I have been under the spell of Stephen King’s storytelling since I was eleven.  His stories do more than entertain; they envelope you.  In one of his books he talked about how he edits and polishes his stories once they are completed.

King said he would put the manuscript in a drawer for no less than six weeks before looking at it again.

Why?

Because when they are babies it is even harder to Kill Your Darlings.

Stephen King would have to edit, delete, snuff out parts of the baby he had just given birth to.  He would have to kill his darlings.  That is why he would wait six weeks.

Ah, but you and I brave gardener do not have that luxury.      Our darlings can’t wait another six weeks!

We must kill them now!    In their prime!     In the daylight!     

Not sure what your darlings are?  I am sure it is something different for everyone who creates.  For us brave gardeners they are those awesome annual containers and beds you created this spring and summer.  You see they must be ripped out right away, so the winter and fall annuals will get plenty of time to establish before frost rears its ugly head.  It is not fair that we must pull out some great looking plant material in order to create great looking high impact planters and beds every season, but that is the sad truth about maintaining annual beds and containers. Do You Have to Kill All Of Your Darlings?

 Or

 Can some of them just wait for frost to do the dirty work for you ?

 The way to know which path to take for sure?

 Just like the realtor said:  LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

I’m talking matters of the pot!  Lots of people are swaying on the fence today, trying desperately to make a decision about the container plants they have been nurturing all summer long.  Should they stay or should they go? 

If we are talking about a pot on your back porch that only you see, then you can follow your own heart,

 But…

 If we are talking about front door containers, mailbox containers or any other high traffic high impact area, filled with summer annuals you gotta follow my advice!

 You must be a hard hearted beech of a warrior! 

Rip those suckers out right away!!!!! 

Kill those Darlings!

You want those high impact pots to look terrific to Trick or Treaters and to provoke envy from your family and friends at Thanksgiving, right?

That is never going to happen overnight.  Your fall plants will have to make themselves comfortable and grow through that early awkward stage before they will ever look fabulous.  Trust me. 

Some plants will take you happily right up to frost.  Others are beginning a downward spiral that will only end in embarrassment.  Now is the time to take a good long hard look at those containers and make drastic, bold, life or death decisions.

I did it with this container and you can do it, too!

Be Fearless!