Edible Yards

I enjoyed Carol Ann’s article on fall planting in the last issue of Edible Austin. She’s right: fall planting here in Central Texas does require a good attitude and a lot of optimism. For instance, I planted these Brussels sprouts last week (with the help of my son and his trucks, featured in each picture.) I acquired some early starts and figured I’d give it a try even though it was a little early and a bit too hot and dry. But I was optimistic and I got lucky – it turned cooler and rained a few days later. Of course, I didn’t anticipate 6 inches of rain! My in-ground garden beds are on a slight slope and lost some topsoil during the downpour since I had just worked the soil. I could have prevented this if I had mulched them before the rain. Mulch does so many things for your garden – it helps maintain fertility, retains moisture, regulates soil temperature and minimizes the impact of downpours! I finally got around to mulching the Brussels this week with some stockpiled grass clippings and pine needles: