Back to School, Back to Gardening

Harvesting summer goodies!

August always feels like a bit of a reset. Summer vacations are winding down, kids are heading back to school, and little by little we're all settling back into our routines. After weeks of heat, our gardens are ready for a fresh start too.

Fall tomatoes

One of our favorite things about gardening in the South is that summer doesn't have to mean the end of tomato season. While much of the country is wrapping things up, we're just getting ready for a second round. This month we're clearing out plants that have reached the end of their season and making room for fresh fall tomatoes and cucumbers.

For fall, we recommend planting cherry tomatoes rather than the larger slicing varieties. Cherry tomatoes mature more quickly, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a harvest before cooler weather arrives. It's one of those gardening wins that makes late summer feel full of possibility instead of an ending.

And if your basil has been thriving all summer, you may find yourself with more than you know what to do with. We certainly won't let good basil go to waste! One of our favorite ways to preserve those fresh summer flavors is with this simple pesto recipe, adapted from Giada De Laurentiis. It's perfect tossed with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or frozen in small portions to enjoy long after the garden has changed seasons.

Basil Pesto Recipe

Toast 1/2 cup of pine nuts at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Let cool.

While the pine nuts are in the oven, wash and dry 4 cups of basil leaves.  

Add the following to a food processor:

4 cups of packed basil leaves

1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 1/3 cups of olive oil

Blend everything. Once blended, stir in 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. You can stir in more olive oil if the pesto is too thick.

Use pesto immediately, refrigerate it, or divide into 1/4- to 1/2-cup servings and freeze.  Enjoy!

Ready for a Garden?

If you’re ready for your own Fall harvest, book a consult with us for a custom raised bed garden!