Frost Free Fruit

This is what a confusingly warm autumn brings you: A big fat strawberry for Halloween.
 

In fact, the tastiest and best one of the whole season. I had it for breakfast.

I can't grow strawberries in the ground here -- the soil and pH won't allow it. But in a shallow pot on the table by the garage, I can get a good crop of one or two strawberries every other week. I'm happy with that.

But who would expect a crop in late October? There are more fruits ripening and flowers hidden under the leaves even as the foliage turns scarlet for fall.

This frost free, lingering warm fall has everything confused. I tried to go out one afternoon to clean things up for what's coming and couldn't do it -- most plants are still flowering and even in their drowsy fall decline they look good.

The extended forecast shows one night next week where it is expected to flirt with temperatures around 29 degrees. Will that short freeze be enough to end things? 

After that one dip the week gets warm and frost free again and I just don't know when this will all end.