Again, I was surprised returning from a short trip out of town to hear of a freeze warning, though my return was delayed, and after dark there was nothing to be done about tropicals on the patios except hope for the best. The timing of the season’s first frost or freeze seems always to coincide with an out of town journey, and fortunately, rarely does my sloth in moving plants indoors result in significant damage. This, of course, encourages further delays the next year in bringing tropicals into their winter home.

The next morning, a few slightly wilted leaves were in evidence, but temperatures did not drop as low as forecast, and elephant ears and gingers can tolerate more cold than I give credit for. The next low temperature is forecast for another week off, so there’s plenty of time and perhaps the chore to bring pots indoors can be put off even longer.

Cannas in pots will be hauled into the new greenhouse, and a larger one will be dug and dumped into a pot, to be replanted in May, though in a new spot since a tree is planned for this position. The cannas are nearly cold hardy for our mildest winters, so a small amount of protection should get them through the winter.

With the change to colder temperatures, our late summer drought has also ended. An inch of rain earlier in the week, with another inch today, and more expected during the week will put an end to bone dry clay, and will fill the garden’s ponds that were nearing their lowest points ever, I’ve been planting and transplanting since August as if rain was around the corner, so now I won’t have to constantly monitor these babies.