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Bentley SeedsBlog Recipe Shop A Beginner's Guide to Canning How to preserve your fall garden harvest safely On this page A Beginner's Guide to Canning Recipe There comes a moment in every fall garden when you realize you have more tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers than you could possibly eat in a week. This is the moment canning was invented for. Home canning is one of the most rewarding skills a gardener can learn. It turns a seasonal harvest into a pantry full of food you grew yourself and extends the life of everything you worked so hard to produce. But it is also a skill that requires care, attention to safety, and a respect for the science behind it. This guide will walk you through everything a beginner needs to know to get started safely. Before Anything Else: A Note on Safety Canning is a science, not an art. It is very important to use tested recipes. Never use untested recipes or change approved recipes. The most important safety concern in home canning is botulism, a serious foodborne illness caused by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Pressure canning is the only safe way to preserve low-acid foods and eliminate this harmful bacteria. Acid foods such as berries and pickles with a pH of 4.6 or lower may be canned in a water bath canner. Low-acid foods such as vegetables and meats with a pH above 4.6 must be processed in a pressure canner. The gold standard for home canning safety is the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning maintained by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. When in doubt, always refer to their guidelines at nchfp.uga.edu. The Two Methods of Canning Water Bath Canning -- Used for high-acid foods including tomatoes with added acid, fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, and salsa. This method uses boiling water to process jars and is the most beginner-friendly starting point. Pressure Canning -- Used for all low-acid foods including vegetables, meats, soups, and beans. Pressure canning reaches temperatures above 240°F which are necessary to destroy botulism spores. This requires a dedicated pressure canner, not a pressure cooker. Always use a tested pressure canner with a working gauge. What You Need to Get Started For water bath canning you will need a large stockpot or dedicated water bath canner with a rack, Mason jars in good condition with no chips or cracks, new lids every time (bands can be reused but lids cannot), a jar lifter, funnel, and bubble remover tool, and a kitchen timer and reliable thermometer. For pressure canning you will additionally need a USDA-recommended pressure canner with a working pressure gauge and a dial gauge tested for accuracy annually at your local cooperative extension office. What Garden Vegetables Can You Can? Water Bath (High Acid): Tomatoes with added bottled lemon juice or citric acid, pickled cucumbers and peppers, salsa using a tested recipe only, and tomato sauce with added acid. Pressure Canning (Low Acid): Green beans, carrots, corn, beets, winter squash, and mixed vegetable soups. A Special Note on Tomatoes Tomatoes sit right on the line of acidity, which makes them one of the trickier canning subjects for beginners. Do not adjust pepper or tomato ratios and do not substitute fresh lemon for bottled lemon juice, since fresh varies in acidity. Always add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to every jar of tomatoes before processing, regardless of the recipe. Step by Step: Water Bath Canning for Beginners Step 1: Sterilize your jars. Wash jars in hot soapy water and keep them warm until ready to fill. Never fill a cold jar with hot food as it can crack. Step 2: Prepare your recipe. Use a tested recipe from the USDA, National Center for Home Food Preservation, or Ball Blue Book. Do not improvise or substitute ingredients. Step 3: Fill your jars. Leave the proper headspace as specified in your recipe, usually a quarter inch to half an inch. Step 4: Remove air bubbles. Slide a thin non-metallic tool down the inside edge of the jar and work all the way around to release any trapped air pockets. Check your headspace again after, as food often settles. Never use a metal utensil -- it can scratch the glass and lead to cracking during processing. Step 5: Wipe the rims. Use a clean damp cloth to wipe the rim of each jar before putting on the lid. Any residue can prevent a proper seal. Step 6: Process your jars. Lower jars into boiling water making sure they are covered by at least one inch of water. Process for the full time specified in your recipe. Step 7: Check your seals. After 12 to 24 hours press the center of each lid. If it flexes up and down the jar did not seal properly. Refrigerate and use within a week or reprocess within 24 hours. Storing Your Canned Goods Store canned goods in a cool, dark, dry place between 50 and 70°F. Rotate first in, first out and aim to use within 12 to 18 months for peak quality. Discard without tasting any jar with a broken seal, mold, off odor, spurting liquid on opening, or unusual color. When in doubt, throw it out. This rule has no exceptions. A Note on Altitude Boiling temperatures change at higher elevations. If you live above 1,000 feet, USDA canning safety guidelines require altitude adjustments to processing times and pressures. Check the USDA guide for your specific altitude before processing. The Best Garden Crops to Start With as a Beginner Pickled Radishes: Quick, easy, no pressure canner needed and ready in days. A great first canning project. Tomato Salsa: One of the most satisfying things you can make from your fall harvest. Use a tested NCHFP or USDA recipe only and do not adjust the ratios. Dill Pickles: Cucumbers, dill, garlic, and vinegar. A classic beginner water bath project that uses up a late-season cucumber harvest beautifully. Pickled Peppers: A simple high-acid water bath project that works with any pepper variety from your garden. Trusted Resources for Safe Canning National Center for Home Food Preservation USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning -- available as a free PDF download Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving -- available at most kitchen stores Your local university extension office -- a free resource for tested recipes and pressure gauge testing Recipe of the Month: Easy Fresh Garden Tomato Salsa Easy Fresh Garden Tomato Salsa No cook  ·  Ready in 20 minutes Ingredients 3 cups freshly chopped garden tomatoes 1 cup finely diced onion 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 4 tsp chopped fresh jalapeño pepper including seeds 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Works with any tomato variety -- heirlooms, beefsteaks, romas, or cherry tomatoes. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Great on chips, tacos, eggs, or grilled chicken. Instructions Prep your garden vegetables -- chop tomatoes, dice onion, chop bell pepper and jalapeño, mince cilantro. Combine everything in one large bowl and stir until just combined. Do not over mix -- keep it chunky and fresh. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeño to your liking. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. Pair the Recipe with Your Garden Heirloom tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cilantro from your fall garden come together effortlessly in a fresh salsa like this. It is one of the simplest and most satisfying ways to put your harvest to work before canning season begins. Final Thoughts: Close the Loop Between Seed and Jar Canning is one of the most empowering things a gardener can do. It closes the loop between the seed you planted in spring and the jar you open in January. Start simple. Use tested recipes. Follow the USDA guidelines. And enjoy the very satisfying moment when you hear that lid pop and know your harvest is safe for the season ahead. Browse all fall planting seeds at Bentley Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, and trusted by American gardeners since 1975. Questions? Contact the Bentley Seeds team at 518-677-2603 or sales@bentleyseeds.com.

Bentley SeedsBlog Recipe Shop What to Plant in September for a Fall Harvest The garden is not done yet — not even close   On this page What to Plant in September for a Fall Harvest Recipe Most people think the garden is winding down in September. They pull up the last of the tomatoes, let the herbs go to seed, and call it a season. But experienced gardeners know something the rest of the neighborhood does not: September is one of the best planting months of the entire year. Cool-season crops actually prefer the temperatures that September brings. The soil is still warm from summer, which helps seeds germinate quickly, but the air is cooling down in exactly the way that kale, spinach, lettuce, radishes, and carrots love. What you plant this month can be on your table by October and November -- sometimes even later depending on where you live. This post covers exactly what to get in the ground right now, how long each crop takes to harvest, and closes with a recipe that uses four of these crops together in one pot: a deeply satisfying Autumn Harvest Minestrone that will make you genuinely grateful you kept gardening past Labor Day. Why September Is a Great Time to Plant The window feels short but it is more generous than most people realize. Cool-season crops grow fast, tolerate light frost, and in many cases taste better after a cold snap -- the chill converts starches to sugars, which is why fall kale and carrots are noticeably sweeter than their summer counterparts. Check your first frost date. In most of the northeastern and mid-Atlantic US, the first frost falls somewhere between mid-October and early November. That gives you 6 to 8 weeks of solid growing time from a September planting. Focus on fast-maturing varieties. Days to maturity matters more in September than any other month. Stick to varieties that finish in 30 to 60 days. Plant in a sunny spot. Days are getting shorter, so give your fall crops the sunniest location in your garden to compensate. Water consistently after planting. Germination is fast in warm September soil, but seedlings need steady moisture in their first two weeks. What to Plant in September Kale — Days to harvest: 50 to 65 daysKale is one of the most cold-hardy vegetables you can grow. It handles frost without flinching and many gardeners find that a light freeze actually improves the flavor. Plant now and you can be harvesting well into November in most climates. It is also one of the most productive crops per square foot you can grow -- one plant keeps producing leaves for weeks. Use it in soups, salads, sauteed as a side dish, or blended into a pesto. It is the backbone of the Minestrone recipe below. Shop kale seeds. Spinach — Days to harvest: 40 to 50 daysSpinach is one of the fastest cool-season crops and one of the most cold-tolerant. It can survive temperatures down to the mid-20s with a little protection and will keep producing cut-and-come-again leaves right up until a hard freeze. September-planted spinach often produces a second flush of growth in early spring if it overwinters successfully. Use it fresh in salads, wilted into pasta, or stirred into soups and eggs. Shop Spinach, Bloomsdale Savoy seeds. Lettuce — Days to harvest: 45 to 60 daysLettuce bolts in summer heat but absolutely thrives in cool fall weather. September-planted lettuce grows slowly and evenly, producing tender, flavorful leaves that are noticeably better than anything you can grow in July. It does not tolerate a hard freeze, so plan to harvest before temperatures consistently drop below 28°F or cover with a row cover to extend the season. Shop lettuce varieties. Radishes — Days to harvest: 22 to 30 daysRadishes are the fastest crop in the fall garden and a great choice if you are nervous about the window. You can plant them in mid-September and have something to eat by mid-October. They are also a good companion for slower crops -- plant them between rows of carrots and kale to make use of every inch of space. Try them raw with butter and salt, quick-pickled, thinly sliced into salads, or roasted until sweet and tender. Shop radish seeds. Carrots — Days to harvest: 60 to 75 daysCarrots are the most patient crop on this list and the most rewarding. They need the full window, so get them in the ground in the first week of September for the best results. Like kale, their flavor improves significantly after a frost. They also store incredibly well right in the ground, which means you can leave them and harvest as needed well into late fall. Shop Carrot, Danvers Half Long seeds. Quick Planting Tips Kale: Direct sow or transplant. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart. Thin seedlings when they reach 3 inches tall. Spinach: Direct sow in rows, about half an inch deep. Thin to 3 to 4 inches apart once sprouted. Succession plant every two weeks for a longer harvest. Lettuce: Scatter seeds lightly and press into the soil. Does not need to be buried deep -- lettuce needs light to germinate. Keep soil consistently moist until seedlings appear. Radishes: Direct sow half an inch deep, one inch apart. Thin to 2 inches once sprouted. Do not let them stay in the ground past maturity or they turn woody. Carrots: Direct sow in loose, well-worked soil. Thin to 3 inches apart once seedlings are 2 inches tall. Carrots need loose soil to form straight roots -- break up any clumps before planting. Recipe of the Month: Autumn Harvest Minestrone Extending Your Fall Garden Season Row covers and frost cloth: A lightweight row cover can protect your crops from frost and extend your harvest by three to four weeks in most climates. Cold frames: A simple cold frame built from an old window and four boards can keep lettuce, spinach, and kale producing well into December in many parts of the country. Succession planting: Do not plant everything at once. Stagger your lettuce, spinach, and radish plantings by two weeks to keep a steady harvest coming. Mulch heavily: Once temperatures start dropping consistently, a layer of straw or shredded leaves around your plants helps insulate the soil and protect roots. September gardening is one of the quieter pleasures of the growing season. The summer rush is over, the garden is not yet put to bed, and there is something genuinely satisfying about putting seeds in the ground when the rest of the neighborhood has stopped paying attention to theirs. The harvest that follows -- sweet fall carrots, tender kale after the first frost, crisp October lettuce -- is some of the best eating of the whole year. Get those seeds in the ground this month. Your October self will be very glad you did. Autumn Harvest Minestrone Serves 6–8  ·  Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced 2 stalks celery, diced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes 1 can (14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (14 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional but recommended) 1 Parmesan rind (optional -- a game changer for depth of flavor) 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed and roughly chopped 2 cups fresh spinach Salt and black pepper to taste Fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, and good olive oil for serving Instructions Build the base. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and just starting to turn golden. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Do not rush this step. Add the vegetables. Add diced carrots and celery and stir to combine. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they begin to soften slightly. Add tomato paste. Push the vegetables to the side and add tomato paste directly to the bottom of the pot. Let it cook undisturbed for about 90 seconds until it darkens slightly and smells fragrant. Then stir it into the vegetables. Add liquids and seasoning. Pour in the diced tomatoes and broth. Add oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and the Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a gentle boil. Add beans and simmer. Add both cans of beans, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta directly to the soup and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until just al dente. Pull off the heat when the pasta still has a slight bite. Add the greens. Remove the Parmesan rind if using. Stir in the chopped kale and cook for 3 minutes. Then stir in the spinach and cook just 1 minute more. Taste and finish. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with crusty bread. Tips The Parmesan rind is optional but do not skip it if you have one. Save them in the freezer whenever you finish a block of Parmesan. Do not overcook the greens. Kale goes in with a few minutes left and spinach goes in at the very end. Make it ahead. This soup tastes significantly better the next day. Cook the pasta separately and add when reheating. Freeze it. Minestrone freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Leave the pasta out if you plan to freeze -- add fresh pasta when you reheat. Make it heartier. Add a diced zucchini with the carrots and celery, or stir in cooked farro or barley instead of pasta. Make it vegan. Skip the Parmesan rind and use nutritional yeast as a finishing topper instead of grated cheese. Pair the Recipe with Your Garden Kale, spinach, carrots, and onions from a September planting come together naturally in a soup like this. Simple, hearty recipes turn a fall harvest into some of the best weeknight dinners of the year and give you a reason to keep the garden going long after summer ends. Final Thoughts: Keep Planting Get those seeds in the ground this month. Your October self will be very glad you did. Browse all fall planting seeds at Bentley Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, and trusted by American gardeners since 1975. Questions about fall planting in your area? Contact the Bentley Seeds team.

Bentley SeedsBlog Recipe Shop 6 Ways to Use Up Your August Tomato Harvest The best problem gardening gives you On this page 6 Ways to Use Up Your August Tomato Harvest Recipes If you are a home gardener in August, you know the feeling. You walk outside to check on your plants and suddenly there are twelve ripe tomatoes where there were none yesterday. Then twelve more the day after that. The kitchen counter fills up. The windowsill fills up. You start leaving bags of tomatoes on your neighbor's doorstep and pretending you do not know who left them. This is the best problem gardening gives you. The good news is that tomatoes at peak ripeness are one of the most versatile ingredients in any kitchen. You do not need complicated recipes or a lot of time. Most of the ideas below come together in under 30 minutes and use ingredients you probably already have on hand -- many of them growing right alongside your tomatoes. Here are six of our favorite ways to use up a big August harvest. A Quick Note on Varieties Not all tomatoes behave the same way in the kitchen. Here is a quick guide to which Bentley Seeds varieties work best for each type of recipe: Tomato, Roma -- Best for roasting, sauce, and bruschetta. Meaty with low moisture and holds its shape. Tomato, Beefsteak -- Best for slicing, caprese, and sandwiches. Big, juicy, and impressive on a plate. Tomato, Brandywine -- Best for caprese and fresh eating. Heirloom flavor that stands on its own. Tomato, Cherry or Grape varieties -- Best for blistering, salads, and pasta. Sweet and fast to cook. Growing any of these? You are about to put them to very good use. The Seeds Behind the Harvest Every recipe above starts with a seed. These are the Bentley Seeds varieties worth planting if you want an August kitchen full of possibilities: Tomato, Roma -- The workhorse of the garden. Perfect for roasting, sauce, and bruschetta. Tomato, Beefsteak -- Big slicing tomatoes ideal for caprese and fresh eating. Tomato, Brandywine -- Heirloom flavor that stands completely on its own. Basil, Genovese Sweet -- The herb that ties every one of these recipes together. Pepper, Jalapeno -- Essential for the salsa and great for so much more. Cilantro -- Fast-growing and ideal for summer herb gardens. Browse all vegetable seeds and herb seeds at Bentley Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, and trusted by American gardeners since 1975. A garden full of tomatoes in August is not a problem. It is an opportunity. These six recipes give you a week's worth of meals, snacks, and shareable dishes using what is already growing in your backyard. And the best part is that every single one tastes better when the tomatoes came from your own soil. Save this post for when the harvest hits. You will need it. Recipe 1 Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad Best with: Roma, Beefsteak, or Brandywine Ingredients 2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes, halved 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or dried oregano) Salt and black pepper to taste 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn Balsamic glaze for drizzling Flaky sea salt to finish Instructions Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss halved tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper until well coated. Arrange cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast 45 to 55 minutes until softened, caramelized, and slightly wrinkled at the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes. Arrange on a platter, alternating with mozzarella slices and torn basil. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Finish with flaky salt and serve. Make-ahead tip: Roasted tomatoes can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Assemble the platter just before serving. Grow it yourself: Basil, Genovese Sweet and Tomato, Roma from Bentley Seeds. Recipe 2 Quick Bruschetta Best with: Roma, cherry, or any firm ripe tomato from the garden Ingredients 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced small 2 cloves garlic, 1 minced for the topping and 1 whole for rubbing the bread 3 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar Salt and black pepper to taste 1 baguette, sliced and toasted Instructions Combine diced tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Toast baguette slices until golden and crisp. While still warm, rub each slice with the cut side of the whole garlic clove. Spoon tomato mixture generously over each slice and serve immediately. Tip: Do not skip the garlic rub on the bread. It is a small step that adds a lot of flavor. Grow it yourself: Basil, Genovese Sweet from Bentley Seeds. Recipe 3 Blistered Cherry Tomato Pasta Best with: Cherry or grape tomatoes Ingredients 2 cups cherry tomatoes 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons olive oil Pinch of red pepper flakes Salt and black pepper to taste 8 ounces pasta of your choice Fresh basil to finish Parmesan for serving Instructions Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cherry tomatoes in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to blister and char on the bottom. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Toss and cook another 2 minutes until tomatoes burst and release their juices. Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce. Season to taste. Finish with torn fresh basil and plenty of Parmesan. Grow it yourself: Basil, Genovese Sweet from Bentley Seeds. Recipe 4 Fresh Garden Salsa Best with: Roma or any firm ripe tomato Ingredients 3 cups fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 small white onion, finely diced 1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced (adjust to taste) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime 1/2 teaspoon cumin Salt to taste Instructions Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust -- more lime for brightness, more jalapeno for heat, more salt to bring everything together. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Tip: For a smokier salsa, char the tomatoes and jalapenos directly over a gas flame or under the broiler for a few minutes before chopping. Grow it yourself: Jalapeno and Cilantro from Bentley Seeds. Recipe 5 Slow Roasted Tomatoes in Olive Oil Best with: Roma or plum tomatoes Ingredients 3 pounds tomatoes, halved lengthwise 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for storing Salt and black pepper to taste Instructions Preheat oven to 275°F. Arrange tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet. Tuck garlic slices and herb sprigs between the tomatoes. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 2 to 2.5 hours until the tomatoes are deeply concentrated, shrunken, and sweet but not dried out. Let cool completely. Transfer to a clean jar and cover with olive oil. Refrigerate for up to two weeks. Tip: The olive oil left in the jar after the tomatoes are gone is incredible for dipping bread or dressing a salad. Grow it yourself: Tomato and Rosemary from Bentley Seeds. Recipe 6 Simple Fresh Tomato Soup Best with: Any ripe tomatoes -- great for imperfect or slightly overripe ones Ingredients 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, smashed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth 1 teaspoon sugar (balances acidity) Salt and black pepper to taste Fresh basil for serving Cream or butter for finishing (optional) Instructions Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add chopped tomatoes and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes until tomatoes have completely broken down. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Alternatively transfer in batches to a blender. Stir in sugar and season generously with salt and pepper. Add a swirl of cream or a pat of butter if desired. Serve with torn fresh basil and crusty bread on the side. Freezing tip: Let cool completely, then ladle into freezer-safe containers or zip-lock bags. Keeps for up to 3 months. A taste of August in the middle of January. Grow it yourself: Tomato, Basil, Genovese Sweet, and Onion from Bentley Seeds. Pair the Recipes with Your Garden Fresh tomatoes, herbs, and peppers make summer cooking even better, especially when they come straight from the garden. Simple recipes like these turn a backyard harvest into a week's worth of meals and give you another reason to keep checking on the plants every morning. Final Thoughts: The Best August Ingredient Is Already in Your Backyard A garden full of tomatoes in August is not a problem. It is an opportunity. These six recipes give you a week's worth of meals, snacks, and shareable dishes using what is already growing in your backyard. And the best part is that every single one tastes better when the tomatoes came from your own soil. Save this post for when the harvest hits. You will need it. Shop Bentley Seeds and grow something worth cooking with this season.