Our first freeze here in Austin is usually the first week in December, so we are ahead of schedule today, with a freeze warning for the next two nights.

After a month of delicious rains, Austin gardeners are beaming with the resulting bursts of bloom and growth. 

But that’s about to come to a screeching halt if the weather forecasters are right.  The outlying areas of the Hill Country will certainly see a freeze, but Austin proper temps are usually a little warmer.  We’ll see.

Unlike most years, I got my plants into the greenhouse in time.

I’m still taking cuttings from tender plants throughout the garden, so space is filling in quickly.  I will admit that a few large pots/plants just didn’t make the cut this year so I could have room to walk into the greenhouse and to reach the ceiling windows in the back.

Many of the plants got a good clean up and a haircut.  A few of the plumerias that were towering over me were pruned to fit and the new stalks planted up in smaller pots.  After the heat of our dry and blistering summer, I get weary of potted plant care – every single day.  The cooler temps were invigorating and it was really fun to have my hands in the soil again.

The temperatures are dropping through the day today as the cold front hits.  I’ll turn the heater on late afternoon and keep them toasty warm through the night.

They look cozy in there together, don’t they? 

Now I just have to cover the peppers, pick the tomatoes and the basil, take more cuttings and water.

Guess I only thought I was ahead of the game!

Are you ready for winter?