Greetings from the farm!
This has turned out to be a really great fall and much deserved after a hot, dry, brutal summer. Texas gardeners are fortunate to have a second season to grow an array of vegetables without fighting heat, bugs, weeds and watering issues. The fall/winter garden will last all the way up to Spring (March, April) when the weather starts to heat up and the next season of warm weather veggies begins. Succession planting is the key to success with the fall garden. No one wants all of their broccoli to mature at the same time so stagger those brassicas (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage & cauliflower) for a long harvest period. The cooler temperatures are ideal for all kinds of greens: arugula, chervil, collards, corn salad, lettuce, mustard greens, raddichio Swiss chard. We are still well stocked with lots of good choices and will have more spinach coming along soon. As Thanksgiving nears we will be showcasing our 10” Deco Pots of mixed Asian Greens, Mixed Salad Greens, Mixed Lettuce. Great for hostess gifts if you are travelling for Thanksgiving.
It’s also a good time to plant cool weather herbs such as cilantro, dill, fennel, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme. Grow these in pots or in the ground to have handy to snip for holiday cooking. One of my favorites is Winter Savory, Saturega montana, an attractive, low growing evergreen herb for a sunny or partly sunny location. Although not as popular as oregano, sweet marjoram and thyme, it certainly compliments meat dishes, soups and stews. Europeans have long valued using winter savory in regional specialty dishes. In Germany it is known as Bohnenkraut, the bean herb, for enhancing the flavor of all types of legumes.
Check back next month to see what’s “growing” on, like this lettuce.
