Fall is a lovely time of year.

For us here in Texas it means the intense summer heat is over, even though days still warm up into the 80's. The angle of the sun creates a different light. If I were a painter, I would paint landscapes during the Fall due to the colors created by the light. Our extreme summer temperatures tend to make the various green shades of plant leaves look somewhat washed out. Fall brings the bright greens alive again.

Basil and salvia seed heads gracing the fall garden

Then there are the browns and darker shades of red and gold. Even though in my part of Texas there are only a few trees and shrubs that turn colors in the Fall, many leaves are losing chlorophyll and preparing to drop for the Winter. The Pecan Trees are dropping their crop of nuts and the leaves are looking drier and darker. The leaves on the deciduous oaks in our area are turning tan, getting ready to fall. The Sweetgum Trees are turning reddish orange and their seed pods are dropping.

Sweetgum Tree, Photo by: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

FALL HERB GARDENS

Fall is the time to harvest many herbs and, in doing so, to tidy up our herb beds. Tender crops that will not take a freeze can be harvested now. Basil, Stevia, Comfrey and Mexican Mint Marigold are the most tender in my garden.

It's time to make Basil Pesto to put in the freezer for Winter. Eating Basil Pesto in Winter brings summer back to the table. And, it's so easy to make. Here's a basic Basil Pesto Recipe. Many people leave the cheese out when freezing and add it back into the thawed Pesto before serving.

Stevia, Stevia rebaudiana, is root hardy up to about Zone 6 with a good mulch, but the tops die back at the first freeze.



Stevia growing nicely in summer

Stevia can be dried or frozen for use during the Winter. Another way to preserve Stevia for later use is to make a strong "tea" or infusion. Take a couple handfuls of leaves in about 2 cups of water, simmer for 20 minutes or so, then leave to cool. Strain out the leaves and store this sweet liquid in the fridge for up to a month or so. Use it to sweeten winter drinks and baking. If you make more than you think you'll use up in about a month, freeze some to thaw and use later.

Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, can be harvested now and used to make salves and added to soaps. Or, if you're like me, used to make a very nutritious fertilizer. Added to a compost pile, Comfrey adds lots of nutrients. The long tap root of the Comfrey plant bring up lots of nutrients needed for fertilizer, especially Potassium. Here's a very informative web site on using Comfrey in the garden.

Mexican Mint Marigold, Tagetes lucida, is blooming now with bright golden yellow flowers.



Flowers of the Mexican Mint Marigold

These flowers can be used in salads and makes a terrific addition to herb vinegars. In the Southern US, where the delectable French Tarragon struggles to grow, we use the Mexican Mint Marigold as a culinary substitute. I also like it in tea and salsa. This herb dried well, keeping its flavor nicely.

FALL VEGETABLE GARDENS

In the South where it is so hot during the summer months this is the time to plant a winter garden. Most of the tender and nutritious greens we use for salads, stir frys and soups are grown in the winter in the South. In areas with less intense summers, you can be starting your second, or even, third crop of these tasty greens. You should be able to find starts of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards and lettuce in your local nurseries now.

Many of the leafy green crops are very easy and economical to grow from seed. Leaf type lettuces grow so well during the mild winter months and if you grow them from seed you have a bigger selection to brighten up your salads.

For a terrific selection of Lettuce, Asian Greens and other winter vegetables, visit The Herb Cottage Seed Selection.

Mustard greens, collards, kale and Swiss chard all grow easily from seed. If you consider yourself an impatient gardener cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are better purchased as seedlings now.

To keep a steady supply of lettuce for your winter salads, plant a small row or container about every 3 weeks. That way, you'll have new plants as the old ones are harvested. You can use the "cut and come again" method of harvesting if you grow the plants close together. To harvest, simply use scissors to cut the leaves off about 2 inches above the ground. The plant will grow out again to provide you with more leaves. You can usually get about 3 or 4 cuttings from one bed. If you prefer to grow heads of leaf lettuce, thin the seedlings or plant your transplants about 8 inches apart and harvest the whole head by cutting at ground level.

Whether you grow your garden in the ground or in containers, you can have a tasty and economical winter garden growing cool season herbs and vegetables.

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people. -Abraham Joshua Heschel, theology professor (1907-1972)