by Patty Leander
photos by Patty and Bruce Leander
It doesn’t take long for cross striped cabbage worms to devour young brassica plants.
As much as we all appreciate a good soaking, October’s numerous days of constant rain and cloudy skies sure put a damper on our fall plantings. The shorter days of autumn tend to slow growth anyway, and days upon days of sunless skies practically brings new sprouts to a halt — and that’s if the seeds didn’t get washed away in the first place. Hopefully we’ll have some warm and sunny days this month so we can dry out, replant and tidy up.
Measure and cut row cover well in advance of the first frost. You’ll be glad you did! Make your own row cover staples from wire coat hangers.
The first freeze in Central Texas usually arrives by the end of the month but is often followed by a few more weeks of productive weather. Pay attention to the forecast and be prepared to protect tender edibles in the event of a cold snap. Cover with frost cloth or floating row cover, available online or at local garden centers, to help plants make it through freezing weather unscathed. Cold fronts usually blow in with strong winds so be sure to enclose plants completely and secure covers to the ground with sandbags, bricks, stones or metal staples.
Here is the vegetable gardener’s checklist for November:
- Continue to direct seed radish, mustard, turnips, beets, kale, collards, lettuce, and spinach. Seeds will germinate in cool soil, and plants grow well and taste better during the colder months of the year. Transplant kale, collards, lettuce, and spinach for quicker results.
- Be on the lookout for cross-striped cabbage worm, cabbage loopers and other caterpillars that damage cole crops. Hand-pick or treat with products containing Bt or spinosad. These are persistent pests and repeat applications may be necessary.
- Plant cool season herbs, such as oregano, cilantro, dill, fennel, sage and parsley.
- Harvest young leaves of collards, Swiss chard, kale, Chinese cabbage, arugula and other greens to add to salads, coleslaw and stir-fries.
- Collect seeds from your favorite open-pollinated varieties and flowers for planting next year. Store indoors in a cool, dry, dark location. Be sure to label with the date and variety.
- Add color to your garden with pansies, snapdragons, violas, calendula, dianthus and stock. The foliage of ornamental varieties of cabbage and kale, along with swiss chard, provide bright color and bold texture to beds and containers.
- If you decide to take a break from gardening and leave your beds fallow be sure to protect the soil with a 3-4” layer of straw, mulch or leaves over the winter.
Roasted Thanksgiving Salad.
A delicious trifecta of holiday color and flavor.
Roasted Thanksgiving Salad
This tasty and colorful dish is perfect for the holiday table.
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
1 medium butternut squash, peeled & cut into ½” cubes
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup pecan pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cranberries and pecans with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Stir gently and roast 20-25 minutes longer, until vegetables are tender and browned. Serve with a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Pomegranates add bright color and flavor to fall dishes. Try this tip for removing seeds: cut the fruit in half, hold one half in your hand, seeds facing down, and give it several firm whacks with a wooden spoon. The seeds will pop out right into the bowl below.
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