What is growing in autumn

The rains started of in time this year. Already in September we received quite some water from heaven. The temperature remained high and all of a sudden nature came back to life. It looked like a second spring, with flowers everywhere and a green haze over the hills and mountains. Regretfully, after those first promising rains, there followed a dry spell. In fact I had to go back to irrigation once more. But luckily October brought us more rain. Since then the autumn has really started, although some plants are still a bit confused, like my pear tree, which is flowering as if it was spring!

The summer crops have been cleared away by now. In their place now grows garlic, beans, peas, broccoli, lettuce and other winter crops. In the months of November and December you can expect the following vegetables on offer:

Lettuce, different types like Hoja de Roble, Oreja de Mula and Batavia
French beans
Runner beans
Spinach
Swiss chard

Radish
Leek
Spring onion
Broccoli
Red cabbage
Savoy cabbage
White cabbage

The fresh herbs are at their end, except the parsley. The flat Italian type and the curly type parsley will be growing for a while longer, until the temperature is getting too low at the end of December. The Mediterranean herbs, Rosemary, Thyme, Lemon thyme, Sage, Oregano and Marjoram, will loose their flavour until spring. Also the chives will die back shortly, however, at the moment it is still growing. The Mediterranean herbs I have dried during late spring and early summer when they are at their best. I have them on stock in small amounts.