Fall Garden Update: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Somewhere along the way Autumn missed Austin and I am sitting here in shorts, a sleeveless top, and flip flops.

No mums here, only lantana.
 

I know I shouldn’t complain, but it would be nice to feel some fall-ish weather in November.

However, the mild days and occasional rains of October have left my garden in a good way.

Like this rock rose which always blooms after a little rain.  Thank you Ms. Rock Rose!

Or this Mexican Bush Sage which makes me smile when I pass by it taking the trash out.

My satsuma somehow managed to produce one orange this year after getting blasted with a late season frost.

I’ll own up to the fact that I have been a lazy gardener.

That is why my veggie garden definitely falls into the ugly category.

Even with a month of neglect (see my 31 Days of Machine Embroidery Series), it is producing lots of lettuce, the garlic is sprouting ~

I have loads of swiss chard ~

And even a few tomatoes.  With more 80-degree days forecast, it’s likely these tomatoes will ripen on the vine.

If not, I will just stick them in a paper sack with an apple.  In about a week, they will be red and juicy.
 

Alas, my garden is never perfect.  Just before leaving for Quilt Market, I found a several of these devils munching on my tomatoes.  Bad, bad, bad.

Their proper name is Tomato Horn Worm, but I prefer Satan.

Ewwww.  I quickly dispatched the entire herd.  If I hadn’t, they would’ve eaten the tomatoes AND the plant completely.

Like I said ~ Satan.

The End of the Garden

I keep reading about bloggers that are harvesting wonderful and delicious food from their veggie gardens.  I can assure you they are NOT in Central Texas. 

A six week lapse in rain has left my garden in a sad and sorry state.  While we did get a good dousing last week, it was really too late to cause any more harvest.

However, all is not lost.  There is a late summer gardening consolation prize.  Two plants that somehow manage to produce in blistering heat and an occasional watering from the garden hose.

Let’s get it started in here with Black-Eyed Peas.  I usually plant these in early June after the onions and lettuce harvest.

I also plant them because they help get rid of root knot nematodes, which, next to the squash vine borer, is an evil-weevil. 

While I love me some of these little beggars with cornbread on a cold winter day, Mr. SH will not even touch them.  Mine, mine, mine!!!!



You may love it or hate it, but Okra is a hit around here. 

Usually, I just go out and pick some okra, chop it into small pieces.  I then coat it in olive oil and a little salt. 

Bake at 350-degrees for about 15-20 minutes.  So good as a side dish with rice and chicken.

If your are from the Land of Fried (like me), then you may like this okra recipe.

Occasionally, I forget to pick my okra for a day or two and I get mutant okra.

These were so tough that I couldn’t even cut them with a knife. 

I considered spray painting them and calling them art, instead, they went into the compost bin. 

I’m curious to see how long it will take for them to break down.  It could be a while.

What is left may be a sad, weedy remnant of its Spring glory,

but soon there will be a wonderful Fall garden full of carrots, garlic, lettuces, greens, peppers, and (can you believe it) even tomatoes.

I can’t wait!

Lantana Quilt

This morning I was out in my garden sprinkling my plants and thanking them for being so beautiful.

Even in this dreadful heat, a few of my plants are full of blooms and getting huge, like this lantana.

I love the variety of color in this plant and how effortlessly it combines them.

Pinks, corals, yellows…

Bright gold…

Soft pinks and whites…

I always respect and admire plants that can bloom proficiently without water, fertilizer or pampering.  Like the New Gold Lantana.  It blooms because it must.

And the color is bright and saturated, making the corner of my driveway so inviting.

 

The Desert Rose, with it’s bright fuchsia blooms, complements the lantana and makes everything harmonious.

While the Purple Sage, which is usually just a silvery gray until it rains, explodes with tiny purple flowers.

 

The patchwork of these colors blending together so harmoniously made me think of a quilt.

Bringing the outdoors inside…how pretty is that.

The Mid-Summer Gardener Laments

What innocently started as this…


…a few tomatoes, some onions, garlic, beans, etc. has now taken over my life.



It is that time again when I become disgusted with gardening.  It is hot {like 100-degrees}, I manually squish at least six bugs a day {yuk!}, I’ve seen a snake {non-poisonous}, it’s really hot, the soil dries five seconds after I put water on it…

And, I wonder why on earth I ever planted a vegetable garden.  Because, when you plant a garden, you get a harvest {hopefully}. And that means work. 

Every day, I stare down the tomatoes on my counter and think, “You will not get the best of me; I will find something for you to do.” 

I’ve mixed them in yogurt and passed them off as a snack to my grandson’s.  I’ve peeled, chopped and canned so many tomatoes I’ve run out of jars. 

If you’re eating a meal at Chez Leslie, you’re getting some tomatoes.



Then, there is the eggplant.  These guys don’t store so well and there are at least six huge ones outside.  We haven’t even finished the leftovers from the last eggplant meal.

The okra, while we love it, if I don’t pick it every day, it gets huge; like mutant huge.  And tough, like dull-you-knife tough.  It needs to be either pickled, frozen, or eaten daily.  And, tomorrow, there will be another dozen.

Don’t get me started on the figs.  I read somewhere that if you plant a fig tree, the birds and insects will hang out there and leave the veggies alone.  Well, this is true, but if you have 300 figs on a tree, the bird/butterfly to fig ratio is slightly out of proportion.  Hence, we will be eating fig preserves very soon.  Expect a recipe, soon.

The black-eyed peas and bush beans are starting to flower and I know what is about to happen there.
 
In a few weeks it will be time to start putting my fall garden into the ground.

What was I thinking.
 

As the Garden Turns

In the tiny hamlet of Shady Hollow sits Leslie’s Garden.  A happy place where both flora and fauna dwell in peace.

But, a dangerous visitor has appeared in this once peaceful patch.  A beauty with royal bloodlines and a devouring appetite, set on stripping away any green she can snatch.

That’s right, Larvae de Monarch has arrived and is worming her way into garden society while squatting at the Parsley’s.

With the tilt of her head, she makes everyone Ooh and Ahh.

Don’t be fooled, she is dead-set on stripping every bit of green from Parsley Place, leaving it barren and exposed.  Nothing will stop her.

Tune in again for another exciting episode of As the Garden Turns when we check in on Larvae who is rumored to have scheduled extensive reconstructive surgery and plans to reenter garden society unrecognizable.
  

Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan

We love Eggplant Parmesan, but used to avoid it because of it's reputation for being loaded with carbs and calories.  And, traditional eggplant parmesan has breaded and fried eggplant making it NOT gluten-free. 

The truth is that eggplant is a very healthy food and Eggplant Parmesan doesn’t have to be full of calories or gluten.  Baked eggplant slathered with fresh pasta sauce and a little bit of cheese can be healthy, delicious, and low calorie.

Before we start, there are a few things you need to know about eggplants.  They are best served fresh.  If you have a garden, pick them on the day you plan to use them. If purchased from a grocery store, buy them only when in season and then refrigerate in a plastic bag for a few days.
  

Where eggplants are concerned size matters.  Larger eggplants tend towards bitterness.  Smaller eggplants don't.
 

There are lots of opinions about male vs.female eggplants.  I don’t really know the whole story on this, but this I do know:  Eggplants with oval blossom ends that are slightly indented will have more seeds than blossom ends that are round and smooth.  Think in terms of innie {more seeds} and outie {fewer seeds}.

The more seeds, the greater your chances are of getting a bitter eggplant.
 

These innies came from my garden.  Notice that the blossom ends are oval and indented.  That means that they may have more seeds that could cause bitterness.  Since they are fresh and smaller, that will likely not be the case.

See how the blossom end is oval and indented.  That means that it is an innie  
and will have more seeds.

Now that you have chosen your eggplants, let’s get started.
 

This is a simple meal that can be made ahead for later in the week or frozen for up to three months.  Let’s get started.

Ingredients:
 

2 large eggplants {choose outies with rounded, smooth bottoms for fewer seeds}

1 Jar Pasta Sauce (see my recipe)

1 C. Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

1/4 C. Olive Oil

Optional Ingredients:
 

1/4 C. Fresh Basil

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic

Gluten-Free Spaghetti Pasta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1.  Peel eggplant and cut into 1/4” slices.   It is not absolute that you  peel the eggplant.  You can leave them unpeeled and just cut them into 1/4” slices.  

Oversized and less-than-fresh eggplant will be less bitter if they are peeled.  {Personally, I hate the peel.}

Step 2.  Salt the eggplant slices and let them drain in a colander for about an hour.  This will remove most of the bitterness.

Step 3.  Once the eggplant has released its water, rinse and set on a baking sheet.  Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  

Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of your slices).  You want the slices to be softened, but not mushy.

Step 4.  Cover the bottom of an 8” x 8” baking dish with 1/2 C. Pasta Sauce.  I’ve used my homemade pasta sauce, but any store-bought brand will work.  

I’ve also sauteed some zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic then added them to the sauce.  Extra garlicy sauce goes really well with Eggplant Parmesan.

Step 5. Place approximately 1/3 of the pre-baked eggplant over this sauce and top with another 1/2 C. sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/4 C. of cheese.

Step 6.  Repeat; layering sauce, eggplant and cheese twice.  Top with remaining cheese.

 

Step 7.  Cover and bake 20 minutes; uncover and bake 10 more minutes.

 

Hints and Suggestions:

This recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 pan.
 

My version is a very light dish and works well served over spaghetti.  It is also delicious with a salad and garlic bread.
 

I like to sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the top before adding the last layer of cheese.
 

I occasionally blend mozzarella cheese with my parmesan cheese.  It gives it that gooey texture and a milder flavor.

I also make it with pecorino-romano cheese for a little different flavor.
 

Don’t you love my vintage baking dish.  I got it as a wedding gift 35 years ago.  It’s so old it’s now back in style. 

I {Heart} Gardens

A  couple of weekends back, Mr. Seasoned Homemaker and I took a day trip to San Antonio.  It’s a little over an hour away and we wanted to get away for few hours.

Rather than visit this uber-crowded-been-there-done-that San Antonio place…

…we opted for the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, which is proof that you CAN grow a beautiful garden in a stinkin’ hot place. 

{brugmansia}

I have actually visited some pretty spectacular gardens…The Buchart Gardens in Victoria, BC and the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival in Orlando, FL.

So, I have pretty high expectations when I pay to visit a garden.  All that to say that the San Antonio Botanical Gardens really deliver.
 
When entering the garden, you can go either left or right.  There are lots of colors and textures.  Everywhere you look.  I’ve always gone right because there is a wisteria arbor and a fountain that draw you in.  {no arbor picture because there was a bride and photographer in the arbor}

 

 But, I love the fountain. So refreshing in the heat.

There is a Japanese garden, but it really isn’t that impressive.  No picture.  The Japanese Garden at Hermann Park in Houston is actually much better.  It’s also free.

 {Houston Japanese Garden}

One of my favorite areas at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens is the Conservatory which is full of tropicals.  Which I love.

Who doesn’t love anthuriums?

Or hibiscus.  I used to have a yard full of these back in Corpus.  Anytime I needed a flower arrangement, I’d go and cut a few.  I really miss them.

While I’m not a huge fan of desert plants, I am always interested in ways to landscape with them because Central Texas is so hot and dry.  I love the bluish color of the cactus paired with the pinkish sandstone boulders.

Doesn't it feel cool and inviting? 

  


On the other side of the gardens is a short trip through Texas’ eco systems, complete with original buildings that have been moved to the gardens.

This is the Auld House surrounded by plants native to Central Texas.  Reminiscent of German settlers who tamed the Hill Country.  

You gotta admire anyone who traipsed across an ocean and landed in Central Texas.  I’m betting it wasn’t what they expected.  

Still, these hard working German settlers made the most with what they had. 
   


Mr. Seasoned Homemaker loves the the East Texas Piney Woods.  It really does look like this in East Texas.  You should see the real thing when the dogwoods are blooming.

I, on the other hand, was watching my toes.  You never know when a copperhead is going to crawl out of the East Texas Piney Woods.
 


Way in the back of the gardens is South Texas.  There is a ti-ny adobe house surrounded a bunch of cacti.
 
I’m a little on the fence about this plant.  We lived in South Texas for 28 years.  Upon returning from a trip north of the Nueces, I knew I was almost home when I would see these cacti on the roadside.  The closer we got to Corpus, the larger they got.
  

It’s a real love-hate plant relationship that still stirs up memories.

It’s even possible to make desert plants look good.  The blue agave is a spectacular plant.  

This grouping perfectly reflects the South Texas landscape:  a retama tree in the back, blue agave, spanish dagger, and prickly cactus.

I'm telling you, it does not get any more South Texas that this.  The only thing missing is a diamondback rattler.



One of my favorite South Texas trees is the wild olive.  I really miss it living here in Austin.  It is covered in these beautiful white flowers.
 
We may not have cherry blossoms or dogwoods in South Texas, but the wild olive fills in nicely.

I’ve saved the best for last.  My favorite, favorite, favorite part of the gardens is Watersaver Lane.  It is a lane of different landscapes where I always find inspiration.

Butterfly Garden

Notice the artemesia, now you know where I got all of my ideas for the side bed at my house.

Suburban Garden

I call this a ‘mustache’ landscape because the boxwoods look like a mustache {and I need another excuse to use the word mustache} on the front of the house. Avoid this type of landscape if at all possible.

Xeriscape Landscape

This is perfect for Central Texas.  Low maintenance, low water, no mowing.  What's not to love.

 

Cottage Garden {Texas Style}

When I think of cottage gardens, I don't think of Central Texas.  But it's still possible.  Who knew?

  

Native Landscape

Believe it or not, there are things that grow wild and natural here.  This garden is evidence of that.

Desert Landscape

While this isn't my favorite, there is such a practical side to it.  No water-sucking grass lawn...it is something to consider.

Of course, every botanical garden I’ve ever visited has a rose garden. They all smell wonderful, are beautifully pruned, and most  pleasant to stroll through, except when the temperatures are in the mid-90’s.

   

Stepping back into the air conditioning...it's like 97-degrees!