September has always felt like a turning point in the garden. The days are still warm enough to remind us of summer, but the cooler mornings and earlier sunsets make it clear that fall is on its way. The garden seems to sense it, too. Tomatoes and peppers are putting on their final big show, beans are still appearing when you swear you picked every last one yesterday, and the squash vines continue sneaking fruit beneath their leaves. It’s a wonderful month for filling harvest baskets, preserving what you can, and enjoying every fresh-picked bite while the season lasts. READ MORE
There comes a moment every gardening season when optimism becomes logistics. It usually happens sometime between late August and September. You walk into the garden planning to pick a few vegetables for dinner and come back carrying enough produce to feed a neighborhood. Tomatoes are stacking up. Beans are multiplying. The herbs appear to have… READ MORE
Even though Jack Frost might be peeking around the corner in our neck of the woods, September can still be a surprisingly fruitful month for planting. Sure, it's a bit of a gamble - will we get an early frost or won't we? But isn't that half the fun of gardening? It's like nature's own… READ MORE
Ah, September in USDA zones 7-8 - a time when most folks are packing away their gardening gloves and dreaming of pumpkin spice everything. But hold onto your sun hats, green-thumbed friends, because the gardening season is far from over in these blessed climate zones! While the rest of the country might be battening down… READ MORE
While the rest of the country is breaking out their pumpkin spice everything and dusting off their sweaters, you'll still wiping be sweat from your brows and reapplying sunscreen. September in these sun-kissed regions isn't about battening down the hatches; it's about gearing up for another round of garden goodness. But hey, while your northern… READ MORE
Apple diseases are particular to apples, so don't try to use your knowledge of other tree and plant diseases when trying to identify different apple diseases. Remember that plants themselves can be hosts to organisms such as bacteria or fungi; however, the plant's tissue is not infected. READ MORE
In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about growing ginger root at home—so you always have that fresh, zesty taste on hand! You can pickle it, powder it, candy it, even simmer it for an invigorating cup of tea! Follow our tips on ginger plant care and prepare for a delicious harvest! READ MORE
Bell peppers aren’t supposed to survive winter. At least, that’s what Big Gardening wants you to believe. But here’s the botanical bombshell that’ll reshape your entire pepper worldview: those “annual” bell peppers are actually perennial plants in disguise, just waiting for someone brave enough to crack the overwintering code. Spoiler alert: You can absolutely overwinter… READ MORE
Carrots are delicious. This cool-weather root vegetable is easy and fun to grow; plus, with a relatively long shelf life, you can have carrots at hand whenever you want them. And it doesn't take much for your garden to produce so many that you need ways to use extra carrots. Plus, now you have a… READ MORE
Most gardeners fixate on the treasure under the soil–the tubers–while the plant’s modest, starry flowers get barely a nod. But those lavender-white blossoms aren’t just decoration; they’re status updates from your potato patch. Read them well, and you’ll water smarter, harvest at the right time, and spot stress before it steals your yield. Why potatoes… READ MORE
Our 2026 Fall Garden Planning Calendar Kit is your month-by-month guide to planning, planting, harvesting, and preparing your garden for the seasons ahead—from September through December. Can you feel it? That first hint of cooler air in the morning, the golden light stretching across the garden, and the quiet promise of another growing season that… READ MORE
I grew up thinking September was a time to wind down from summer gardening and switch over to harvesting. But I’ve actually learned that there are vegetables to plant in September that thrive in cooler temperatures, depending on your location. READ MORE
I spent all summer in my garden, delighting in my fresh vegetables and generously seasoning delicious recipes with an abundance of fresh herbs. READ MORE
I have a vivid memory of standing on a stool next to my parents at a newspaper-lined table, hands covered in pumpkin guts as we carved them to get ready for Halloween. My job was to sift through the pulp separating the seeds so my father could roast them. READ MORE
In the cooler months, one of my favorite gardening activities is looking through seed catalogs and planning my spring garden. And I don't know about you, but I know that in my experience it can be very tricky to get my hands on certain varieties of seeds that are either rare or in high demand. READ MORE
I might be in the minority here, but ambrosia salad is one of my favorite dishes. Traditionally it's made with canned mixed fruit with fluorescent cherries, in a fluffy batter of marshmallow, whipped cream, and sour cream—what a delight! This Fresh Fruit Maple Ambrosia Salad isn't that! As a kid, I lapped the stuff up… READ MORE
Whenever Italian food is mentioned, it’s almost always the case that pasta is the first thing that comes to mind—and I don’t blame you! Indeed, there’s a wide variety of Italian pasta that can satisfy your culinary cravings. However, pasta isn’t the only delectable Italian food around.… READ MORE
This Creamy Roasted Eggplant Soup is a celebration of Mediterranean flavors, blending the smoky richness of roasted eggplant with aromatic spices and bright citrus notes. The humble eggplant, native to the Indian subcontinent but embraced by cuisines around the world, takes center stage in this velvety concoction. The soup's foundation lies in the careful roasting… READ MORE
You'd never know it now, but I used to be one of those people who didn't love eggplant. My exposure to it was mostly in the form of a poorly made soggy eggplant parmesan and I wasn't having any of it. But once I started eating less processed foods, including breads, I came to appreciate… READ MORE
Everything is basically sliced in this casserole (hence the name) and the result is both pretty and delicious! This version of a well-known dish skips breading for a healthier result, but the parmesan and mozzarella cheese (slices!) really pack a ton of flavor. READ MORE
I love family lunches for two reasons; first, you get to catch up with everyone and have a nice chat, and second, you have a great excuse to be creative with the dishes you’ll be serving up! For one of our family lunches, I decided to showcase what was best in my humble home garden… READ MORE
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