks with rich fall
colors on a plant that stays tidy and easily tucked into existing gardens. Chrysanthemum has
been shortened to mum; the real name almost forgotten.
Are mums perennial? Do they survive the freezing temps and come back next
year. The answer is . . . maybe. Indeed, the plant is cold hardy at least to
agricultural zone 4/5. So why have so many gardeners been disappointed when the
mums succumb to the cold? Might be from too much love? Actually, mums are
fairly tough plants that need little attention to thrive. The problem is a shallow
root system. Simply put, it cannot stay in the ground during frost heaves which
come and go with a changing temperature.
Give it up. You aren’t about to run out every time a warm day and a frost
freeze night happens. It’s probably many more nights than you suspect. Mulch is
the best remedy. A good mulch will cut down on the possibility of the shallow
rooted plant being thrust out of the ground and left high and dry to die.
Two other remedies: Stick a pot or
two of your favorite colors in a corner of the garage and give a sip of water
occasionally. It might work; worth a try.
Next is treat the low-cost mum plant like an annual and don’t worry about
it. Just buy new next year.
I’ve done all of the above with
various successes. I refuse to give up new and different colors, so I buy every
year. I, also, cover my favorite yellows with solid mulch and try to remember
to trim until the 4th of July. (Otherwise, they grow leggy and
unattractive.) I’ve been known to pot up an unusual color I want to try and
save and tuck it into a corner of the garage. It works maybe half the time. I
don’t get upset with failures, as I remember mums are not expensive and I can
replace them as autumn approaches. It’s a lovely plant; indulge and enjoy.
Here’s a look at one
of my cozy mysteries to warm your heart: MURDER AT THE LOOKOUT, 4TH
in the Detective Kevin Fowler series.
When is it not fun to be a blond?
What happens
when a blond beauty hits town like a tornado stirring up memories and causing
turmoil? Detective Kevin Fowler and his wife, the former Beverly Hampton, owner
of the local newspaper, are settling into blissful married life. Although
Beverly is sanguine over the demand on Kevin’s time by the good people of
Hubbard, she is more than dubious when his duties include the escort of a
drop-dead gorgeous female from his past.
There is some concern over the persistent
vandalism of residential mailboxes, but an infamous arsonist has decided
peaceful but dull Hubbard would make a great place from which to operate. He
brazenly locates down the block from the detective and his wife.
What bait and tackle shop in the village has a
dual purpose? Kevin ponders why two goons have invaded town shooting at and
attempting to kidnap and murder three women. A state patrolman, aptly nick
named Rooster, teases Fowler at the riotous scene of a traffic accident where
the press, not the police, wins the day.
Another mystery and adventure with a satisfying
ending unfolds in peaceful Hubbard, New York, small-town Americana, where
Detective Kevin Fowler keeps an ever-vigilant watch.
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane.
She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.
Look for information about writing and plants on Emma’s new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.
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