A Time To Frost

Am I the only one who's always a little relieved here on the east coast when the first hard frost finally hits?

Oh, there's a part of me that's annoyed as well. All that work during spring and summer so we can finally enjoy the minimal efforts required each autumn, with the dahlias and mums, the last frantic blooms of annuals.

And then one night, a few short hours of lowered temps, and it's all gone. Just a gray-brown withered mess. Very sad.

Except that then I know I'm done. Yes, I'll clear the gardens and mulch. Maybe even sink some new bulbs before winter, grumbling all the while. But the weeding, watering, feeding, staking, and deadheading is over for another season.

It happened the week after Columbus Day this year, reasonable for this little frost pocket I happen to live in. Sometimes I make it another few days, but there's only been one year since I moved here that it didn't frost till early November. And of course there was that one frustrating season we didn't even get through September.

In New Jersey my garden often survived well into November, and once, that I can recall, even early December.

But I was younger then, not yet 40. Now I'm old and ready to hunker down for winter. Light a fire and put my PJ's on right after dinner. I'd rather read a book (or blog) in the time I would be gardening.

I know I'll feel differently come March when the first snowdrops and crocuses poke their little heads through.

Then I'll be so glad I took the time to plant all those bulbs.

Comments

[Ocean Girl]

I'm always scared to be the first to comment. Scared I might misunderstand the message. Others comments help me be on track!

Why am I surprised that you garden. A gardening librarian?

[Jen on the Edge]

I keep telling myself that I'm done with gardening and yard work for this year, but then I keep finding new things to do. I guess I'll stop when we get our first snow. :-)

[Joanie M]

I hate gardening! I'm glad when the frost comes and I can stop paying the boy up the street who mows my lawn.

[Maya@ A Beach Lovers Place]

We didn't have frost yet it Southern New England, but it's a sure thing to come. I'm happy to work from home, so I can stay in my PJ's all day long if I want to. Wonderful!

[LPC]

I find I feel the pull of winter much more deeply now, in my 50's. I can see why people die in this season. It's not bad, just a powerful pull to slow down.

[Jan]

Yes, our garden is pretty much gone, with the exception of the leeks and celery which will be harvested by this weekend.

I used to loathe the coming of winter, but not so much this year. Perhaps I'm finally getting acclimated to the climate, or maybe it's just that now that I have a light box I know my SAD can be mitigated somewhat come February.

Of course, it could just be that I'm damn tired. LOL

[Heather]

Well at least there is that break to look forward to.

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

I'm such a fabulous gardener I manage to kill all my plants well before the first frost!

[~The South Dakota Cowgirl~]

Thank you for reminding me to purchase some bulbs! I need some crocus and iris and some hyacinth to put some spring color in these beds here. I just moved into this house and let's say that I disagreed with a lot of the things the previous resident did. So the flower beds need to be redone. Now if I can just get it to quit raining or snowing long enough to do it!

[Jane]

While I love winter, I'm not as eager as you to see the first frost. But then, I live way south of you - our first frost sometimes doesn't arrive until January. And by then, winter is almost over. But slipping into the pj's after dinner and snuggling down for the night? That's an activity I enjoy all winter long!

[kathryn]

Aw! Little crocus heads! I never understood those...they only live for what? Like, a day and a half?

I miss spring already! Enough with the coldness and wetness! I feel like we've been in eternal autumn for months now....

[Lynn]

I'm a fairly new gardener in a family of non-gardeners, and I'm still not quite sure what to do in the Autumn--I completely wing it. But there's something cathartic about pulling out the junk and mulching a bit--then hoping against hope that the perennials really do as they're supposed to in the spring and come back up. Faith for sure!

[Sprite's Keeper]

My grandmother was big on gardening. I wish I got her green thumb but plants tend to quiver when I come close. I think I'm banned from bulbs in the state of Georgia..

[Kimberly]

I'm not a gardener and we don't get too much frost here. When I first moved to my new house with a yard I had a BEAUTIFUL chameleon. I have a black thumb, but this plant grew beautifully. A couple of years ago we had a hard frost and everything in my yard seemed to "die". In the spring everything came back except for the chameleon. So sad.
I do however love when it gets cold. Fall and winter are my favorite time of year.

[Charmaine]

I know what you mean. Here is Southern California winter has finally arrived.

It's going to be 73 degrees today.

I'm FREEZING!!!!

PS: What is this thing you call frost? Is it, like, a smoothie or something?

[Erin]

I am thankful for the first frost because it means fewer allergies.
It's a relief to have the leaves raked too.
And I'm w/ you on the pjs right after dinner.

[Jessica]

I've been ready for Fall and that is barely coming around these parts. I love being all cuddly and warm

[Georgina]

I didn't take the time last Fall to plant any bulbs and I sadly regretted it this year when Spring came around. It's funny when you don't do something one year, you realize how much you had taken it for granted when it's not there the next. Enjoy all your hard work! - G

[Smart Mouth Broad]

Oh, how I miss those seasons. We miss all that here in Florida.

[Casey]

I'm still waiting for it to cool off to the point where I can wear pants. Frosts don't come until spring here and we get maybe two or three of them.