Journal September 29, 2015 - Turning this year's annuals into next year's annuals

The days are getting shorter and cooler, the annual flower bed has been pulled up and the soil turned over.  During the last few weeks I have let the flowers remain on the plants, so that the seed pods would dry.  

This evening I spent an hour or so separating and packaging the seeds for next year's flower bed.  Seeds are inexpensive, so why bother?  Well, I get a lot more satisfaction out of growing plants from seeds that I have saved.  It sort of makes the plant "completely mine."

The lettuce in the aeroponic units is just about ready for harvest.  I noticed that the folks that make the Aerogarden have a new unit for sale; it would be interesting to compare their results with my homemade unit.  Their seed pods and nutrients are expensive, while I am using only a tablespoon of generic dry nutrients and epsom salts.

Outside, I can see that Mother Nature is dipping her brushes into the paint buckets getting ready for the fall display.

Another sign that fall is approaching is the emerging fungi on the forest floor.  This time of year I love to roam the woods classifying and photographing the seemingly endless varieties of fungi.  The above is:  Unicorn Salmon Entoloma, pretty, delicate, deadly.