in the garden: august 2015


if you're new to this space, welcome to the "in the garden" series! during the spring & summer months, in celebration of gardening, i share a monthly garden overview of what our garden looks like along with garden happenings! welcome!

july was an unexpectedly busy month full of time-sensitive bathroom remodels (hello moldy walls & floors!) & prep for my canning workshop. it was also a hot month. a lack of time combined with hot days & very little rain makes for a not so pretty garden. of course, our garden often looks less than pinterest-worthy as we transition from late summer to early fall crops.


in the garden - august 2015



our cherry tomatoes continue to produce. we planted a bumper crop of both cherry & large tomatoes a few weeks after our initial tomato planting, which has allowed for harvesting throughout the entire summer. 


we got a very late start on cucumbers, but we're excited to finally start makin' pickles in september!

speaking of pickles, i am teaming up with euna mae's to co-host a pickling party at her shop on september 12th! i'll teach you how to make my very favorite spicy dill pickles! local friends, check out the details & sign up here! it is sure to be a fun one!


we're also still harvesting loads of zinnias & basil. i don't even want to think about the change in season when we will no longer harvest large bouquets of garden flowers each day! 


our beans are coming in quite nicely. i love fresh green beans & freezing the surplus for fancy winter meals!


other garden news:

+ i am canning tomatoes like it's my job right now. i am using this recipe exclusively & loving it. i can't imagine why anyone would do anything else!

+ i plan on roasting some tomatoes & freezing them for pizzas this winter. does anyone have a favorite recipe?

+ we're currently planning our fall garden. fall gardens are my very favorite. oftentimes gardeners stop planting after the end of the summer's tomatoes, but i find we have the best luck at the beginning & toward the end of the season. hello, beets, carrots, lettuces & greens!


not sure what to plant in your fall garden & when? grab a planting poster from my shop! it's designed for specific regions throughout the entire USA, guiding you through what to plant & when. use the code "FALLGARDEN" at checkout to receive 25% off your order until this sunday night (that makes each planting poster just $15!)! happy gardening!

what's happening in your august garden?
love,
natalie

5 comments:

Monica Wilkinson said...

Hi Natalie - love your blog and IG feed! I ordered the Calendar for garden this summer and have been planting my first ever Fall garden - thank you for the inspiration!

Tashia said...

I'm very new to gardening and planted some zinnias for the first time this year. I would love to read a post specifically about all the different cutting flowers that you grow and how you plant them. I was about a month late planting and still have been able to cut any flowers, but I'm looking at it as a learning experience and would love to know more.

Kelli said...

http://www.kitchentreaty.com/our-very-favorite-homemade-pizza-sauce/
Here is the tried and true recipe at our house. One batch coats 4 9in pizzas if you like light sauce. I just freeze the extra, never done the canning thing.

Kelli said...

Oh, I tried your sweet potatoe and black bean burritos. They were so delicious. Thank you for sharing.

Unknown said...

Do you have a gas oven, Natalie? I am a former restaurant chef, and the way we roasted tomatoes was in an oven overnight with only the pilot light burning. The low and slow method really concentrates the flavor and results in a wonderful, melty texture. We cut the tomatoes in half and lay them cut side up on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. If your oven is electric, you can also run it on the lowest temp (usually 170) for six hours. We use these on pizzas, winter BLTs, and more!

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