Motivation - how do you get it in September?

aww what a great idea. glad its got some use!

 

So is Physalis alkekengi edible?
I've only ever eaten Physalis peruviana.

 

Yes, it seems the whole tribe probably have edible fruits but everything else is mildly poisonous, at least this is claimed. Physalis are quite distantly related to the other nightshade tribes.
Alkakengi fruit is definately edible when ripe though maybe try a small bit first

 

That's what would bother me, the fact that a lot of the group are poisonous, you can buy P. peruviana in the supermarket.
Not seen any P. alkekengi.

 

True for carrot family too, carrots, parsley, coriander, all not very far from hemlock

 

The edible Physalis ( Peruviama ) is quite distinct from the ornamental flower we call Chinese Lantern ( alkekengi ). Both in growth habit and the colour of the "lanterns". Not sure I would try eating the latter.

 

Autumn is considered a good time for planting shrubs & trees or moving shrubs, and I am always really eager to do that if I have a plan involving it, so I tend to do it in September. Changes like that do give me motivation, as it's my favourite thing to do in the garden.

This time however, despite having an empty spot in the ground and some unused pots, I am a bit stumped regarding what to do.

I am hoping that when I return home (I am currently visiting family abroad), I will come up with ideas and get excited.

 

Well, the rain softened up the clay. I had five packets of non tulip bulbs. I now have two packets and blisters.
But at least the squirrels won't go hungry.
I'm inclined to poke the remaining bulbs into containers emptied by sawfly larvae but that would just make it easier for the tree rats.

 

September is a good month for ornamental grasses flowering so watching them catch and reflect the low autumn light around the garden motivates me. Also putting some cheerful violas in pots near the back door provides some encouragement while other plants start to decline. There’s lots of colour from late season perennials like Rudbeckias, Heleniums and Japanese Anemones, plus bright red Rowan berries for the birds, so the outlook is still good .

 

I've been cutting off all the broken, trashed flowering stems on my only tall grass [Spartina] @Plantminded , after the recent rough weather. I just saw one I'd missed when I opened my curtains this morning. Not always as pretty as people think they are!
The rowan berries got eaten ages ago by a blackbird - so I don't have those either

Just as well some of the sweet peas have survived the heat, and the rudbeckias and the single dahlia that survived winter have managed to escape the slugs at last....

 

Have you tried growing any medium sized grasses @fairygirl? Mine all stand up to wind and rain without being trashed. Possibly your soil and climate don't really suit them ..... or you don't like them . Two of the advantages of dry, sandy soil here are that most grasses that I've grown adapt quickly and, even better, because there are few damp hiding places or juicy stems, most slugs give up and find a less hostile retreat elsewhere .

 

Pretty much given up here now, the weather always determines how long my interest in growing lasts.
After a decent summer the weather has called time on the growing for this year.

Just a matter of waiting for winter jobs to start.

 

I'm not overly keen on them now @Plantminded . I like the smaller ones I have, as they work well with the other perennials etc, but I'm not convinced any of the medium ones would be brilliant, and I really don't have suitable sites for them - other plants I'd rather have in those anyway. Too windy in my site- I'd need a massive hedge right round the garden to counteract it, and that would be a bit depressing, especially in winter, not to mention the maintenance!
I found another trashed stem on the Spartina yesterday. To be fair, it's usually a bit later on before we get weather rough enough to damage it so much, and the flower stems on it are pretty tough. It's just annoying, because it's near the back gate and the rear fence, so it's a pain if they're hanging over too much. Doesn't matter if it's later and i have to cut them all down.
My garden is also fairly primed for over winter @pete , as I've been doing as much chopping as I can while the weather was good. Most of the things I'm doing just now are either ongoing projects, or planning for any changes I want for next year.