Song for Samhain

I’m moving plants indoors and preparing them for winter in the house. The mango tree is in a south-facing window and under a grow light. Last year’s hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs were pulled out of cold storage yesterday in preparation for Christmas blooms. I’ll carefully peel off the dead material and pot them up. Winter project: I’m water-propagating gorgeous sansevieria trifasciata, orange kalanchoe, pink sedum, hoya carnosa, and other favorites. I bought a big monstera deliciosa for the indoor jungle, and it’s my new obsession.

The food gardens are done save for one tomato plant that’s still producing beautiful German Pinks. I’m giving some away to friends who are thrilled to have fresh garden tomatoes in October. I’ve been collecting sunflower, zinnia, and rosa rugosa seeds from the gardens for next year’s flowers. We’ve been getting the grounds ready for winter. Hummingbird feeders have been taken down and cleaned. Bird feeders will go up in a couple of weeks. My husband prepped and scrubbed the fireplace. Leaves are dreaming now. Winter is moving in.

Shaanti xo