Chestnut Season in Ticino

“The end is also where we begin.” Understand that the end of a cycle is also the start of another. Welcome autumn.

Read until the end to learn the recipe for Harry Potter’s favorite autumn juice👀

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The season of pumpkins, wines, and chestnut hunting has officially begun. It's also possibly the busiest time for gardeners, as they must start preparing their plants for the harsh Swiss winter 🇨🇭. For those of you who just stumbled upon this, let me share some tips on how to get your little plant friends ready for winter:

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What to do now?

Final Harvest

• 🥕 Got carrots, turnips, beets, or radishes in your garden? It’s time to harvest them. They’re cold-resistant but not fans of intense frost.

• 🎃 Get your pumpkins ready to smile for Halloween.

• 🌿 Harvest your herbs, tie them in bunches, and hang them upside down to dry, so you’ll have spices all winter long.

Winterizing Your Garden

• 🛏️ Your soil needs a blanket: Take advantage of your morning walk to collect dry leaves and straw. This will protect the soil from frost and help retain moisture.

• 👕 Dress up your plants (use wool coverings or plastic tunnels) like cilantro, parsley, lettuce, spinach, citrus trees in pots (e.g., lemon), strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, etc.

• 🍎 Time to prune your apple tree to promote healthy growth in the spring.

• ✂️ Cut all your mint and cover the soil with straw. Don’t worry, it’ll come back safe and sound in winter.

• 🏠 Your basil wants to stay indoors with you (in the warmth) throughout winter.

• 🗑️ Start a compost bin this winter! Your plants will thank you in the spring.

What to plant now?

Some plants can be sown or transplanted in October for harvest in winter or early spring, like:

🧄 Garlic, 🧅 Winter onions, 🥬 Kale, 🥗 Swiss chard, 🌿 Thyme, rosemary, and sage (These herbs go dormant in the cold, but they’ll grow back in spring).

P.S.: You can take a chance on planting radishes and lettuce. They grow fast, and who knows? They might be ready for harvest before winter!

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Pumpkin Juice Recipe (Harry Potter)

Ingredients:

• 500 g of pumpkin (peeled and cubed)

• 1 liter of water

• 1/2 cup of orange juice (optional, for extra sweetness and acidity)

• 2 tablespoons of sugar (or to taste)

• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• A pinch of nutmeg

• Ice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook the pumpkin: Place the pumpkin cubes in a pot with enough water to cover them. Cook until they are soft (about 10-15 minutes). Drain the water and let the pumpkin cool.

2. Make the pumpkin purée: Once cooled, blend the cooked pumpkin in a blender until smooth.

3. Mix the ingredients: In the blender, add the pumpkin purée, water, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until everything is well combined and smooth. Taste and adjust the sugar to your preference.

4. Serve: Serve the juice chilled, with or without ice, in glasses or a pitcher. You can add more water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

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cc: Bruna Fusiger

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