Phooey on averages! While naturally frost comes earlier to the areas north of us, we are supposed to get our first killing frost here (on average) about October 24.

What will this year bring us? After last season – frost that caught a lot of things on October 1, one hardly knows just how to plan.

It was interesting to note how the frost affected different plants. The snapdragons, sweet alyssum, and petunias withstood it okay. Zinnias and coleus were completely shot. Some marigolds were completely gone, while others, the giant chrysanthemum flowered ones, were only slightly “burned.” Even some of the chrysanthemum blooms seemed blighted, but it didn’t hurt those still in the bud stage.

Squash, gourds and the grape leaves turned up their toes. Always before it seemed that the tomatoes were the very first thing to be killed. This frost nipped the tops and ends of the vines, but the rest was unhurt. They continued to bear and ripen fruit for several weeks.

The morning glories were burned on the tips. This was especially true on the north sides. There was a question as to whether we could raise the candlebush, (Cassia alata) at all here. They were showing the big yellow buds and a few of the florets had opened. Here again, this tender plant showed burning only on the tips of some outer leaves. It went on to bloom until a much later hard killing frost.

We were given some seeds and I started them in the greenhouse early. I gave away all but two, which I set out in the garden near our landscape lighting. They became six feet tall, and several feet across. Young trees in fact. We were so pleased with them that I fully intended to start some again this year, but didn’t get around to it. So you can imagine how pleased we were when a neighbor dropped in with a potted candlebush for us. A friend from Tulsa carried two of these on the train with her to Kansas City . . . one for the neighbor and one for us.

Although I mention our greenhouse from time to time, I don’t mean to imply that you can’t successfully garden without one. It is just a handy “gadget.” You can have early plants earlier, and of course you can enjoy flowers throughout the year. For example, this year we were cutting zinnias from the garden by the latter part of May.

While on this subject let me point out a few facts that seem to be misunderstood by many. Practically everyone you know will tell you that they would like to have a greenhouse, but say they are too costly. This might have been true at one time, but the prefabrieated houses today come in a size and range to fit almost everyone’s purse.

Such progress has been made in some of the plastic materials that they make ideal and very practical houses. Many commercial growers are using them. They do offer the possibilities to get started with your own greenhouse until you can afford a more permanent type of structure.

Some people seem to think that a greenhouse requires a lot of heat. They mistakenly refer to them as hot houses. Greenhouse temperatures mean the night temperature. Some plants, like carnations, chrysanthemums, cyclamen, pansies and various bulbs, snapdragons, stock and sweetpeas like a cool house. That means a night temperature of 45 to 50 degrees. The bulbs like tulips, when about ready to bloom, can be given more heat-60 degrees or so.

But there arc many plants that prefer a medium heat of 55 to 60 degrees. Begonias, coleus, geraniums, gloxinia, saintpaulia, etc., to name a few. I don’t mean that they won’t tolerate higher or lower temperatures, but that is about what they like best. You can mix and grow many of these in a medium house.

Not only is a small greenhouse interesting, but I have always felt that it could be made to pay its way, too, if I wanted it to.

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