One of the things I always do in fall is take note of what was successful this year and what wasn't so I can make plans for next year. A garden is never finished. It evloves. That's the fun of gardening. The orange poppies we planted a few years ago have gotten out of hand. Out they go! And now that the summer-blooming perennials are done, there are some gaping holes. I'll have to add some fall-blooming plants in those spots next spring that can take over when the lilies, phlox, and bee balm are done. I've learned that this stuff needs to be written down. I tell myself that I'll remember that I want to plant purple asters next to the driveway next spring and swap out the red rose in the front yard for a white one, but by May it's all forgotten and I'll be making the same mental notes next fall. Now I keep a notebook for jotting down those observations.
One of the things that I'll be adding to that notebook - don't plant 6 of those little orange tomatoes ever again! We're drowning in little orange tomatoes. I've given them to neighbors, friends, relatives, and taken them in to work. One plant would have been plenty. The watermelon and cantaloupe were disappointing. If anyone has had success with them in southern Wisconsin, I'd love to hear about it.
Don't give up on your pots and window boxes in fall. Many annuals perk up when the weather cools down. Trailing plants might need a trim, but if you keep up on feeding and watering, your pots might look better now than they did a month ago.
