I am a new resident of Brownsville and I am interested in sprucing up my new backyard. New to the South Texas region, I have no idea of what to plant or when. I know that September is an unusual time to plant flowers/plants, but I am looking for a group project. Do you know of anything that would grow particularly well during this time of year? I would appreciate any suggestions you might have.
Fall is a great time to plant in the Rio Grande Valley. Virtually any tree or shrub will thrive if planted now. Save your tropicals to plant in the spring.
Following is a short list of annuals, vegetables and herbs that do well this time of year.
Vegetables – cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes (if you get them in before Nov 1), and peppers.
Herbs – cilantro, parsley, Mexican tarragon, chives, dill
Flowers – impatience, Nasturiums (plant before Oct 31), petunias.
A good resource for gardening in deep south Texas is Successful Gardening in the Magic Valley of Texas. It was compiled by Dist. VI, Texas Garden Clubs, Inc. many years ago – but the information is timeless. I know that many of the local garden centers in the Rio Grande Vally carry it. It contains a month-by-month planting guide that is extremely helpful.
The Cameron County Master Gardeners also have a monthly “To-do List” on our website. It can be found here.
This info from a previous inquiry:
Fall and winter vegetables include:
beets
broccoli
brussel sprouts
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
collards
leaf lettuces
onions
spinach
Personally, I also grow tomatoes (from transplants) in my fall garden. Cherry, roma, and other smaller varieties have a shorter maturation date and do better for me in the fall. Some years we get lots of tomatoes and others it gets colder earlier and they don’t fruit until spring.
Herbs that can be grown during the fall and winter include
basil
chervil
chives
cilantro
dill
fennel
garlic
chives
Mexican marigold
mint
parsley
rue
rosemary
sage
spinach
thyme
Many of these herbs will carry over into the spring and summer.