September 2026 was officially the hottest September on record in Austin, and our gardens sure felt it. In the weeks leading up to our fall equinox event, things got veryyy crunchy. But, I love a good challenge! It was fun coming up with ideas for items to make and food to serve our guests to welcome the fall season. While out watering one morning I realized that a few of my plants that I hadn’t really considered for the fall event were actually ready for harvesting: ginger, lemongrass, and moringa. I decided to use them to make a healthy juice shot to serve as a welcome drink for our guests.
I picked up the lemongrass and ginger plants last fall on a visit to Tillery Street Plant Co. I had never grown either before, and was excited to give it a shot. The lemongrass went into the ground last fall, and the ginger was kept in a pot so that I could bring it inside for the winter, and then put it in the ground in the spring. Before the first hard freeze in Austin, I cut my lemongrass down to its base and covered it with straw. I wasn’t sure if I had given it enough time to get established ahead of the winter, but she survived, and since spring the plant has doubled in size at the base with new stalks, and its lush leaves are now nearly five feet tall.
To harvest lemongrass, select a thick and firm stalk, and, at its base, gently press the stalk down flat towards the ground until it breaks off from the plant. I harvested a bunch of stalks, which I then chopped the tops off of and peeled the leaves from, leaving only the white center portion, or the “heart.” (Tip - save the greens! They can be woven into little bundles to flavor soups). I set aside some of the stalks that I harvested that still had some roots attached, and put them in water to propagate- after a couple of weeks growing their roots, they are now ready to go back into the ground in another location so I have multiple lemongrass plants for next year.
The ginger was planted in the ground in the spring, and similarly, its roots spread underground while the greens grew throughout spring and summer, reaching about 2-3 feet tall. To harvest ginger, you can dig up the entire plant at once, but I wanted to leave some in the ground to use for fire cider later in the fall. I had to break the ginger a bit at the root to separate the part that I harvested, but ginger is resilient and the rhizome will heal by forming a new, dry, and hardened skin when a piece is cut or broken. When I dig the rest of the plant up, I’ll set some of the rhizomes aside in a pot for the winter, and plant them back in the ground in the spring. An endless cycle of ginger!
Lastly, I was excited to use moringa for its numerous health benefits. I got my moringa seeds from Alex Bernhardt, of Bernhardt’s Farm, who has been growing this wonderfully healthy green for years. Sometimes called the “miracle tree” or “drumstick tree,” moringa is very drought-resistant, so it grows well even in the hottest months of summer. It produces delicate, fern-like, leafy branches and is cultivated for its greens (often turned into a powder), as well as its seed pods. Moringa’s tiny leaves are densely packed with vitamins, calcium, potassium, fiber, protein, and antioxidants, making it one of the healthiest greens you can consume.
The one - and only - downside? It can cause some digestive issues like nausea or upset stomach, especially if consumed raw or in large quantities. Most commonly it is cooked in stir frys or soups, brewed as a tea, or dehydrated and ground into a powder that can be added to juices or smoothies.
Here’s the recipe I concocted for the fall equinox welcome shot. It was subtle, a bit spicy, and a healthy kick-off to the evening ahead.
Recipe: Healthy Juice Shot
What you need:
2 qts water
8 lemongrass stalks
2 cups ginger root
1 cup moringa leaves
Honey (to taste)
Instructions:
Bring water to a boil
Remove tops and green leaves from lemongrass stalks (save/freeze them for soup stock), leaving just the center white “heart” about 6-8 inches long
Place stalks on a cutting board and put a piece of parchment paper over them. Using a hammer or mallet, gently “bruise” the stalks to release the oils.
Place the bruised stalks in the boiling water, and reduce to low heat. Cover and let steep for about an hour.
When finished steeping, strain out the lemongrass stalks and any loose bits
Cut tops off of the ginger (save them for soup stock!) and peel the skin off the roots
Remove moringa leaves from any large branches
Using a juicer, juice the ginger root and moringa leaves
Combine the lemongrass “tea” with the ginger and moringa juice
Add honey to taste
Shake well and refrigerate
Serve cold
xx
Jules
