Winter is Coming

No, this isn’t a Game of Thrones post. But we are anticipating our first freezing temperatures of the season this week, so preparations are underway at Casa Fire Ant.

It’s slightly ironic that our landscape is looking better than it has all year, just in time for a killing frost. Here’s a sample of some of our flowers as they appeared yesterday…

Our bougainvillea and hibiscus are in pots. Neither species will survive our winter in the ground, so we move them into the garage for the duration. Some horticulturists will tell you that being inside for the winter is not good for bougainvillea, but we have plants that have survived ten or more winters that way. And some even recommend forced dormancy as a survival strategy. The plants are puny in the spring, but after a few weeks of warm weather, they’re typically back to their happy selves. I suppose the fact that we move them outside occasionally when the winter weather isn’t too brutal so they can get a little sunshine might contribute to their hardiness.

It’s a pain to move eight or ten fairly large pots in and out of the garage, so this year I’ve built something that I hope will significantly reduce the effort. I cut in half a 4′ x 8′ piece of 3/4″ plywood and then rejoined the two halves with hinges, and attached six heavy duty casters (two of which are lockable) to the bottom. I threaded a couple of ropes through each end to tow and steer the platform, stapled a sheet of thick plastic to protect it from water leaks, and – voilà! – a movable plant stand that will accommodate all of our pots at once.

Here’s what it looks like unburdened:

And here’s what the loaded version looks like:

In case you’re wondering, the hinges make it easier to store the platform. I can fold and lean it against a wall during the offseason.

I’m pretty happy with the way this turned out, although the construction wasn’t without mishap. In accordance with my usual modus operandi, in which I essentially always have to redo a significant step that I messed up, I discovered that I countersunk the bolt holes on the wrong side of the boards and had to move the hinges to the other side so that the wheels didn’t interfere with folding the platform. In addition, I failed to account for the countersinking and the bolts I used interfered with the wheels so I had to cut them off with a Dremel tool. Fortunately, I’ve done enough of this boneheaded stuff that I actually build in an allowance for it in my timeline and budget, and I’m disappointed in those rare instances that everything goes right the first time. OK, just kidding. I’ve NEVER had a project where everything went right the first time. But I’ve resolved to be disappointed if it ever does.

In the interest of full disclosure, I haven’t actually tried to pull the loaded platform into the garage, so I may be in for a nasty surprise tomorrow night when I bring everything in for the first time. I did do a test run with Debbie sitting on it, but she weighs SO MUCH LESS than these plants – I mean, really, it’s like comparing a feather to a dump truck…seriously! (she’s right behind me, isn’t she?) – that I’m not sure how realistic a test it was. I’ll let you know if, when I unlock the wheels, the whole thing plummets down the driveway and drags me across the alley and through the neighbors’ fence and into their pool. Or you can watch for the report on the evening news.

OK, I know some of you are geeky enough to be disappointed that this wasn’t a Game of Throne post, so this is for you: