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May Planting Guide: What To Sow Now!

The month of May is like Christmas for gardeners – it’s finally warm enough to really get things going! Check out my guide to what to plant in May depending on your hardiness zone!

Overhead shot of many small basil plants in a window box what to plant in may

After a semester-induced drought, I’m back and have loads of gardening and seasonal living content planned for the summer. First up in what will be a new series is a sowing guide of what to plant in May.

Obviously, what to plant will vary depending on where you’re at in the country/world, but for most of the temperate US, we’re now entering into the prime of garden season. Where I grew up in northern Illinois, Memorial Day weekend was the magic date everyone waited for for planting.

Here in central Ohio, I’ve already planted out most of my starts, but I’ll be doing plenty of seed sowing over Memorial Day weekend. For many summer crops that you direct seed, it’s best to wait a few weeks after your last frost date, when the soil is good and warm, to get them in the ground. But more on that later!

If you want to get right to the list of what to plant in May, feel free to scroll down to my zone-by-zone guide. If you’re a new gardener, stick around for some tips on what to keep in mind when planning and planting out the garden.

A lush summer garden. Two arched trellises have plants beginning to creep up. Cinder blocks line bed that are filling with growing plants. The background flowers grow. what to plant in may

Can you start a garden in May?

Absolutely! For much of the country, this is the ideal time to start your summer garden crops. But really, you can start a garden in any month – depending on your goals. See more below!

Inside of a raised wooden garden bed with small green seedlings. Two hands covered in dirt reach in. what to plant in may

Is May too late/too early to start a garden?

Certainly not! Depending on where you are, it may be too early to plant summer crops like tomatoes and peppers, or too late to plant cool-loving crops like cabbage and broccoli, but you can certainly start something! 

Really, even if it were November/December and too cold to grow anything, it would still be a great time to build new beds, amend with compost, etc. You can always be working on the garden!

Winter sun shines on two raised wooden garden beds freshly filled with soil. The beds meet in an L against the sides of a house. what to plant in may

How do you know when to plant?

When to plant (which is actually more a question of when to plant what crops because you can usually plant something), will be dictated by your hardiness zone and your last frost date. 

Your last frost date tells you when to expect your last frost, obviously. This is important because you certainly don’t want to plant anything frost-tender before that date, as you’re likely to lose it to the cold. Just keep in mind that your last frost date is a projection based on previous years’ data, so you should still keep an eye on the forecast.

Your hardiness zone is determined by what the average low temperature is where you live. Hardiness zones aren’t an exact science. For example, parts of South Carolina and Oregon are in the same hardiness zones, though their climates are very different. But they’re a good shorthand for tracking when to plant what as your area warms. Just keep track of your last frost date so you don’t accidentally plant to early. I’ve sorted what to plant in May by hardiness zone below.

USDA hardiness zone map of the United States what to plant in may

How do you find your USDA hardiness zone?

This one’s easy. Check out the map on the USDA’s website. You can even search your exact address – https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

Image of the Farmer's Almanac frost date calculator what to plant in may

How do you find your last frost date?

You can just google *the city closest to you* + last frost date, and it should pop right up. You may find some variability depending on what site you choose, but I’ve found the Farmer’s Almanac pretty reliable.

A hand holds up a bright yellow sunflower what to plant in may

If it’s past your last frost date, can you plant anything you want?

Technically I suppose so, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best idea. You want to set your garden up to thrive, which means sowing and transplanting according to that crop’s needs. 

My last frost date is around April 30, but that doesn’t mean I rush out to plant my tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Those are all heat loving, tropical plants, so I usually wait a couple more weeks until the lows are consistently in the mid-50s before planting out. 

I’m also waiting to direct sow some other heat lovers, like my cucumbers and sunflowers.

On the other hand, you also want to be wary of planting cool season crops too late as they’ll just bolt before producing food for you. 

Use the planting calendars below as a guide for what’s appropriate to sow now.

Kale seedlings growing in soil blocks what to plant in may

What should you transplant as a seedling and what should you direct sow?

When planting your garden, you have basically two options. You can transplant seedlings or starts (either that you bought at a nursery or started yourself) or you can direct sow seeds.

Certain families of plants really don’t like having their roots disturbed. With these, your best bet is to direct sow. You’ll have happier, hardier plants, and you’ll save money because seeds are much cheaper than starts.

A started plant costs anywhere from $2-$6 depending on where you live, if it was grown organically, etc. A seed packet, which contains anywhere from ten to a few hundred seeds, costs the same. So it’s definitely a better deal to direct sow (or start your own seeds) if it’s an option.

Avoid buying starts for any sort of root vegetable (like carrots) or things in the curcurbit family (cucumbers, squashes, melons) because these don’t like having their roots disturbed. Likewise, I’d advise against buying starts for peas and beans or lettuces and greens. These grow super fast, so it’s just a better deal to grow them from seed.

Other things, like tomatoes, you want to transplant because they take longer to grow than your frost-free season is long. Transplanting an already started plant gives you a head start if you live somewhere with a shorter growing season. For many of us, this is the only way to get tropical crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.

If you’re unsure, take a look at a seed packet. Its instructions should say whether to direct sow or start indoors. It should also say the plant’s days to maturity. You can cross-reference this number against the length of your frost free season (calculated using your last and first frost dates). If the first number is longer, you should definitely go the transplant route.

A hand sprinkles seeds over a tray full of seedling pots set in a garden bed what to plant in may

Alright, so what can you plant in May?

Okay, here are some guides for what to plant in May for each of the hardiness zones in the US. Apologies if you’re not, but I needed some sort of limiting factor so I wasn’t writing a novel.

Many other countries have begun adopting the US hardiness zone system. So you can try googling *where you live* + hardiness zone and then try what I’ve outlined below.

Disclaimer that these lists are meant to be suggestions, not hard and fast rules. Please always go by your last frost date and what your weather is actually doing.

A hand dangles freshly dug carrots in front of the camera what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 3

  • Arugula
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Broccoli and cauliflower
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cold hardy, perennial herbs
  • Corn
  • Flowers
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Peas
  • Potatoes
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Swiss Chard
  • Turnips
Rows of potato hills with the greens growing out of the soil what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 4

  • Arugula
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Broccoli and cauliflower
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cold hardy, perennial herbs
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Flowers
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Peas
  • Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Squash
  • Swiss Chard
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnips
A light green lettuce seedling pops against the background of dark soil what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 5

  • Arugula
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Broccoli and cauliflower
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cold hardy, perennial herbs
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplants
  • Flowers
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Peas
  • Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Squash
  • Swiss Chard
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnips
A freshly planted tomato seedling standing up out of a garden bed what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 6

  • Basil and other herbs
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplants
  • Flowers
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Malabar Spinach
  • Melons and Squash
  • Okra
  • Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Radishes
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Swiss Chard
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnips
Two long cucumbers hanging from a vine rest on the soil what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 7

  • Basil and other herbs
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplants
  • Field peas
  • Flowers
  • Kale
  • Malabar Spinach
  • Melons and Squash
  • Okra
  • Peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Swiss Chard
  • Tomatoes
A baby eggplant grows from its plant what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 8

  • Basil and other herbs
  • Beans
  • Beets
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplants
  • Field peas
  • Flowers
  • Malabar Spinach
  • Melons and Squash
  • Okra
  • Peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Tomatoes
Three red bell peppers grow from a plant what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 9

  • Basil and other herbs
  • Beans
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplants
  • Field peas
  • Malabar Spinach
  • Melons and Squash
  • Okra
  • Peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Ginger and turmeric
An okra blossom and several okra grow in a field what to plant in may

What to Plant in May in Zone 10

  • Basil and other herbs
  • Beans
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant
  • Field peas
  • Malabar Spinach
  • Melons and squash
  • Okra
  • Peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Ginger and turmeric
A snap pea hands in a dense tangle of vines what to plant in may

I’d love to hear how your garden is growing and what you’ve planted (or plan to). Let me know in the comments below!

Pen drawing of an onion, some lettuce leaves, some peppers, a radish, a tomato, carrots, and a head of broccoli in dark green ink
Pinterest pin containing an image of a snap pea growing from the vine and text on a blue banner that reads, "Sowing Guide: What to Plant in May by hardiness zone" and "meaghangrows.com"

Breakfast

How to Make Gingerbread Sourdough Pancakes for Christmas Morning!

These warming, nicely spiced gingerbread sourdough pancakes are the perfect option for an easy Christmas morning breakfast! Make the night before (or even the morning of!) and enjoy a special, sweet breakfast that’s still gut-friendly!

Zoomed out overhead shot of gingerbread sourdough pancakes on a black plate. The pancakes are topped with applesauce, cranberry sauce, and maple syrup. Beside the plate is a red tea towel with the word "jolly" stamped on it.

Gingerbread seems to be one of those polarizing foods: People either love it, or they hate it. Like olives.

I love it (I hate olives). I love ginger, and will double (or triple) the amount called for in any recipe I make. Mr. Meaghan Grows, on the other hand, could do without. I made him extra bacon to make up for turning our Sunday morning sourdough pancake tradition into a recipe photo session.

This recipe was one of those ideas that once I got it into my head, I just couldn’t let it go. And the Google gods didn’t yield any options close to what I was imagining. There are sourdough pancake recipes galore. Ditto gingerbread pancakes. But the few gingerbread sourdough pancakes either used ingredients I didn’t want to use or were more complicated than I thought they needed to be.

So naturally, I decided to develop my own gingerbread sourdough pancake recipe.

This is really just a simple riff on the sourdough pancake batter recipe I make every week. I swap the maple syrup in the batter for molasses and add all your standard gingerbread spices (ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves). I also grated in a teaspoon of orange zest for a little extra sumpin’ sumpin’.

What I love about my base sourdough pancake batter is that it actually doesn’t call for any extra flour. Just the fed starter, eggs, melted butter/oil, salt, spices, and then a little baking soda right before you fry them up.

But the absence of flour means you don’t actually have to make these ahead of time, unlike most sourdough recipes. If you decide you want pancakes in the morning, but still want the gut benefits of sourdough, bam – you can have these in 20 minutes.

I do still usually make them the night before. I like the convenience of being able to roll out of bed and start breakfast while the coffee brews. But I love that this recipe can go either way, should I need it.

It’s a great recipe to have in your back pocket come Christmas morning. Or really, any snowy, peaceful morning in the winter when you want to put a little extra love in your breakfast – without much extra work. Though, if you’re looking for a project for Christmas morning breakfast, may I suggest my Eggnog and Spice Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls…

Image of iced sourdough cinnamon rolls in a cast iron skillet sitting on a granite countertop with a red dish towel laid to the side.

But, back to the business at hand:

What do gingerbread sourdough pancakes taste like?

They have all the tang and warm, fluffy butteriness of regular sourdough pancakes, with the addition of warm, holiday spices and some depth provided by the molasses.

Why are my sourdough pancakes gooey on the inside?

You probably cooked them on too high a heat. If your heat is too high, the pancakes will get too dark on the outside before the inside has a chance to cook through. Aim to cook your pancakes on medium, or maybe just a hair above.

Another trick is to watch the bubbles when the first side is cooking. When the bubbles have just begun to pop, you should be good to flip your pancake and wind up with fluffy insides!

A large jar full of bubbly, active sourdough starter sitting next to a large bag of King Arthur's All-Purpose Unbleached Flour

Are gingerbread sourdough pancakes healthy?

They’re probably about as healthy as pancakes can be, but they’re still pancakes. And you’re likely still pouring maple syrup on them. I will say the gingerbread sourdough pancakes are probably a bit healthier than my regular sourdough pancakes, as they use molasses in the batter instead of maple syrup or honey.

And, while not healthy, these are more gut-friendly than regular pancakes because of the use of sourdough!

What is “fed” sourdough starter? How do I know when my starter is ready to bake with?

“Fed” starter is sourdough starter that’s been fed recently and is not at its most active point. The yeasts consume the flour and release gases that give the starter, and things made with it, its lift. 

If a recipe calls for fed starter, you want to make sure you’ve pulled your starter from the fridge and fed it at least twice before baking with it. It should double in size after a feeding, and you should use it at its highest point. This will come anywhere from 3-12 hours after feeding, depending on the warmth of your house, but 4-6 hours is the more likely window.

Another test to ensure your starter has enough gas in it to rise is to drop a small spoonful into a glass of water. If it floats, you’re good!

Ingredients for gingerbread sourdough pancakes laid out on a granite countertop. A jar of sourdough starter, baking soda, salt, butter, an egg, and a variety of spices.

What do you serve with gingerbread sourdough pancakes?

Maple syrup is always a good option! Otherwise, I’ve served these with applesauce and cranberry sauce. If you like a bit of tart with your sweet, I bet an orange marmalade would also be excellent.

How can I make my sourdough pancakes more sour?

The sourness of sourdough products has to do with how hungry the starter is when it’s used. So that can be a bit hard to achieve with pancake batter, especially as this recipe calls for a fed starter. While these pancakes aren’t sour, they do have a pleasant tanginess.

If you really want a sour sourdough pancake, look for a recipe that calls for sourdough discard and that doesn’t sit overnight, but rather uses the discard for flavor and baking soda or powder for lift.

Overhead shot of a glass bowl containing the ingredients for gingerbread sourdough pancakes. You can see an egg, a variety of spices, molasses, and orange zest.

How long does sourdough pancake batter last?/Can you save sourdough pancake batter?

It’s best used within two days (provided you’re storing it in the fridge). Beyond that, the starter in the batter will begin to get hungry and more funky tasting, and the pancakes won’t have as good a rise.

Can you freeze sourdough pancakes?

Yes! If you want to freeze for later, I’d definitely suggest cooking and freezing the finished pancakes, not the batter. But, provided you’ve wrapped them well, they should freeze just fine!

Overhead shot of gingerbread sourdough pancakes on a black plate. The pancakes are topped with applesauce, cranberry sauce, and maple syrup.

What if I want regular sourdough pancakes, not gingerbread?

No problem! Cut the added spices and orange zest and swap the molasses for a milder sweetener like maple syrup or honey.

Bonus: what can I do with my discarded sourdough starter?

While making the batter for these gingerbread sourdough pancakes doesn’t generate discard, as you use fed starter, the process of feeding and prepping your starter to be made into batter will. Loads of recipes call for discard starter, but one of my favorites is just to turn it into a simple savory pancake. Pour your discard into a hot cast iron pan, flipping when it has turned golden brown. Serve with sesame seeds and some soy sauce for a nice snack!

Yield: 9-10 1/4 cup pancakes

Gingerbread Sourdough Pancakes

These warming, nicely spiced gingerbread sourdough pancakes are the perfect option for an easy Christmas morning breakfast! Make the night before (or even the morning of!) and enjoy a special, sweet breakfast that’s still gut-friendly!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (382 g) fed sourdough starter at peak ripeness
  • 3 tbsp (46 g) butter or oil of your choice
  • 1 (56 g) large egg
  • 2 tbsp (41 g) molasses
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • Optional: 1 tbsp orange zest

Instructions

  1. If using butter, coconut oil, or a fat that's solid at room temperature, melt and allow to cool for a moment or two.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the baking soda and orange zest (if using). At this point, you can cover your bowl and refrigerate overnight.
  3. The next morning, preheat your pan to medium-high heat. If using cast iron, be sure to use a generous amount of butter or oil so your pancakes don't stick. I normally use an electric griddle as it allows me to cook more 'cakes at once.
  4. Once your pan is hot, add orange zest and baking soda to the batter and combine, being sure not to over-mix. (Note: you don't have to make this batter the night before. If making the morning you want to eat, just combine all the ingredients at once and proceed.)
  5. The baking soda will quickly begin to react with the batter, so act quickly to get the pancakes frying. Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop (or whatever size pancake you like), ladle into the hot pan.
  6. Allow to cook a minute or two per side, depending on how brown you like your pancakes. Tip: wait until the edges look dry and the bubbles have begun to pop, but the center of the pancake still looks gooey before flipping.
  7. Repeat on the other side and with remaining batter. Serve with butter, maple syrup, applesauce, cranberry sauce, jam, fresh fruit, nuts – whatever your heart desires!

Notes

While I'm normally a big proponent of weighing your ingredients in baking, these pancakes are so forgiving that I just find it unnecessary. I have included gram measurements for all but the spices here, if that's easier for you!

If you want regular sourdough pancakes, swap the molasses for maple syrup or honey and omit the spices and orange zest.

© Meaghan
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast

Check out more of my Christmas/Holidays content:

Pen drawing of an onion, some lettuce leaves, some peppers, a radish, a tomato, carrots, and a head of broccoli in dark green ink

Pin it for later:

Pinterest pin containing an overhead shot of gingerbread sourdough pancakes on a black plate. The pancakes are topped with applesauce, cranberry sauce, and maple syrup. A blue banner reads, "How to make gingerbread sourdough pancakes – perfect for Christmas morning!"

Garden Problems

10 Must-Read Tips for How to Feed the Soil in Your Vegetable Garden

One of the best things you can do for your garden in the off-season is to feed the soil. Nutrient-rich soil yields healthy plants and high yields. Read on for 10 tips on how to get your healthiest soil ever!

A hand holds up a handful of compost feed the soil

It’s at about this point in the off-season that my fingers get to itching to be in the soil again. We’ve had our first snow, even the cold hardy stuff has gone into maintenance mode, and I just want to nurture growing things again.

Unfortunately, here in zone 6, I’ve got at least three months until I can justify starting any seeds. In the meantime, I’ll while away many hours this winter perusing seed catalogs and planning and re-planning my garden layout for spring.

But there is one thing I can be doing – that everyone can – to help guarantee next year’s is the best garden ever.

And that’s to feed the soil.

Soil is one of the most important factors in successful gardening. Having healthy, richy soil is how I was able to harvest over 100 lbs of food from just two 3x10ft beds – beds that were jam-packed with plants competing for nutrients.

If you’re wondering if you need to feed your soil, the short answer is yes. Feed the soil, feed your plants. Every year, your garden plants draw their nutrients out of the soil – tomatoes and other nightshades are particularly heavy feeders. 

Whatever you do, maintaining healthy soil should be at the very top of your gardening to-do list. And fall and winter is the ideal time to feed the soil so it can absorb all the nutrients before spring planting.

A large pile of soil on the driveway of a 1950s cape cod house feed the soil

First things first, what is soil?

Really, it might be more accurate to ask what are soil. It’s not just one thing, but a whole teeming world of microbes, bacteria, minerals, gases, liquids – a whole web of organisms that support life.

The life in the soil provides your plants with their access to nutrients, water, and air while also helping assist them in resisting pests and diseases.

Knowing your soil’s texture or consistency is helpful in knowing what it needs. This isn’t a foolproof method, but it’s pretty standard, for example, that a clay-heavy soil will need help with drainage whereas a sandy soil will need help holding moisture.

We classify soil in one of three ways:

  • Sandy soil – as it sounds, sandy soil is sandy in texture. It’s easy to dig in and slides easily through your hands. At the same time, nutrients and moisture slide right through it. Because of this, sandy soil can’t provide your plants with what they need to flourish on its own. Sandy soil will need amendments like compost or manure to help it retain moisture.
  • Clay soil – this is almost the opposite of sandy soil. Clay soil is heavy and compacts easily. The clay binds to elements in the soil, keeping water from draining and air from penetrating. Plants growing in clay soil risk root rot. These have trouble accessing nutrients because the clay locks them up. Clay soils need amendments that help them drain – so, again, compost, but also things like peat moss or coco coir (if your soil is loose enough that you can mix these in).
  • Loamy soil – the perfect balance between sandy and clay soils. It allows water to drain, but still clumps together when you squeeze it. Loamy soil tends to have a high quantity of organic matter, filling it with plant-happy nutrients.
Close up of the corner of a wooden raised garden bed full of rich, black soil feed the soil

What do I Feed the Soil?

What you feed the soil in your garden will vary according to its current needs – what it needs this year might not be what it needs next year. In fact, the more years you amend your soil, adding layers of compost etc, the better it will get and the happier your plants will be.

But a basic primer is that you want to feed your soil in ways that enable it to maintain its pH level and its balance of N-P-K. Most home vegetable gardens will do well with a soil pH of about 6.5, unless you’re growing something like blueberries that thrive in acidic soil. N-P-K are the three essential nutrients for plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

  • Nitrogen promotes leafy green growth, so it should be used sparingly – especially on fruiting or root vegetables.
  • Phosphorus helps to develop your plants’ root systems. Note that phosphorus doesn’t move through the soil easily, so you need to be sure to scratch it in really well.
  • Potassium aids your plants in fighting off diseases or drought. It also helps in developing fruits and bringing seeds to maturity.

More on the specifics on how to know what your soil needs below!

Close up of compost feed the soil

Why Feed the Soil?

Short answer: to be sure it contains the nutrients it needs to feed your future plants. If you want to maximize your chances of a healthy garden and high yields, feeding the soil is a necessary step. Feed the soil, feed the plants.

When Do I Feed the Soil?

Really, you can feed it at any point – when you fertilize during the growing season, that’s also feeding the soil. At Meaghan Grows, we tend to think of seasonal cycles: in the fall/winter, we do a big refresh of compost and leaf mulch. And then with each new planting, we add specific amendments and more mulch.

The off-season, aka fall and winter depending on where you’re growing, is a great time to refresh your garden beds with a few new inches of compost. That gives the soil a good few months to absorb all the new nutrients (and gives the compost more time to age in case it’s still a bit hot). We’d also suggest adding a layer of mulch or some other protection on top of the compost, so it doesn’t erode or compact too much before planting time.

How do I know what my soil needs?

The best way to know for sure is to get a soil test. These are offered by most county extension offices, either for free or for a very reasonable rate. I think here it’s $11. You can also buy soil test kits at garden centers, but these won’t be as accurate.

Worst comes to worst and you don’t know, just add compost! They don’t call it black gold for nothing.

Okay, so hopefully by now I’ve convinced you of the importance of feeding your soil. But what do you feed it? Read on for ten ways to feed the soil and prep for your best garden yet!

Note that I’m specifically talking about amending existing garden beds here – ones that have already grown at least one planting and now need their nutrients replenished. If you’re looking to fill new beds, check out “5 questions to ask before you fill raised garden beds.”

*Product images below are not recommended brands, just available images.*

Image of a soil thermometer in a hot compost pile. The thermometer registers 160 degrees F.

1. Compost

As mentioned above, when all else fails, add compost. You may not be able to target a specific deficiency, but compost will add loads of good stuff to your soil. Essentially, compost is just decomposed organic matter – think kitchen scraps, leaves, garden waste, etc. With the right balance of greens and browns, the help of decomposers like earthworms, and a little time, scraps and waste break down into nutrient-rich compost.

If you have the space, close the loop on some of your own waste by setting up your own compost piles or building a bin system. If that’s not an option right now, you can source good quality organic compost from a garden or landscaping center. Some cities also provide it.

A black and white cow eats grass in a field with the sun shining behind it feed the soil

2. Manure

When it comes to adding manure to your garden, there are actually several options, Most animal/livestock manures *must* be composted before they can safely be used as soil amendments. Also be careful of where you’re sourcing manure from as it can be laced with herbicides.

Alpaca and rabbit manure are the exceptions to needing to be composted as these are considered “cold” manures. These can be spread fresh on your garden beds.

And then there’s also green manure, or plant matter still in the process of decomposing. These can come from other parts of your garden or yard or can be grown specifically with the intent to be turned in to the soil, like cover crops. More on those below!

Manures are great ways to add nitrogen to your garden soil.

Overhead view of a woody pile of compost feed the soil

3. Mulch

Like compost, mulch is a sort of all-around wonder amendment. Mulch is essentially just any material you use to cover bare soil. Common mulch choices in gardens include wood chips, straw, cardboard, and fallen leaves. 

Mulch feeds the soil as it decomposes, essentially becoming more compost. But it also has a host of other benefits beyond feeding the soil, including suppressing weeds, improving moisture retention, and reducing soil erosion.

Pea and oat cover crop swaying in a field feed the soil
Pea and Oats Mix Organic Cover Crop from Johnny’s Seed

4. Cover Crops

Cover crops are those grown with the intent to turn into green manure – i.e. you’re not going to eat them. You’ll either till them into the soil, or, if you practice no-till gardening as we do here, cut the stems off at the soil line and leave the roots to decompose. Many cover crops are nitrogen fixers – like fava beans or legumes – so they restore the nitrogen depleted by crops like tomatoes or peppers. They also act as a living mulch, preventing soil erosion and compaction.

Two bags and three boxes of varying sizes of Down to Earth all natural slow release fertilizer feed the soil
Down to Earth Slow-Release Vegetable Garden Fertilizer

5. Slow Release Fertilizer

As the name suggests, slow release fertilizer is designed to degrade into the soil, releasing its nutrients over time – as opposed to something like a foliar spray, that will deliver a quick hit of nutrients through your plants’ leaves. Slow release fertilizers tend to be the granular type that you top dress or scratch in. Different fertilizers have different balances of NPK so you can select one based on your soil’s current deficiencies or in anticipation of what you plan to grow in that bed in the spring.

Cropped image of a bag of Espoma Organics blood meal on the left and a pile of blood meal on the right feed the soil
Espoma Organic Blood Meal

6. Blood Meal

Now we’re getting into the more targeted amendments. As the name suggests, blood meal is dried and ground up animal blood – usually cow blood, but it can come from any animal that goes through a meat packing plant. Blood meal both adds nitrogen and can acidify your garden soil, if you’re growing things that prefer lower pH. 

Note, though, that blood meal is super concentrated. So you don’t need a lot, and you don’t need it often. Be sure to follow the instructions as too much nitrogen is bad for your soil. At best, it will encourage your plants to put too much effort into leafing out – and not enough into fruiting or developing roots. At worst, it can burn and kill your plants.

If you struggle with critters getting into your garden, blood meal can also help to deter them as they don’t like the smell.

Bag of Dr. Earth Premium bone meal feed the soil
Dr. Earth Premium Natural Bone Meal

7. Bone Meal

Bone meal also comes from animals butchered for meat. It comes from steamed animal bones, which are then dried and ground into granules you can distribute into your soil. It’s rich in calcium and phosphorus, and, like blood meal, it breaks down slowly. It’s also rich in other minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron – all of which will benefit both your soil food web and your plants’ growth. 

Unlike blood meal, bone meal may actually attract animals – particularly dogs who will go digging for the “bones.” And you don’t want your dog ingesting too much bone meal as it will make them sick.

Also, if you want to use bone meal, be sure you’ve tested your soil and know its pH is below 7. According to a study done at Colorado State, the phosphorus in amendments like bone meal is only bioavailable to plants in acidic soils.

A green bag containing the label for Uncle Jim's Worm Farm Worm Compost and a pile of worm castings in the foreground feed the soil
Commercially available worm castings from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm

8. Worm Castings

Really, I could have listed worm castings under compost as a specific variety of it. But worm castings are so beneficial – and so easy to get a hold of – that I think they deserve their own entry. Basically, worms are some of the decomposers in regular compost. But in special vermicompost bins, worms break down and digest the waste, leaving behind worm castings. It’s basically their poop, but through their digestive process, magic happens. The worms break down the nutrients into more bioavailable forms for your soil and plants. 

Worm castings are also called vermicompost if you’re looking to buy them. But a worm bin is also a super simple, small-scale composting option for anyone in an apartment or the city – or who just wants the benefits of having readily available worm castings!

Pile of alfalfa meal
Organic Alfalfa Meal from Rocky Mountain Organic Supply

9. Alfalfa Meal

As with the other items in this article referred to as a “meal,” alfalfa meal is just dried, grounds alfalfa plants. Alfalfa meal makes a great soil amendment or fertilizer because it not only contains N, P, and K, it also contains a variety of micronutrients and the growth hormone Triacontanol. Triacontanol is a natural growth hormone that aids plants in growing larger and thicker, and blooming longer. 

The NPK content in different alfalfa meal products can vary, but it should be around 3-1-2 (i.e. 3 parts nitrogen to 2 parts phosphorus to 1 part potassium). Micronutrients are also present in lesser amounts, but your plants need less of them. Among the nutrients that can be found in alfalfa meal are calcium, magnesium, sulfar, manganese, iron, copper, boron, and zinc.

Two hands hold up a handful of pink potash above a large bag feed the soil

10. Potash

Finally, potash is a wonderful amendment for soils lacking potassium. Potash, which is really just an old-fashioned term for potassium, is a salt harvested from underground prehistoric sea beds.

Potash is critical for balancing out alkaline soils, as well as adding potassium. It supports your plants’ health as well as helping them grow bigger fruits, higher yields, and more abundant flowers.

Of course, there are also loads more targeted amendments depending on your soil’s needs. I tried to cover ten of the most popular here, but your best bet is always to 1. get a soil test and learn exactly what your soil needs, and 2. always add more compost!

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DIY

Eco-Friendly Holiday Decor Ideas (How to Decorate Sustainably + Cheaply!)

Want to spread the holiday cheer around your home without resorting to poorly made plastic decorations? Check out this post for thoughtful eco-friendly holiday decor ideas!

The time has come to deck the halls with boughs of holly – possibly. Maybe. Depending on who you are. It seems people are pretty split – I’ve seen a bunch of people decorating earlier and earlier (cause you know, we need some joy in the midst of COVID). And others holding fast and insisting no Christmas or Hannukah stuff til after Thanksgiving.

Where do you fall? Is it still all turkeys and pumpkins with you? Or the more holidays the merrier? Let me know below.

Personally, I’ve tried to strike a middle ground. I still have Fall things up, including a pumpkin pie slice bunting especially for Thanksgiving. But I’ve also snuck in a couple of Christmas-y things, like tree-shaped candles. Nothing too over-the-top Christmas-y, but a little extra festive.

But watch out – by the end of this week we’ll have our tree, and the decorating will well and truly begin. Last year was our first Christmas in this house, and our first one staying home instead of visiting parents (thanks COVID), so it was the first year I really tried to go all-out decorating.

And I quickly became frustrated not just at the cost, but also that so much of what’s available for holiday decor is plastic and poorly made. I didn’t want to blow my budget on stuff I wouldn’t even like the next year because it just looked tacky.

While I did buy some holiday decor, and I’ll buy a few more things this year, I ultimately went more of the homemade route, opting for natural materials that just feel more cozy. Not only did I wind up with more eco-friendly holiday decor ideas, I saved money by making many myself.

Below, find some of eco-friendly holiday decors ideas I implemented last year, plus more I hope to try this year. Holiday decorating can be beautiful and festive while still being eco-friendly, low-waste, and wallet-conscious!

Let’s start with the big one: the Tree. 

Unfortunately, there really isn’t an easy option here – while you save money and convenience with an artificial tree, it will invariably be made of plastic. And, even if you keep it for years, it will still eventually wind up in a landfill. Real trees are more expensive – and many still wind up in landfills.

We opt for the real tree. Beyond loving the smell of the fresh tree and the trip to the Christmas tree farm, it’s the most eco-friendly decor idea for us for a couple reasons. 1. Christmas tree farms help the environment. They keep land open for the ecosystem, cleaning the air and providing wildlife habitats and watersheds, rather than being turned into more housing developments. And 2. we chop up our tree when it’s done decorating our house and use it in the bottom of a hugelkultur garden bed. If you’re not planning to build any new garden beds this coming year, you can also compost a real tree.

  • Rolled out salt dough ornaments arranged on two cookie trays with a rolling pin to the side
  • Close-up of Christmas tree showing hanging salt dough ornaments, dried oranges, and a red and white gingham ribbon

Decorate the tree with natural materials

Rather than buying a bunch of plastic ornaments that can break, or ones that you’ll decide you don’t like in a year and want to replace, opt for homemade ornaments or ones made with more natural materials.

You can dehydrate oranges to create ornaments with a lovely stained glass effect. Salt dough ornaments are a fun project to do with kids – and with the addition of spices or essential oils, they smell lovely.

You can also collect pine cones while on a walk, cut out paper snowflakes to hang, or even reuse old photographs.

“Garland complete on the tiny fake tree 321/365” by Carol Browne is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Or raid the kitchen to make a popcorn and cranberry garland

Beyond the ornaments and lights, you’ll want some sort of tinsel or garland for your tree. Rather than the shiny plastic stuff that sheds, make a homemade garland by stringing popcorn and cranberries using a needle and twine. Bonus: Christmas colors!

Bring the outside in with wreaths and garlands

My next eco-friendly holiday decor idea is, again, to opt for the real stuff over the artificial when it comes to wreaths and garlands. You can make it yourself to save money or it buy it from a local farm to support a small business.

Plus, they last surprisingly long. We left last year’s wreath up on the door until it had dried to a lovely bronze color. Then I brought it back out this year as a fall wreath.

Suggestion: Incorporate fresh herbs into your wreath so it smells even better!

Use LED lights instead of incandescents

LED lights are more energy efficient and last longer/are loss prone to breaking. 

Make stockings out of an old sweater

If you have some basic sewing skills, you can close the loop on an old or damaged sweater by upcycling it into a stocking rather than throwing it away. Check out this tutorial from Lisa at Farmhouse on Boone to learn how!

Grow your decor with amaryllis or paperwhites

This is a great eco-friendly decor idea for the gardeners. In the winter when our gardens are dormant, grow inside with amaryllis or paperwhite bulbs. Many stockists even have suggested growing instructions so you can time your bulbs to bloom for Christmas.

Likewise, snag a potted poinsettia for more natural decor!

Buy your holiday decor secondhand

Finally, if you’re sourcing places to buy eco-friendly holiday decor, opt for a thrift shop. You can support a local business without adding to the massive amounts of waste produced every holiday season.

If you’re looking to refresh your decor scheme but still have perfectly good decorations, set up a decor and cookie swap party with some friends!

And don’t forget to consider eco-friendly or low-waste options for the holidays beyond the decor. Opt for real dinnerware rather than paper and plastic and look for recyclable gift wrap options, like craft paper.

Whether you’ve begun decorating yet or not, I hope these eco-friendly holiday decor ideas help you be more intentional about how you bring the cheer of the season into your home. Let me know in the comments which of these ideas you plan to try – or if you have another eco-friendly holiday decor idea to share!

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Lifestyle

25 Great Gift Ideas for the Gardener in Your Life

Check out 25 great gift ideas for the gardener in your life – even if that gardener is you. Suggestions of gardener gift ideas for the holidays, or any birthdays or special events that pop up the rest of the year!

I love giving gifts. No lie, I start my Christmas shopping each year in October – even if just in the form of online window shopping and making lists of gift ideas. And unfortunately (/fortunately? I haven’t decided yet), my partner and both of my parents have autumn birthdays, so my gift giving muscles get quite the workout between September and December.

But while I love giving gifts, I recognize I’m a rather difficult person to give gifts to. Beyond books, which I’m always thrilled to receive, I’m picky about colors and fabrics. And as I’m trying to reduce consumption, I don’t want people to spend money on me if it’s something I won’t use and love.

So if you also have a picky gardener in your life, I thought I’d throw together this list of 25+ gardener gift ideas that I, and most gardeners, would love to receive.

(Also just FYI none of these gardener gift ideas are affiliate links, just products I love or think would make thoughtful gifts!)

While they weren’t a Christmas gift, two of the best gifts I’ve ever received were the raised wooden garden beds my partner built me last winter. As I told him then, he literally fulfilled a childhood dream of mine – one started when I first read the Little House and Anne of Green Gables books when I was six years old. So that, of course, is my first gift idea –

[potting bench photo courtesy of Ana White]

1. Go homemade – build a garden bed or potting bench

Find the plans we used to build our beds here, or check out these 65 DIY Potting Bench Plans.

2. Or go store-bought with a Vego garden bed

These modular metal raised bed kits can be reconfigured to fit your gardener’s space. And, being metal, they should last for ages!

3. Outfit the apartment gardener with a Greenstalk Garden

If your gardener has limited space, or is just trying to maximize the space they do have, a Greenstalk garden is an excellent gift. This tiered vertical planter can really grow so much food.

4. Bring the garden indoors for winter with a Microgreens Kit

Microgreens are a tasty little nutrient powerhouses. And, as far as gardener gift ideas go, a microgreens kit is a great way to give your gardener a growing outlet for when their outdoor beds are covered in snow.

5. Keep their feet dry with some cute clogs or Gardening Boots

Spring gardening is the best because you finally get to get your hands back in the soil and nurture growing things. Spring gardening is the worst because it’s mud and muck season. Keep their feet toasty and dry with some garden-approved footwear.

6. Upgrade their tools

Try these stylish gloves or this hori hori knife!

7. Help reap the harvest with a Garden Hod

At the height of summer, the bounty can get a little unwieldy. Make the trip from garden to kitchen counter easier with a garden hod.

8. …or with a Roo apron (or the Joey half-apron)

These are so convenient – both hands free to pick or weed or what have you!

9. Enable them to sport garden gear wherever they are with Nature Supply Co

“Eat Sleep Garden Repeat” is my official mantra.

10. Deck out the garden

In the words of Jessica Sowards, “the best medicine for the garden is the gardener.” Help make the garden a place they love to relax with decorative items like signs, wind chimes, or a fancy rain gauge.

Image courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company

11. Invite nature in with a bee or bird house

Welcome all the pollinators!

12. Help them enjoy the space they’ve created with a Hammock

They’ll mentally thank you every time they take a nap in their garden next summer.

13. Get them the materials for a Vermicompost bin

Or if you’re on a tight budget, make a simple, city-friendly outdoor compost bin with this tutorial!

14. Help them level up next year’s garden with a Grow Light or Seed Starting Kit

15. Or challenge an intermediate gardener with a soil block maker

If they already start their own seeds, help them do so while reducing their plastic use with a soil block maker.

16. Protect their hands with a Gardener’s Spa Gift Box

Gardening wreaks havoc on the hands, so a classic gardener gift idea is a soothing hand salve – this gift box takes the basic salve up a notch!

17. Help them preserve the harvest with tools like a Fermentation Kit

18. …or a Dehydrator

I love my Excalibur. In spring of 2020, when everyone else was hoarding toilet paper, I panic purchased a dehydrator. And you know what? Totally worth it. I use it all the time.

19. …or a Vacuum Sealer

For the newbie gardener who’s still intimidated by canning, a vacuum sealer will let them freeze their harvests to preserve for future eating – no freezer burn!

  • Book cover of Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
  • Book cover of The Vegetable Gardener's Bible
  • Book cover of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener

20. Books on Gardening

In my view, few presents can top a great book. I’ve attempted to restrain myself here, but the next few items curate a handful of books on garden-related topics. On gardening itself, try The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible, Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, or the Year-Round Vegetable Gardener.

  • Book cover of the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
  • Book cover of Food in Jars
  • Book cover of The Forager's Pantry

21. Books on using + preserving the harvest

Or, help your gardener enjoy and preserve their bounty with one of these cookbooks: Food in Jars, the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, or The Forager’s Pantry.

  • Book cover of Braiding Sweetgrass
  • Book cover of Gaia's Garden
  • Book cover of The One-Straw Revolution

22. Books that feed a gardener’s soul

Finally, check out Braiding Sweetgrass, The One-Straw Revolution, or Gaia’s Garden for a book that speaks to their plant-loving soul.

23. Membership to a local arboretum or botanic garden

Give the gift of inspiration – or at least a place to walk among growing things when their garden is dormant.

24. Gardening journal

Give them a handy place to record their notes so next year’s garden can be better than ever!

25. Finally, you can’t go wrong with a seed catalog and gift card!

Let them pick exactly what they want to grow in next year’s garden. Find some of my favorite seed companies in this post!

I have so many more ideas that I didn’t have space to include here (Indoor mushroom logs! Copper plant markers!) but I want to hear from you, fellow gardeners – what’s on your holiday wishlist?

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Desserts

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree (+10 Ways to Use It!)

Learn how to make homemade pumpkin puree from a fresh pumpkin as well as the best pumpkin varieties for cooking and eating! 

Overhead shot of a pile of Cinderella and Musquee de Provence pumpkins

Did you know that over 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are sent to the landfill every year in the United States? And that number doesn’t even account for the “ornamental” squashes and gourds people use in their autumn decor.

While you may think tossing your pumpkins and gourds is fine as they’re organic matter that will just break down in the landfill, you’d be sorely mistaken. Unfortunately, even organic matter can’t break down if it’s not in the right conditions (you know, like if it’s contained in an air-tight plastic bag).

So what are you to do with all those pumpkins? Certainly not stop buying/growing them. If you have a compost pile/bin, compost them! They’ll become food for next year’s garden. Otherwise, you can find a local farmer who may like the free treat for her livestock, or break your pumpkins open and leave them in the woods for the local deer and other fauna. Do break them open though – otherwise deer can get their heads stuck in them.

Overhead shot of pumpkin soup sprinkled with pepitas and paprika

Better yet, before composting or giving to the local forest creatures, roast your pumpkin and make your own homemade pumpkin puree! 

Homemade pumpkin puree is so, so delicious and so much better than the stuff in the can. It takes some time but no great skill, and you’ll be able to boast come Thanksgiving that your pie really is from scratch. Read on to learn how, as well as a recipe round up for how to use your pumpkin puree bounty.

A glass bowl containing the seeds and guts removed from a pumpkin processed for homemade pumpkin puree

What is pumpkin puree?

First things first – no silly questions here. Most of us have become so alienated from our food supply that the process of going from pumpkin plant to the mushy stuff in the can is mystifying.

It’s simple, really: pumpkin puree is just pureed pumpkin flesh. You roast the halved pumpkins first to soften them and bring out all the sweet, caramelized notes. Then scoop it out of the skin and into your food processor to blitz up. Voila – that’s what comes in the can.

Of course, homemade pumpkin puree is much sweeter and more flavorful than anything you can get at the store. Totally worth the bit of extra work, especially as we’re looking at another pumpkin shortage this year. If you grew any pumpkins in your summer garden, I’d definitely suggest making your own puree for that pumpkin pie this year.

A hand separates pumpkin seeds from guts over a bowl

What’s the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie mix?

You may have noticed – or accidentally purchased – pumpkin pie mix alongside the cans of pumpkin puree at the store. Well, pumpkin pie mix is to pumpkin puree what cake mix is to flour and sugar. It just does a few of the steps in the recipe for you. Pumpkin pie mix already has the spices you’d want in a pie added into the can, so you just need to mix in the liquid ingredients before pouring into the pie shell.

You certainly could do that with your homemade pumpkin puree if you know you plan to use it for pie. Portion into the amount your pie recipe calls for and add in the spices before storing/freezing. I like to leave mine plain, though, so I can easily use it in savory applications like soup as well as pie.

Overhead shot of roasted pumpkin seeds on a parchment-lined cookie sheet

Is pumpkin puree good for you?

It’s so good for you!! Pumpkins, a member of the cucurbit family, are packed with nutrients. On top of being low in calories and fat, it’s high in fiber and vitamins A, C, E, K, and B plus iron magnesium, manganese, potassium, thiamin, niacin, folate, and copper.

And it’s not just good for you – pumpkin is also a great supplement for dogs and chickens!

Overhead shot of four pumpkin halves on a parchment-lined sheet tray. In the bottom right corner is a bowl containing the pumpkin seeds and guts

Which pumpkin varieties are best for cooking and eating?

As always, organically grown is better than conventional. Pumpkins are prone to powdery mildew and other squash maladies, so conventionally grown ones have likely been sprayed with pesticides which not only linger in the fruit but also pollute groundwater.

But, if you can’t afford or access organic, your homemade puree is still going to be more nutritious and delicious than the canned stuff at the store which was also made with conventional pumpkins.

As far as specific species of pumpkins, the classic is the sugar pie pumpkin. These are often what you find for sale at the grocery store in October and November. These are some of the sweetest of all pumpkins and so perfect for your Thanksgiving pie.

But loads of other varieties are great too! Many heirloom pumpkin varieties will have more complex or interesting flavors. The pumpkins in the photos you see in this post are the Long Island Cheese Pumpkins I grew this year. Some other great choices to look out for (or grow next year!):

  • Jarrahdale
  • Musquee de Provence (these are beautiful and near the top of my to-grow list!)
  • Cinderella
  • Baby Bear
  • Galeux d’Eysines
  • Dickinson Pumpkin
  • Seminole Pumpkin
  • Black Futsu

I wouldn’t recommend using your Halloween Jack-O-Lantern. I know people who have, but it’s not the most flavorful. And if you’ve carved it, definitely steer away – that’s been sitting exposed on your porch for like a week.

Overhead shot of four roasted pumpkin halves on a parchment-lined sheet tray

How does homemade pumpkin puree compare to the stuff in the can?

As with any fresh vs. canned food, your homemade pumpkin puree will be more nutritionally dense. I also find it much sweeter and more flavorful – especially if you’re making it from an heirloom pumpkin variety. 

On the flip side, homemade pumpkin puree tends to be more watery than the canned stuff. You can just plan to decrease the liquid content in any recipes that call for canned pumpkin. But I also have two other methods for combating the liquidiness. One, you’ll see below I call for straining your puree through a cheesecloth for a few hours. Two, you can also just cook your puree and cool it before using it in a recipe. Basically, dump it into a saucepan, bring it to medium heat, and allow some of the water cook off until you hit the right texture. A bonus is cooking it further emphasizes the caramel-y flavors you want in pie. Of course, for something like soup, the extra liquid won’t do any harm.

Over heat shot of pumpkin seeds whose flesh has been scraped out, sitting on a parchment-lined sheet tray with a spoon

What’s the difference between pumpkin and squash? Can I make pie out of squash?

I think of it like geometry – you know, squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares? Well, a pumpkin is a squash (cucurbit) but not all squashes are pumpkins. Generally, if it’s round, orange, and lobed it’s a pumpkin.

Of course, this gets more confusing as in some countries they refer to all squashes as pumpkins. So they might refer to a butternut pumpkin whereas in the US we’d call it a butternut squash.

All that said, you can make pumpkin pie out of non-pumpkin squashes, just not all of them. If you can’t find a pumpkin, look for a squash with similar flavors/characteristics. For example, I’d expect a butternut squash, a kabocha, or a koginut to all work well. You can follow the same method of pureeing and roasting below, they may just differ in roasting times.

Overhead shot of a food processor full of fresh homemade pumpkin puree

How do you make pumpkin puree?

I’ll go through the full step-by-step in the recipe card below, but here’s how I do it. Cut the stem off your pumpkin with a very sharp knife and then halve it. Scoop out the seeds, guts, and stringy bits (reserving for roasted pumpkin seeds if you like!). Place it cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and poke a few steam holes in the back. Roast at 400ºF for 45-60 minutes. It’s done when you can easily pierce it with a knife.

Allow to cool so you can handle comfortably, then scoop the roasted flesh into a food processor blender and discard the skins. Process until you have a smooth puree. At that point, you can use it just like canned pumpkin! However, I like to put it in the fridge in a cheesecloth-lined colander sat in a bowl overnight. This allows excess liquid to drain off so the homemade pumpkin puree is closer in texture and moisture-level to the store bought, which most recipes are based on. Then I take my biggest cookie tray lined with parchment and apportion half cups of puree. I freeze these then pop them in a stasher bag so I can easily grab and defrost just the amount I need for a recipe.

Some people will just stick the whole pumpkin in the oven and roast until soft. The reasoning is that it’s easier to cut in half once roasted, especially if you don’t have good knives. However, I don’t prefer this method as I find it harder to remove the seeds. The difference between the stringy bits and the roasted pulp was harder to define once roasted so I lost more of the would-be puree whilst removing seeds and guts as it was all soft and came away with the spoon.

Overhead shot of bright orange homemade pumpkin puree draining in a cheesecloth-lined colander

How long will pumpkin puree last?

If you’re keeping it in the fridge, try to use it up within a week. If you freeze it, it should be good for about a year. Though, of course, over time you’ll sacrifice some quality and texture.

Note that you cannot can pumpkin puree. If you have a pressure canner, you can can diced or chunked up pumpkin cubes. But you can’t water bath can it and it can’t already be pureed.

A parchment-lined sheet tray containing half-cup scoops of homemade pumpkin puree

Can you freeze pumpkin puree?

As you may have guessed from my responses above, yes! Dividing it into recipe-sized portions (usually half a cup) and freezing is my preferred method for storing puree. It lasts ages and you can defrost just as much as you need at any one time. Again, I separate into portions on a parchment-lined cookie sheet so I can freeze individually. Then I put everything into a bag and keep it in the freezer.

Pumpkin pie surrounded by apples and small pie pumpkins

How do you use homemade pumpkin puree?

In short, anywhere you would use canned pumpkin puree! Certainly use it to make your Thanksgiving pie, pumpkin bread, or cookies.

I love it stirred into oatmeal or pancakes. Or you can make a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte.

And don’t forget savory applications like this pumpkin soup, chipotle black bean dip, chili, or risotto.

Alright, ready for the recipe card to make your own homemade pumpkin puree?

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Overhead shot of bright orange homemade pumpkin puree draining in a cheesecloth-lined colander

Homemade pumpkin puree is sweeter, more flavorful, and more nutritious than the stuff in the can. Roast your own and then make the best Thanksgiving pie of your life.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • Fresh whole pumpkins
  • Other equipment: cutting board, sharp knife, spoon, large bowl, parchment-lined cookie tray, blender or food processor, colander, cheesecloth

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
  2. Wash your pumpkins to remove any dirt. Slice off the top and stem.
  3. Cut your pumpkins in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, guts, and stringy bits. Reserve in a large bowl if you want to roast the seeds later.
  4. Place cleaned pumpkins cut side down on a parchment-lined cookie tray. Poke a few holes in the back of the skins for steam to escape.
  5. Roast for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife can easily pierce the pumpkin's skin.
  6. Allow to cool until your pumpkins can be safely handled. Scrape the flesh into the bowl of a food processor blender. Discard the skins.
  7. Process or blend until smooth. You now have pumpkin puree!
  8. (Optional) Transfer your puree to a cheesecloth-lined colander set in a large bowl. Put in the fridge overnight to allow excess liquid to drain out of your puree.
  9. Now use or store your homemade pumpkin puree! If you're going to freeze it, I'd suggest portioning it into half-cup portions and freezing on a cookie tray before storing so you can defrost just as much as you need in the future.
© Meaghan
Category: Preserving
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Breakfast

How to Make the Easiest Healthy Applesauce

Learn how to make healthy applesauce from scratch and the best apple varieties for cooking. Follow this tutorial to learn different ways of cooking applesauce – stovetop or crockpot, chunky or smooth, sweet or spiced.

Three apples rest in a person's outstretched hands

As the weather cools and the leaves turn, all I want to do is 1. Be outside crunching on leaves or 2. Be in my kitchen cooking up fall goodies. Today’s recipe for the easiest homemade healthy applesauce enabled me to do both!

We’re far from being able to have our own apple trees at this little urban homestead. But we do take advantage of the abundance of local farms that offer apple picking. Our favorite, Branstool Orchards in Utica, OH, is dog-friendly! (It’s actually the same orchard where I got the peaches for the peach pepper jam I shared this summer.)

A man walks a black dog between two rows of apple trees. In the distance, the trees are a riot of autumnal color.

Every autumn, we bundle up and make the drive out of the city, returning in the evening with our abundance and my brain brimming with plans.

Of course, we often wind up eating so many fresh that I don’t get to test all of my ideas. I used the end of this year’s apples to make this healthy applesauce. But next year I want to use some of the bounty to can mincemeat pie filling as a surprise for my dad.

A bunch of red apples grow on a branch of an apple tree

I love to make a huge batch of this healthy applesauce and then freeze it in canning jars. I pull them out one at a time throughout the year for adding to oatmeal, spooning over ice cream, or serving with pork chops and potato pancakes.

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s more method than recipe. Make it with whatever quantity of apples you have, and just scale the other two ingredients (apple cider and pumpkin pie spice) to taste.

It’s so simple, and a healthy treat that really can’t be beat. If you’ve never made applesauce before, I hope you try it and let me know what you think in the comments!

A pile of red apples fills the frame

What makes this applesauce healthy?

For starters, there’s no added sweetener – just a half cup of apple cider. You could even omit that or swap it for water. I just find that added bit of moisture helps the apples begin to cook down faster.

But, compared to the sweetener and preservatives you’ll find in store-bought applesauce, I think the little bit of cider is no big deal.

Plus, apples are full of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium!

Close up of chopped apples

Isn’t homemade applesauce a lot of work?

Nope! At least, this one isn’t. It requires a sum total of three ingredients and four kitchen tools (a cutting board and knife to prep the apples, and the pot and wooden spoon to cook them).

You don’t even have to peel the apples. Just making sure you’re using organic, unwaxed apples. Of course, you can peel if you want to. I lack that patience and I like the lovely pink color the applesauce turns with the peels left on.

But really, it’s just chopping the apples and then cooking them down to your desired texture. It takes time, but not much in terms of labor or complication. If you want a really smooth applesauce, you can use an immersion blender (or a regular one). That adds one more step and tools to clean, but it’s still not hard.

Overhead shot of red apples in a glass bowl

Which apples should I use for applesauce?

Whatever kind of apples you love to eat! Yes, certain types will hold up better to cooking. In general, for cooked applications, you want firmer, less sweet varieties. But it really is up to you and what you like to eat. I used a mixture of Jonathan, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh. I find using a few different varieties yields a more complex, flavorful applesauce.

Here’s the full list of recommended saucing apples from my local orchard:

  • Pristine
  • Zestar
  • Ginger Gold
  • Blondee
  • Elstar
  • Swiss Gourmet
  • Cortland
  • Grimes Golden
  • Jonathan
  • Cox’s Orange Pippen
  • Rubinette
  • Pinova
  • Winter Banana
  • Idared
  • Suncrisp
  • Winesap
  • Snowsweet
  • Fuji
  • Gold Rush
  • Pink Lady
  • Golden Delicious
  • Melrose
  • Jonagold
  • Cameo

…As you can see, you have lots of choices.

Overhead shots of chopped apples for applesauce in a dutch oven

What methods can I use to make this healthy applesauce?

The two I can say for sure will work are stovetop and slow cooker, though the latter will take longer. I’m sure someone has figured out how to use an Instant Pot, but I haven’t personally tested that method.

I like the stovetop because I’m impatient. I use my enameled dutch oven, but a nonstick stock pot is also a good choice. I’d avoid stainless steel as the apples will cook for long enough that the metal might leach an odd flavor.

Half cooked applesauce with the bottom of a wooden spoon

How do I store this applesauce?

First things first, this recipe is not approved for canning. You can store in the fridge or freezer instead.

I like to store my applesauce in old canning jars, but any glass or BPA-free plastic container will work!

Overhead shot of two glass canning jars full of freshly made applesauce

How long will it last?

This healthy applesauce should keep at least a week in the fridge or two months in the freezer. In my experience, it’s kept a lot longer in the freezer. I just finished off my final jar from last year a month or so ago.

*Note if you want to freeze it in jars, make sure you leave enough headspace and don’t tighten the lid at first to give the applesauce room to expand. If using a jar with shoulders, be sure the level of the sauce is below where the shoulder curves inward.

A spoon digs into a white ramekin of healthy applesauce oatmeal

How can I use this healthy applesauce?

Anyway you would use regular applesauce! It’s great plain, especially as an afternoon snack for kids. I love it on oatmeal or with yogurt and granola for breakfast. It’s also wonderful warmed and served over vanilla ice cream. Tonight, we’ll be serving it alongside pork chops.

You can also bake with applesauce as a replacement for the fat in some recipes. Or make an applesauce-specific baked good, like applesauce bread or muffins!

So, how do I make the easiest healthy applesauce?

Yield: 2 quarts

Easiest Healthy Applesauce

Overheard shot of chopped apples on a black cutting board with a chef's knife and whole apples off to the side

This applesauce recipe is more a method than a recipe with strict ingredients and amounts. Below is what I made in the photos in this post, but feel free to scale ingredients up and down based on what you have/how much applesauce you want!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 ½ lbs apples, cored and diced
  • ½ c apple cider
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves to taste)

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry your apples, Then core and dice into half-inch chunks.
  2. Combine apples, cider, and spice in a large stockpot. Place on stove and bring to medium heat.
  3. Once you can hear the cider simmering, turn down medium-low.
  4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency is achieved. I let mine go about 2 hours, but go for longer or for less time depending on how you like your applesauce.
  5. Turn off heat and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, dish into storage containers.

Notes

As noted above, if you like a very smooth applesauce, you can peel your apples and then immersion blend them once they've finished cooking.

To make this applesauce in the slow cooker, combine ingredients as above and cook on low about 6 hours.

© Meaghan
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Pin it for later:

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Preserving

How to Make Sweet and Spicy Peach Pepper Jam (Recipe)

This peach pepper jam is sweet, spicy, and a delicious party appetizer with cream cheese. Plus it’s a great way to use up some of your summer garden bounty!

Ripe peaches hanging from a tree branch – peach pepper jam

We’ve hit the point in the summer where we’re completely swimming in garden produce. It will seem like we’ve begun to make a dent in the basket of cherry tomatoes that lives on the kitchen island. And then each day’s harvest refills it and more.

In my search to use and preserve as much of my garden bounty as possible, I came across the idea for a sweet and spicy peach pepper jam from the people at Pomona’s Universal Pectin, and immediately my imagination was hooked. It uses up not one but two kinds of peppers. And it gave me an excuse to go peach picking at a nearby orchard.

I’m imagining this peach pepper jam poured over a brick of cream cheese as a party appetizer. Or brushed on grilled chicken for an al fresco dinner. Or the jar adorned with a nice label and gifted to friends and family.

It’s also a great contribution to one of my goals this year: master water bath canning, as a part of preserving the harvest. I’ve already made a strawberry rhubarb jam and next on the docket is many pints of pizza sauce from all the paste tomatoes I’ve been stuffing in the freezer over the last month or so.

As far as jam-making goes, this was a pretty simple process. Blanch, peel, and then puree the peaches in a blender. Simmer the diced peppers in vinegar before adding the peaches and sugar/pectin mixture. Allow to boil, then ladle into sterilized jars and process.

In little more than an hour, I had some of my Christmas gifts figured out!

Four small jars of peach pepper jam on a granite countertop with a red dish towel on the left side. Two jars are stacked vertically and two are lying on their sides

What does peach pepper jam taste like?

In a word, delicious. It’s sweet and summery, with just a hint of kick. The chile peppers give it such a complex flavor – so much more interesting and satisfying than a regular sweet jam.

Overhead shot of four peach halves on a white countertop – peach pepper jam

How do I use peach pepper jam?

I love it best on toast with some cream cheese – or, poured over a brick of cream cheese and served as a party appetizer with crostini. It’s also really excellent in a marinade or sauce for chicken or shrimp. Try thinning it with some water and brushed on chicken/shrimp skewers as you grill!

It also makes a great hostess or holiday gift!

Hand holds a peach above a white colander full of peaches, demonstrating how to cut an X on the bottom before blanching – peach pepper jam

How do I blanch a peach?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to heat, use a paring knife to score an X in the bottom of each peach.

It doesn’t need to be deep, just enough to break the skin. Drop your peaches into the water, only a few at a time so it doesn’t stop boiling.

After about a minute (give it longer if your peaches are underripe), remove them from the boiling water and plunge into a bowl of ice water until cool.

After that, the skins should just slip off! Remove the skins, halve to remove the pit, and your peaches are ready to puree for the recipe.

Overhead shot of a white colander containing the ingredients for peach pepper jam: a red bell pepper, some jalapenos, and peaches

Can I make any tweaks to this recipe?

When it comes to canning, you need to be careful to follow the recipe. Mess with it too much, and you run the risk of making you and your loved ones very, very sick. You can’t change the amounts of anything (except dried spices in recipes that call for them).

But, as long you keep the quantities of the ingredients the same, you can change the varieties of peppers called for in this recipe.

Don’t want it spicy at all? Replace the jalapenos with more bell peppers. Like it really hot and spicy? Go for all jalapenos – or even hotter varieties.

Overhead shot of a dutch oven containing finely chopped peppers simmering in apple cider vinegar – peach pepper jam

What sort of peppers do I use?

Again, here’s your one shot to be creative with this recipe. If you can handle spicy, I bet the fruitiness of habaneros would go great here.

But really, any variety is good as long as you keep the amount the same. If you want just a hint of kick, I’d suggest sticking with the recipe as written – a mix of jalapenos and a red bell pepper.

Overhead shot of a large stockpot full of water with a canning rack and small glass jars – peach pepper jam

Can I can this recipe?

Yep! To can this recipe, you’ll need a water bath canner and associated parts. The recipe should yield 12 four ounce jars.

Overhead shot of a dutch oven containing peach pepper jam and a wooden spoon. To the left is a bowl of sugar and pectin, a set of measuring spoons, and a box of Pomona's Universal Pectin – peach pepper jam

What sort of pectin do I use?

I love Pomona’s Universal Pectin, and that’s what this recipe uses. Pomona’s uses calcium water in addition to pectin (it comes in the package when you buy it). The combo of the two means you can use way less sugar than with other pectins. 

Many jars of peach pepper jam on a red dish towel. One is on its side

Do I have to can this peach pepper jam recipe?

You don’t – you can easily store it in the refrigerator instead. In that case, feel free to experiment with the ingredients more. Don’t add the pectin or calcium water, and feel free to scale the sugar to taste.

Angle shot of a small jar of peach pepper jam with a jalapeno in the foreground and a red dish towel behind

So, how do I make peach pepper jam?

Yield: 12-4 oz jars/6 cups

Sweet and Spicy Peach Pepper Jam

Small jar of peach pepper jam sits on a granite countertop with a jalapeno in the foreground and a red dish towel to the side

This peach pepper jam is sweet, spicy, and a delicious party appetizer with cream cheese. Plus it’s a great way to use up some of your summer garden bounty!

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ lbs peaches (4 cups onces pureed)
  • ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
  • ½ cup finely chopped jalapeno
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar (use a standard, store-bought version with 5% acidity)
  • 6 tsp calcium water (calcium powder included in the Pomona's Pectin package)
  • 1 ¼ cups white sugar
  • 4 ½ tsp Pomona's Pectin

Instructions

    For full instructions, head on over to Pomona’s website: Peach-Jalapeno Jam.

Notes

Unless you water bath can this recipe (following proper sterilization procedures), you'll need to store the jam in the refrigerator. For long-term storage, keep in the freezer.

Category: Preserving
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Gardening

8 Easy Ways to Extend the Growing Season

The first leaves have already begun to turn here in Ohio, so today we’re tackling 8 easy ways to extend the growing season and maximize your garden harvests!

Heads of Napa cabbage peak out of a glittering snowdrift, with bolting plants and a barn behind them – extend the growing season

I don’t know about where you are, but this past week has been killer hot and humid in the Midwest. I’m talking heat indices in the 100s°F (37-40°C) and thunderstorms everyday. The last thing I’ve wanted to do is my daily garden harvest.

Luckily, we’ve hit the point in summer where the garden is slowing down and maintenance levels are low. Well…part of that is me just giving up on the tomato jungle and the war with pests. But really, when it’s this hot, growth does slow down, and my summer plants are producing lower yields than when they peaked a few weeks ago.

But while I’m wilting in the August heat and glad the garden is low maintenance at the moment…I’ll miss it when it’s gone.

In fact, I’m trying to delay that moment as long as possible. I’ve already begun planting my fall garden full of frost-hardy veg that should last another few months. 

But I’m also employing a variety of tactics to extend the growing season.

More on those below! For now, let’s tackle some FAQ about late season gardening.

A lush garden bed full of cabbage, calendula, and amaranth – extend the growing season

What do I do with my garden when the season is over?

To a certain extent, that’s up to you!

If you want a break, just clear your beds of the spent plants and top up with a layer of compost to replenish and protect the soil.

If you, like me, want to extend the growing season, you can employ any of the strategies below to help things grow beyond your first frost. You’ll still want to pull spent plants. I suggest cutting at the soil line and allowing the roots to decompose and feed the soil, rather than digging them out. Then amend with compost and/or slow release fertilizer. This is also a great time to add any amendments your soil might need, like bone meal or vermiculite.

Snow covered garden bed full of greens. A sign in the foreground reads, "Cabbage" – extend the growing season

What is season extension/How do I extend my vegetable garden?

It’s simply extending the growing season on one or both sides of your first frost date to maximizing your growing potential.

Ever started seeds indoors under a grow light? That’s season extension. As is putting up row cover in the early spring to warm soil faster so you can plant sooner.

But today we’re focused on the other end of the season: extending growing beyond the first frost and into the fall and winter (depending on your climate).

There are loads of ways to extend the garden season, and we’re going to get into the weeds on 8 of them. But it’s really as simple as giving your plants some extra protection from the elements.

Sun glints off of fallen leaves on the grass – extend the growing season

Why might I want to extend my growing season?

To grow more food! My garden is also my place of peace, so any chance to extend the growing season is good for my personal well-being.

But it is worth considering whether the specific benefits of season extension appeal to you. If you’re really only interested in growing tomatoes, peppers, or other hot season plants, season extension can only go so far.

If, on the other hand, you go crazy for greens, root veggies, and brassicas like kale, spring and fall growing is right up your alley. Often, these cool-loving veggies struggle in the heat of summer. But with just a little extra protection, you can have a bounty of them in the spring and fall.

Close up of fall gourds in a wooden crate and sitting on mulch – extend the growing season

Are there any drawbacks to using season extenders?

There can be a few depending on your perspective. While gardening is a passion and pleasure, it’s also work. Come late summer, you may crave the rest that fall and winter promises. If you’re not interested in digging amongst snow to lift your row cover and harvest greens, it may not be for you. And that’s okay! We all have different cold tolerances.

The bigger issue, though, is soil depletion. Depending on your climate, you may be able to grow mostly year-round with the help of the season extension methods below. That can do a number on your soil health if you’re growing lots of heavy feeders. It’s smart to give your garden some break and to focus on building healthy, rich soil through regular amending.

8 Easy Ways to Extend Your Garden Harvest Season

A woman sits on a pule of mulch and lifts a handful with gloves hands – extend the growing season

1. Apply Mulch Liberally

Mulch really is a garden hero. In the summer, it suppresses weeds, keeps soil moist, and breaks down to replenish soil nutrients.

In the fall and winter, traps warmth in the ground, keeping it from freezing and extending the growing season. 

Depending on your climate, the crops in question, and the thickness of your mulch layer, it can even allow crops to be harvested all through the winter.

Be sure to lay down a thick layer of mulch before the ground freezes. Cold-hardy crops like carrots, parsnips, beets, and kale can last well into the winter with just the little extra warmth the mulch provides.

Close up of seedlings growing in a tray – extend the growing season

2. Succession Plant

Succession planting is simply the staggering of crops. This can mean replacing one crop with another when you pull it out, or replanting the same plant multiple times for a continuous yield.

If you planted lettuce in the spring but it bolted and got bitter in the summer, plant a second succession now. It will thrive in the coming cool father weather, extending the growing season.

Three large green cabbages growing in a garden – extend the growing season

3. Plant Cold-Hardy Vegetables

We’ve already covered how to plan a fall garden on this site, but don’t overlook the potential of cold-hardy veg!

Root veggies like carrots and beets, brassicas like kale and broccoli, greens like lettuce and spinach – these crops are at their best in the cool weather. Fall carrots are sweeter, kale never bitter. Planting vegetables that can live through the frost is one of the best and easiest ways to extend the growing season.

Garden bed with a row of nasturtiums and hoop and row cover. Scarecrow in the bottom left corner – extend the growing season

4. Use Row Cover to Protect a Whole Bed

Employing hoops and row cover is a simple, affordable solution for extending the season. Like mulch, row cover helps keep the soil warm. It creates a little microclimate giving your plants extra protection.

Row cover comes in either fabric or plastic, in a few different weights that offer differing levels of protection. Standard row cover gives about 4°F – meaning it protects frost-tender plants down to 28°F instead of 32°F. You can also get heavier garden quilt that will provide protection down to 24°F.

Just be sure to check how much light the row cover blocks. Generally, the heavier the protection, the more light it blocks too. You’ll also have to be more diligent about watering as plants won’t receive rainwater.

Row cover is surprisingly effective at warming the soil–be sure to lift it on sunny/warm days so you don’t accidentally cook your plants!

Large water bottle cloche sits on greens in a hay mulched garden – extend the growing season

5. Use Cloches to Cover Individual Plants

If you’re not interested in protecting a whole bed or extended area, you can also use a cloche to just protect individual plants.

Cloches are portable covers that sit on top of single plants. They create a mini greenhouse environment, trapping heat near the plant to extend the growing season.

You can buy fancy versions of these at garden centers, or you can make your own at home! This simple tutorial shows you how to make a cloche out of a plastic milk jug!

Two wooden, window-topped cold frames sit on grass – extend the growing season

6. Build a Cold Frame

Alternately, if you’re looking for something a little more permanent, build/purchase a cold frame to place over and protect plants.

It works essentially the same way as a cloche, though cold frames are often larger. A cold frame is essentially a mini greenhouse. It has a glass top that lets in and traps sunlight, heating the area inside it.

Woman bends over a bed of flowers in a hoop house – extend the growing season

7. Build a Hoop House/Greenhouse

If you’re looking to make a big investment in your garden and growing potential, go for a hoop house or greenhouse. These permanent structures, made of plastic or glass, efficiently trap heat for off-season growing.

This can be as big or small of an investment as you’re comfortable with. But if you’re serious about extending the growing season and maximizing the amount of food you can grow, a hoop house or greenhouse is the way to go!

Overhead shot of basil growing in a box indoors – extend the growing season

8. Grow inside!

Worse comes to worst and the cold weather can’t be beat, grow inside!

That’s right, just like you grow houseplants inside, there are some garden crops you can try to keep growing in your house.

The easiest/most popular of these is a windowsill herb garden. But people will also bring container plant peppers and tomatoes inside. They won’t thrive as much as in the summer garden, but if you have a warm, sunny window they may hang on longer.

You can also repurpose seed starting lights to give indoor plants more full-spectrum light!

Pen drawing of an onion, some lettuce leaves, some peppers, a radish, a tomato, carrots, and a head of broccoli in dark green ink
Pinterest pin of heads of Napa cabbage peak out of a glittering snowdrift, with bolting plants and a barn behind them. Black text reads, "Eight Easy Ways to Extend the Growing Season" and "meaghangrows.com" #seasonextension #fallgarden #wintergarden – extend the growing season

Drinks

How to Make 3 Soothing Herbal Tea Recipes

Whether you’re trying to kick a caffeine habit, already a tea devotee or just curious, these three herbal tea recipes are tasty, refreshing and a great way to support health outcomes!

A French pressed filled with steeping herbal tea sits on a granite countertop in front of a bouquet of zinnias in a glass vase – herbal tea recipes

Lately, I’ve been trying to break my afternoon iced coffee habit. I don’t know when it became such a regular thing, but I know two coffees a day is not great for my adrenals or my anxiety-prone nervous system.

Problem is, I always want something that feels like a treat in the mid- to late afternoon, when my motivation is beginning to wane.

I’m certainly not here to shame anyone over their caffeine habit. Goodness knows, I regularly feel like Lorelei in Gilmore Girls Season 1 when she proclaims, “I need coffee in an IV.”

Gif of Lorelei in Gilmore Girls season 1 telling Luke, "This is a jumbo coffee morning. I need coffee in an IV." She sits at the diner counter wearing a pink tie dye t shirt.

But I am here to proclaim the benefits of drinking herbal tea. 

It’s a great entryway to herbal and functional medicine. And drinking your herbs is a fantastic way to support specific health outcomes. 

The Anxie-Tea recipe below is part of how I manage my anxiety symptoms without pharmaceuticals. Again, no shame – do what you and your doctor decide is best for you. I’m all for SSRIs and Western medicine if that’s how you feel like your best self. It’s also just a delicious tea regardless of if you’re interested in its medicinal benefits.

Ditto for my Hormone Balancer Tea. It helped me regain my period when I went off birth control a few years ago, and has lots of nourishing herbs for people with uteruses. But it’s a tasty, hydrating treat regardless of your internal organs.

And if you too want to consume less caffeine, my Herbal Energizer on ice has been keeping me going this summer. In fact, each of these herbal tea recipes is nourishing and soothing when drunk hot, but I’m personally not tryna drink a hot beverage between the months of May and September. Each of these is just as excellent – if not more so – iced, and gains additional health benefits by the slow infusion that occurs when you let it steep until cool. I walk you through my specific routine for preparing these herbal tea recipes as infusions so they’re ready when I’m craving iced tea in the afternoon.

Just interested in the recipes? Jump down for recipes for my Herbal Energizer Tea, Anxie-Tea and Hormone Balancer Tea. But if you’re interested in why you should drink herbal tea and the specific benefits of each of these recipes, scroll down for some science!

Herbal tea leaves spill out of a slightly open infuser ball on a gray background – herbal tea recipes

Why drink tea over coffee?

Let’s start with the reason most of us drink coffee: the caffeine. The average 8 oz. cup of drip coffee has 95 mg of caffeine. Compare that to black tea at 47 mg and Yerba Mate (the only caffeinated herbal tea) at 85 mg per cup. So, depending on the tea you choose, you’re getting anywhere from near-drip coffee levels to no caffeine at all.

If coffee gives you the jitters or makes you anxious, a tea with a lower caffeine level may help. Research has found that our bodies respond differently to the caffeine in tea differently than in coffee. When you drink coffee, your body consumes 99% of the caffeine with 45 minutes – leading to that spike in energy (or anxiety). With tea, the absorption is more gradual, giving a longer, smoother energy boost than coffee.

Teas are also rich in antioxidants and L-theanine, an amino acid with calming properties that may relax you even while keeping you alert.

Overhead shot of six spoons in a circle on a granite countertop. Each spoon holds a different dried tea herb – herbal tea recipes

So why herbal tea?

Herbs are simultaneously some of the most ancient and most widely consumed medicines in the world – especially in the form of tea. In fact, the World Health Organization has a specific Traditional Medicine Strategy that promotes the use of herbal medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases. 

Herbs are rich in phytochemicals (or, biologically active compounds) that have medicinal benefits for humans. Many herbs are full of antioxidants and antimicrobials, as well as more specific therapeutic benefits.

Hot, liquid-based herbal infusions (i.e. tea) provide the ideal medium for harnessing the therapeutic properties of plants. Water releases water-soluble phytochemicals like phenols and flavonoids. Consuming them this way may be even more effective than just consuming the dried leaves of the herbs.

Hot water facilitates the release of volatile oils from the herbs that then enter the bloodstream via your digestion or nasal passages. In short, not only is tea one of the simplest and quickest ways to take your medicine, it’s also one of the most effective for garnering the therapeutic benefits of herbs.

A white and black speckled mug of tea sits on a windowsill with a tan throw blanket – herbal tea recipes

What are the health benefits of herbal tea?

The health benefits of herbal tea vary depending on the herbs in question. I’ve discussed some of the generalities above, but let’s talk about the herbs in these recipes in more detail now.

My Herbal Energizer tea is a 2:2:1 blend of peppermint, stinging nettle, and lemon balm. Here, the peppermint mainly serves to enhance the flavor, but does have numerous health benefits of its own. The nettle provides the energizing effect, while lemon balm supports alertness and brain health.

The recipe for my Anxie-tea is more complex, but the lavender, lemon balm, oatstraw and valerian root are all nervine herbs. This means they support the nervous system – helping you to relax and relieving anxiety symptoms. For me, the valerian root is a really powerhouse herbal ally.

And finally, while I developed my Hormone Balance Tea recipe specifically to help me balance my hormones, it’s good support for anyone with a uterus. Chasteberry, or vitex, supports the pituitary gland and the production of progesterone. Red raspberry leaf relieves painful periods.  Stinging nettle battles fatigue while peppermint settles the stomach and soothes headaches. Finally, catnip is a sedative and will help induce menstruation.

Overhead shot of a white bowl on a granite countertop. The bowl contains the herbs in my Anxie-tea blend – herbal tea recipes

How do I prepare herbal tea?

You can prepare herbal tea much the same as you’d prepare any other cup of tea, bagged or loose leaf. In short, add your leaves to your steeping vessel of choice. This can be a teapot, an infuser, straight into your mug, or – my personal favorite – a French press.

Pour hot water (hot but not boiling – see more in the recipe card below) over tea leaves. Cover your steeping vessel so no steam can escape and let steep at least 15 minutes.

I suggest steeping your tea for much longer than the instructions that come from boxed tea bags do. This is because the longer you steep, the more chance the water has to draw out the medicinal properties in the tea leaves. There’s a world of difference between a tea that was steeped for 5 minutes and an infusion that steeped overnight. This is also why it’s so important to cover your tea while it’s steeping. The oils in the tea that contain the medicinal properties will evaporate with the steam otherwise.

If you’re looking for a hot cup of tea, you’re good to go when your 15 minutes are up. If you’re interested in iced tea, or gaining as much of the health benefits of your tea as you can, prepare an infusion instead.

To prepare an infusion, follow the same process for hot tea, but allow to steep for several hours to overnight. Infusions are great for all herbal teas, but are especially important if your blend contains any woody herb parts like stems or roots. For example, the Anxie-Tea recipe below calls for valerian root. You’ll extract its medicinal properties much more fully via an infusion than a shorter-steeped tea.

My process to ensure I have tea to drink every afternoon:

I prepare and steep my tea before I go to bed each night. I make a full French press, leaving the stopper up and allowing it to sit on the counter overnight. In the morning, I depress the plunger and pop the whole thing in the fridge.

Come afternoon, my tea is nice and chilled so I just pour over ice and enjoy!

An unfilled French press with herbal tea in the bottom sits on a granite countertop next to its lid. Behind is a glass vase full of zinnias – herbal tea recipes

Where do I source herbs to make these herbal tea recipes?

There are many places to source dried herbs – including from your own garden or responsible wildcrafting in your area.

When ordering online, I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. You have as many choices as the internet can serve up to you, just make sure you vet quality, sourcing, sustainability, etc.

A glass of iced herbal tea sits in front of a full French press of steeped tea and a glass vase containing a zinnia bouquet, on a granite countertop – herbal tea recipes

How long will dried herbs last?

All of the recipes below call for dried herbs as these are more shelf-stable and allow you to blend multiple pots worth of tea at once. In fact, I tend to make large batches around the holidays and give them away as gifts.

But ultimately, this comes down to how you store them. Dried herbs, be they medicinal or culinary, can lose potency and quality over time – especially when exposed to heat and light. 

Your best bet is to store in a dark, opaque container in a cool, dark, dry place. Under ideal conditions, dry herbs and tea blends should last around 2 years.

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an important disclaimer

Please note that none of the information in this post has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing or on any medications.

I’m super interested in herbal and functional medicine as ways of supporting health, instead of just managing sickness. But I am by no means a qualified herbalist or medical practitioner. This was just a super zoomed out overview based on my research. I encourage you to do your own and to work with a qualified herbalist/alternative medicine practitioner if that interests you. Many herbs work best in formulation, and that’s hard to get right on your own.

If you’re interested in learning more about herbal medicine/wild food, here are the websites/social handles of some good places to get started: Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary (founded by Rosemary Gladstar), Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, the Herbal Academy, Rowan and Sage, and Black Forager.

If you’re new to all of this, starting out by just eating or drinking your herbs is a great entry point! Get to know an herb by making tea with it or incorporating it into your cooking. Food is Medicine. If you’re looking to step a little deeper on this path, try my recipe for a diy chamomile tincture!

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Three Herbal Tea Recipes – delicious hot or iced!

Yes, there’s heavy representation of peppermint, lemon balm, and stinging nettle in these recipes. On a practical note, the peppermint and lemon balm make sure these teas taste good. Meanwhile, the stinging nettle is full of iron and other minerals we tend to be deficient in. And peppermint (and lemon balm, which is in the mint family) is a garden bully so I’m always harvesting and trying to use it. Plus stinging nettle is an easily forageable herb in early spring.

Yield: 5+ servings

3 Refreshing Herbal Tea Blends (drink hot or iced!)

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Whether you’re trying to kick a caffeine habit, already a tea devotee or just curious, these three herbal tea recipes are tasty, refreshing and a great way to support health outcomes!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Herbal Energizer Tea

  • 2 parts dried stinging nettle leaves
  • 2 parts dried peppermint leaves
  • 1 part dried lemon balm leaves

Anxie-Tea

  • 2 parts dried peppermint leaves
  • 1 part dried stinging nettle leaves
  • 1 part dried lavender
  • 1 part dried lemon balm leaves
  • ½ part dried oatstraw
  • ½ part dried valerian root

Hormone Balancer Tea

  • 2 parts dried chasteberry/vitex
  • 1 part dried raspberry leaf
  • 1 part dried stinging nettle leaves
  • 1 part dried peppermint leaves
  • ½ part dried catnip

Instructions

    1. Combine dried herbs for your chosen blend in a large, dark-colored jar or paper bag and shake to mix. (An opaque container will protect your herbs from being degraded by sunlight.) Store in a cool, dark place.
    2. To make tea: Boil water in an electric kettle or on the stove.
    3. While waiting for water to boil, shake your tea container again to ensure herbs are evenly mixed and add tea to your teapot/infuser/drinking vessel. Start with a ratio of 1 tbsp tea leaves to a ½ litre of water, but feel free to adjust to taste.
    4. When water reaches the desired temperature, pour over your tea leaves and cover to trap steam. Steep for 15 minutes. You never want to pour boiling water over your herbs as it's just too hot and will destroy some of the delicate oils in them. If you can catch it, pour water just before it boils. If, like me, you miss that the water's boiling until it's boiled over onto the stove, let it boil and then turn it off. Let it cool a minute, and then pour over your herbs.
    5. Alternately, allow to steep overnight for an herbal infusion. Then chill and drink iced.

Notes

  • The number of servings here is just a suggestion as this recipe is in parts rather than specific measurements. This allows you to scale up or down depending on how much of the tea blend you want to make. If you're new to working in parts, just substitute the "part" for the measurement of your choice. For example, say I were making my herbal energizer tea and decided that 1 part would be ¼ cup. 2 parts would then be ½ cup. So I would blend ½ cup dried peppermint, ½ cup dried stinging nettle, and ¼ cup dried lemon balm. This would yield ¾ cup, or about 12 servings.
  • I suggest steeping your tea for much longer than the instructions that come from boxed tea bags do. This is because the longer you steep, the more chance the water has to draw out the medicinal properties in the tea leaves. There's a world of difference between a tea that was steeped for 5 minutes and an infusion that steeped overnight. This is also why it's so important to cover your tea while it's steeping. The oils in the tea that contain the medicinal properties will evaporate with the steam otherwise.
  • If you avoid gluten, please be careful how you source your oatstraw. While the plant itself is gluten-free, it's at high-risk for cross-contamination while processing. Be sure what you purchase has been certified gluten-free.

© Meaghan
Category: Drinks
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