Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Dr. Angela Foster, one of our Extension Master Gardener volunteers, is filling in for me again this week. She’s also an instructor at Craven Community College. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving is a celebration of abundance, often centered around a table filled with seasonal produce. While most people rely on the grocery store for their feast, growing your own Thanksgiving garden can add a deeply personal and rewarding touch to the holiday. Not only does it provide fresh, homegrown ingredients for your meal, but it also allows you to reflect on the agricultural roots of the celebration. With careful planning, you can harvest a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruits in time for the Thanksgiving season. Here’s how to get started.

Planning your Thanksgiving garden
A Thanksgiving garden focuses on cool-season crops that are harvested in the fall. The key is planning well ahead, as many of these vegetables take several months to grow from seed to harvest. Depending on your region’s growing zone, you may start planting as early as late summer or even late spring for some crops. Be sure to check your local frost dates and choose varieties that will thrive in your climate.

Selecting crops for the Thanksgiving table
Some traditional Thanksgiving vegetables and herbs that are perfect for a fall garden include:

Pumpkins and winter squash
Pumpkins and winter squash are quintessential Thanksgiving ingredients, whether you’re making pumpkin pie or a savory roasted squash dish. These crops need a long growing season (80–120 days), so they should be planted in late spring or early summer. Varieties like butternut squash and sugar pumpkins are ideal for the holiday table. After harvesting, they store well, which makes them perfect for preparing in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potatoes
Another classic Thanksgiving staple, sweet potatoes thrive in warm weather but are harvested in the fall after the leaves begin to yellow. They require a long growing season, so they should be planted after the last frost in spring and harvested just before the first frost in fall. Once harvested, sweet potatoes should be cured for a few weeks to enhance their sweetness.

Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a cold-hardy vegetable that benefits from frost, which sweetens the sprouts. Start these plants in mid-summer so they are ready to harvest in the fall. They are slow-growing and require a long season, but their ability to withstand cooler temperatures makes them an excellent choice for a Thanksgiving garden.

Carrots and beets
Root vegetables like carrots and beets are easy to grow and store well, making them a practical choice for Thanksgiving. Both can be planted in late summer for a fall harvest. Choose varieties with a shorter growing period (60–80 days) to ensure they are ready by the holiday. Both vegetables can be roasted, used in salads, or incorporated into other side dishes for the Thanksgiving meal.

Cabbage
Cabbage is another cold-hardy vegetable that can be harvested in late fall. Start cabbage seeds in midsummer for a fall harvest. You can use cabbage in coleslaws, soups, or braised dishes for your Thanksgiving feast.

Herbs
Many classic Thanksgiving dishes call for flavorful herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. These herbs can be grown in pots or directly in the garden. Perennial herbs like thyme and rosemary are hardy and can be harvested well into the fall, while annuals like parsley and sage can be started in the spring or summer and harvested just before the first frost.

Greens
Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard grow well in cooler temperatures. They can be planted in early fall and harvested continuously throughout the season. These greens make excellent additions to salads or can be sautéed for a warm, nutrient-dense side dish.

Preparing and maintaining your garden
Soil preparation
To ensure a successful Thanksgiving garden, start by preparing the soil. Most vegetables prefer well-drained soil rich in organic matter, so consider adding compost or well-rotted manure to your garden beds before planting. This improves the soil structure and provides essential nutrients for plant growth.

Watering and mulching
Consistent watering is critical for your Thanksgiving garden, especially during the late summer and early fall when plants are maturing. A layer of mulch can help retain moisture, reduce weeds, and protect root crops from temperature fluctuations. Mulching is particularly important for cold-sensitive crops like carrots and beets, as it provides insulation from early frosts.

Protection from frost
As temperatures drop in the fall, it’s important to protect your plants from frost. Row covers or cold frames can extend your growing season, allowing you to harvest tender crops like herbs and greens well into November. Root vegetables and hardy greens can often survive light frosts, but take care to monitor the weather and harvest crops like Brussels sprouts and cabbage before hard freezes damage them.

Harvesting in time for Thanksgiving
When planning your garden, be mindful of each crop’s time to maturity so that you can harvest everything just in time for Thanksgiving. Some crops, like sweet potatoes and pumpkins, should be harvested in October and stored in a cool, dry place until the holiday. Root vegetables and leafy greens can often be left in the ground and harvested just days before the meal, providing you with the freshest ingredients possible.

Suggested Reading List
For those interested in growing their own food or creating a Thanksgiving garden, these books offer valuable insights and tips:
“The Complete Guide to Preserving Your Own Seeds for Your Garden: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply” by Katie A. Murphy (2011)
This guide helps gardeners learn how to save seeds from their own crops, ensuring a sustainable garden year after year.
“Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: A Simple Guide to Growing Vegetables at Home” by Jill McSheehy (2020)
This book offers an easy-to-follow approach for those new to vegetable gardening, with tips for growing a productive garden.
“The Four Season Farm Gardener’s Cookbook” by Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch (2013)
A combination gardening guide and cookbook, this resource provides advice on growing a year-round garden and includes recipes to help you make the most of your harvest.

By growing your own Thanksgiving garden, you can bring fresh, homegrown produce to your holiday table, celebrating the harvest season in a deeply meaningful way. With careful planning and some gardening know-how, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor in time for Thanksgiving.

If you are having an issue in your home garden or landscape, send your questions to Gene Fox, Consumer Horticulture Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, email Gene
at gene_fox@ncsu.edu or call at (252)946-0111. Check out our Facebook page, Beaufort County Master Gardeners, for The Plant of the Week and Finding Info Friday!