Garden planning doesn’t actually start with seed catalogs — it starts in the kitchen. As we cook holiday meals and cozy winter dinners, we begin to notice what we wish we had fresh from the garden: herbs for soup, squash for roasting, greens for a quick salad. Read on to learn how winter cooking can guide smarter garden planning, from growing winter squash in summer to protecting one bed for cold-season harvests and preserving just enough to last. If you want your garden feeding you in January, the planning starts now.

The basics on saving seeds from garden plants and a few projects to get you started.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your late-September garden.

The Annual Tomato Recipe Collection (Volume 2)
The countertops are overflowing, the fruit flies are circling, and it’s officially tomato takeover season. This year’s roundup includes a creamy labneh dip, that viral TikTok pasta, a spiced chickpea skillet, and a reminder that sometimes the simplest solution is just freezing the harvest for later. Consider this our annual tradition — new recipes, new inspiration, same late-summer abundance.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your Mid-September garden.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your early September garden.

Mid-August in Middle Tennessee is the perfect time to savor the summer harvest, refresh your garden, and gear up for fall planting. From picking peak-season produce to tackling pests and planning for cooler weather crops, this to-do list will keep your garden thriving through the late-summer heat.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your early August garden.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your Late-July garden.

Letting your herbs bloom isn’t a clear-cut yes or no—it depends on your goals. While flowering can reduce the flavor or vigor of leafy herbs like basil, it also attracts pollinators, supports beneficial insects, and gives you seeds to cook with or plant for next season. Some flowers, like chamomile and calendula, are grown specifically for their blooms, while others—like cilantro and fennel—produce delicious seeds. If you’ve had your fill of basil or chives, go ahead and let them flower. Just be mindful of timing; woody herbs like thyme and sage may not recover if pruned too late.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your early July garden.

What to plant, harvest, and tend in your late June garden.

Overwhelmed by alllll of the tomatoes? Here are some simple ways to preserve them for winter.

Got a big herb harvest? There are so many delicious ways to use it!