Autumn Plants.
ROSEMARY
Rosmarinus officinalis; Lamiaceae
(mint family)
Why grow it. A hardy perennial herb, rosemary grows up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall in drier Mediterranean climates. It’s not a herb that needs a lot of water, but it does require full sun to thrive. Grow the main species for cooking, as many of the cultivars and the ground-cover forms aren’t as good for culinary purposes.
Where to grow it. Rosemary likes well-drained soil and full sun.
When to grow it. It can be grown at any time of the year. Buy a good-sized plant in a 200-millimetre (8-inch) pot to get you started.
How to harvest. Cut the long stems at the base to encourage more long stems, or snip the top to make the plant bushier.
OREGANO
Origanum vulgare; Lamiaceae
(mint family)
Why grow it. This hardy perennial herb is easy to grow in pots or as a ground cover in the garden.
Where to grow it. Oregano is happiest when situated in full sun. It will form an attractive mound in a pot or tumble over the edge of raised garden beds. Place it somewhere close to the kitchen, so you’ll be able to access it for regular picking.
When to grow it. It’s best to buy a little punnet or pot of seedlings, and plant them out in spring to late summer.
How to harvest. Use scissors to snip off the tips you need, as this keeps the plant bushy. A good cut back of the woody stems once a year in winter will ensure that the plant bounces back again in spring.
POMEGRANATE
Punica granatum; Lythraceae
(loosestrife family)
Why grow it. A deciduous tree in cooler climates but evergreen where it’s warmer, it has beautiful red flowers before fruiting. The pomegranate is a versatile tree, which can be used in the landscape for its shade, foliage and fruit colour. It grows 6–8 metres (20–26 feet) in height and is super hardy and drought tolerant; it only needs a light pruning for shape.
Where to grow it. It should be in full sun during the warmer months, when it’s fruiting, but it’s okay if it receives less sun when it’s dormant in winter. You can grow it in large pots or the garden.
When to grow it. It is best planted in winter, when it’s dormant, but it can be planted at any time with care.
How to harvest. The tree will begin producing fruits about five years after planting. Pick the fruits as needed when they’re red and before they start to split.
GRAPE
Vitis vinifera; Vitaceae
(grape family)
Why grow it. This is a deciduous vine with the added bonus of edible fruits. Grow it in a sunny spot in the garden to provide shade in summer.
Where to grow it. Grow it over a trellis or pergola to suit your needs; you may want to plant two or three vines to ensure you get an even coverage. Do your research and discover the best way to prune a grapevine. We prune ours in winter to keep it manageable and producing grapes where we want them. More pruning may be necessary in summer to control wayward vines. They have low water requirements.
When to grow it. Buy the vine in winter, and plant it directly into the ground if you want to grow a large and robust vine. Fruit fly can be a problem, so prepare to manage this pest before you have them laying eggs in your grapes. You can buy ornamental varieties if you aren’t fussed about eating the grapes.
How to harvest. Have a recipe ready, as the grapes will all ripen at around the same time. Cut the ripe bunches off the vine with secateurs, as close to the main vine as possible.
SAGE
Salvia officinalis; Lamiaceae
(mint family)
Why grow it. A low-growing perennial herb, sage only grows to about 50 centimetres (20 inches) high. It can be grown in pots and garden beds, where it will spread out a little more.
Where to grow it. As with other hardy herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, lavender and oregano, sage prefers a location that offers full sun and dry conditions.
When to grow it. Sage can be planted any time of the year. Buy it in punnets, and plant a few seedlings around the garden in the sun.
How to harvest. Cut sage as needed with scissors, just removing some leaf tips from around the whole plant.
JALAPEÑO
Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae
(nightshade family)
Why grow it. This plant makes anyone look like a rock-star gardener! Our last jalapeño plant gave us hundreds of fruits, so we’ve learned to make a mean hot sauce. It is milder than a cayenne chilli, so we like to add it more generously to our cooking.
Where to grow it. Jalapeño plants will be okay with half a day’s sun in a pot or garden bed; they aren’t too fussy. One plant is definitely more than enough for any family!
When to grow it. As with all chilli plants, get your seedlings into the soil in spring for an autumn harvest.
How to harvest. Let your fruits develop to a decent size, and then pick them as required. Cut off the fruits as close to the main stem as possible.
From left to right: Jalapeño, honeycomb frames and carrots.
CARROT
Daucus carota; Apiaceae
(carrot family)
Why grow it. Yes, carrots are relatively cheap to buy, but you’re missing out on the excitement of plucking a tastier version of these root vegetables from the soil. You can grow different types all year round, so try a variety of colours and sizes to suit your garden and your tastebuds.
Where to grow it. Carrots need a loose soil and aren’t hungry feeders, so keep the blood and bone at bay. Garden beds will give the longer varieties the depth they need, but shorter or rounder carrots will be fine in a pot with a light mix. Carrots are okay in a spot that gets half a day of sun.
When to grow it. Select carrot seeds for the season in which you want to grow them. Don’t bother buying carrot seedlings – just prepare a light soil, plant your seeds directly in the garden or pot, cover them lightly with soil and keep them moist. Pluck out the weaker seedlings so the strongest ones are spaced about 10 centimetres (4 inches) apart.
How to harvest. You’ll be able to see the coloured carrot tops poke out of the soil as they get bigger. Harvest the carrots when you can see a decent-sized root growing underneath, and plant more seeds every eight weeks to keep the carrots coming.
BEES AND HONEY
Among other things, having a backyard hive means you have access to an abundance of sweet, golden liquid to use and share. For us, the honey flows into our morning chai, onto our toast and into pretty much all of our homemade desserts. You’ll notice in our recipes that our go-to sweetener is always honey. Feel free to replace this with your sweetener of choice but, for us, with plenty of the flavoursome stuff produced by our backyard girls, we simply can’t go past it. The frames of golden honeycomb produced in our hive are an art form in themselves. We often take a frame or two up to our local bakery for the community to share. If you’ve not yet got a hive, ask around your neighbourhood – chances are, someone’s harvesting honey in your area. See if you can trade some of your freshly picked crops for a jar of honey so you can taste the delicious produce of your local honey bees.
LEMON
Citrus limon; Rutaceae
(rue family)
Why grow it. Every backyard needs a citrus tree, and that’s why many gardeners usually opt to plant a lemon tree before any other crops. ‘Eureka’, ‘Lisbon’, ‘Lemonade’ and the Meyer lemon are some well-known types. You can buy dwarf citrus varieties that suit pots and smaller spaces, but if you use lemons often, why not go for a standard-sized tree? You could keep it to around 4 metres (13 feet) x 3 metres (10 feet), and make it a feature of the yard.
Where to grow it. A lemon tree needs full sun and doesn’t like root disturbance, so give it space out in the yard or even plant it in a large pot on its own. Remove dead or diseased branches as it grows, and keep the centre of the tree relatively open for sun and airflow.
When to grow it. As it’s an evergreen tree, it’s usually best to get it into the ground before the growing season begins. Late winter or early spring are the best times, so the tree can settle in before the heat of summer and make the most of the growing season. Keep it well watered during summer.
How to harvest. Cut off ripe lemons using secateurs, taking 5–10 centimetres (2–4 inches) of stem with each fruit.
LIME
Citrus latifolia; Rutaceae
(rue family)
Why grow it. Depending on whether you grow it in a pot or the garden, this tree can reach between 1.5 metres (5 feet) and 4.5 metres (15 feet) in height. Ripe limes appear from autumn to winter. It’s great to have the zest and acidity of a fresh lime for use in cooking.
Where to grow it. Place the tree in full sun. If you have the room, choose a regular-sized tree. If not, there are many dwarf types available. If you are using a pot, remember that the bigger the pot, the less likely the tree will dry out in the sun.
When to grow it. Spring is the best time but, with care, you can successfully plant the tree at any time of the year.
How to harvest. Cut off limes before they start turning yellow, using secateurs, and take a couple of centimetres of stem with each fruit.
