No matter how many times you hear it,
it’s TRUE, the best time to garden in Austin, Texas is in the fall.
The mornings are cool, the whole day can be spent outside without sweating
and the plants love this time of year. You can plant small
transplants, seeds, shrubs and trees and just about anything green can be
planted now. Of course there are exceptions and as you garden more you
will learn those.
If you think ahead you can have fresh
herbs and vegetables just about all throughout the winter. Of course,
if we have some hard freezes you will have to protect some of your
plantings. I use a thin white row cover, cut to the size of my
vegetable bed. Everything else tender in the garden is cut back and
mulched and will hopefully survive any freezes. Fall is the best time
to plant Parsley,
Petroselinum sativum, either curly or the
flat Italian kind. For the last two years I’ve had curly so now I’ll
plant the flat. I hear flat Parsley tastes better, we’ll see.
Parsley lasts for two years, then it bolts (goes to flower) and it’s done.
Plants such as Parsley are called Biennials. I keep one Parsley plant
right outside on my deck in a planter box, so while I’m cooking I can just
step outside and snip what I need. The other plants are in my garden.
I do the same with Basil in the summertime. Parsley seeds can be difficult
to germinate (they take quite a long time), so I recommend buying a four
inch transplant and planting it in part sun/part shade. Although I planted
an entire border in one bed with seeds and they all came up. I use
Parsley for soups, stews, tabouli, salads, etc. Fresh Parsley is not
only delicious but quite healthy and medicinal as well. Parsley is
high in Vitamin C, the leaves and root are used for urinary tract infections
and all parts of the plant are good for digestive weakness.
Another great herb to plant now is
Cilantro,
Coriandrum sativum. Many people love the flavor of cilantro, and some
do not. I like it in salsas, salads, with beans, on vegetarian tacos
and I even make a pesto from fresh Cilantro leaves so you can enjoy pesto in
the wintertime as you do in summer with Basil. Cilantro is easily
grown from seed, planted in a sunny location in well -draining soil. After
enjoying Cilantro all winter, come springtime the plant will begin to bolt
forming a lovely, delicate white flower (wonderful in flower arrangements)
and finally go to seed. These seeds are Coriander seeds and can be
used as a spice in chili powder, curry powder and the ripe green seeds can
be pickled and used like capers. So interestingly, the entire aerial parts
of the plant are used for our culinary enjoyment.
Another favorite fall herb of mine is
Borage, Borago officinalis. Borage seeds can be planted
now in full sun and will thrive through the cool months. Borage leaves
can be used as an acute treatment for lung congestion, the flowers eaten as
an anti-depressant and the oil in the seeds are high in gamma linolenic
acid, which like Evening Primrose Oil, is helpful in the treatment of
rheumatoid arthritis. The leaves and seeds of Borage are also helpful
in increasing the milk supply of nursing mothers.
Calendula,
Calendula officinalis, is probably my favorite fall herb. Seeds
planted now, in full sun, will quickly produce plants that flower rich,
vibrant orange flowers in the late winter, early spring. Calendula
flowers are edible, act as an anti-depressant (who could stay depressed just
looking at these bright, sunny flowers) and an oil and/or salve can be used
to treat a large variety of skin disorders. Applied externally calendula
salve will effectively treat burns, soothe pain of injuries and irritation
and promote the healing of wounds, insect bites and bruises.
So if you have a Texas hankerin’ to
have any particular plant join your garden, now is the best time to get them
in the ground. We still have some time before a first frost, so if you
get your planting done now the root system has a chance to establish itself
and get ready to hold on for the winter. Besides our beloved herbs, now is
the time to scatter our wildflower seeds, water them in, and sit back and
enjoy a springtime full of luscious, native Texas wildflowers full of color
and magic and delights for our wildlife. Have a great season of fall
planting and before you know it we’ll be preparing our garden beds for
spring. Have fun in the garden.