Well, it's finally here—**the best gardening season of the year**. Fall is officially upon us, and I couldn’t be happier. Cooler temperatures, football, and delicious soups made with fresh fall veggies and leafy greens straight from the garden—what more could you ask for?
In Houston, Texas, September brings sweet relief from the scorching summer. We’re looking at average temps around 86°F, with lows dipping to a much more bearable 70°F. It’s the first time we’ve felt a breeze like this since March!
Battling Fall Garden Pests
Of course, cooler temps also mean it's time to stay vigilant against pests like cabbage loopers, thrips, and slugs. Luckily, nature has an organic solution for just about everything.
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For cabbage loopers, Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) is your friend. This organic insecticide knocks out any insect that dares to munch on your plants, but you’ll need to reapply it over 2-3 weeks to catch them at all life stages.
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Thrips? No problem—mix water with a drop or two of dish soap or Castille soap and spray directly on the pests. As for slugs, fill a saucer with your least favorite beer and place it near the plants. Trust me, you’ll find plenty of slugs (and snails) partying in that saucer come morning!
What I’m Planting This Fall
The cooler weather opens up so many new options for the garden. Goodbye to summer crops like okra and sweet potatoes—hello to cole crops, leafy greens, and all the fall goodness!
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Here’s what I’m planting this month:
- Beans: Fall is prime time for bush beans, pole beans, or even lima beans. I’m growing Golden Rush bush beans and Kentucky Wonder pole beans this year. Remember, pole beans take a little longer to harvest but will keep producing longer than bush beans. Don’t forget to set up a trellis for those pole beans to climb!
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- Brussel Sprout: I took a break from these for a few years because they take up a lot of space and need a long time to grow—sometimes up to four months! But the flavor of fresh Brussels is worth every square inch they occupy. Here’s a tip: don’t remove the leaves from the plant. I’ve heard that helps with sprout size, but in my experience, it does the opposite. And don’t forget, the young leaves are edible, like any other cole crop!
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- Cabbage: I’m incredibly excited to grow cabbage this year since I didn’t plant any last season. While it does take up a lot of space, cabbage matures faster than broccoli or cauliflower. I’m growing Napa cabbage this time, which takes up less room than your traditional green or purple varieties.
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-Cilantro: This is a year-round garden staple for me. It’s essential for all the fresh salads we eat in the fall. I plant seeds every two weeks to keep the cilantro coming, and once they’ve flowered, I harvest the seeds for next time.
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- Kohlrabi: These funky-looking veggies are one of my favorites. Despite their appearance, they’re not a root crop—they grow above the ground like cabbage. Kohlrabi packs a punch with over 140% of the daily recommended Vitamin C and is ready to harvest in just 50 days. Plus, they require way less attention than some other fall crops.
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- Radishes: The superstar of any fall garden! Radishes can go from seed to harvest in less than 30 days, making them perfect for quick wins. This year, I’m growing watermelon and black Spanish radishes.
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- Herbs: Fall is the perfect time to replace any herbs that didn’t survive summer. I’m refreshing my thyme, parsley, and sage—especially my white sage, which isn’t for culinary use, but it sure smells great.
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What Didn’t Work This Year
Sadly, my sweet potato harvest was a bust. I tried companion planting sweet potatoes with peppers, which initially seemed like a win. The sweet potato vines helped cool the soil and kept weeds at bay. But when it came time to harvest, I had to pull up my pepper plants to get to the tubers. Next time, I’ll plant sweet potatoes on one side of the bed and peppers on the other so the vines can still do their thing without interfering with the harvest.
What Else Is Happening in My Garden
Since moving into this new house, I still haven’t set up a compost bin! I’ve been getting by with Bokashi, vermicomposting, and trench composting, but it’s time to upgrade. My wife doesn’t like exposed compost bins, so I guess that means I am looking into a compost tumbler. I’ve never had much luck with those, but maybe they’ve improved. Fingers crossed!
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I’m also experimenting with fall sunflowers this year. Sunflowers always remind me of summer, but I’m curious to see if our warm fall temps will let me get a second round of blooms.
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Now that fall has arrived, it's time to dive back into the garden. Hopefully, you’ve spent the last few weeks planning, but if not, don’t worry! If you live in **Zone 9** like I do, there’s still plenty of time to get growing.
Happy gardening!
