447 - November Garden Checklist: Protecting Cold-Sensitive Crops, Planting Onions for Spring, and Making the Most of the Final Garden Days
Release Date: 11/11/2025
448- 7 Thanksgiving Foods You Can Grow in Your Own Garden: the history, health, and homegrown roots behind your favorite holiday dishes.
The Beginner's Garden
Ever wondered how much of your Thanksgiving dinner could come straight from your garden? From potatoes to sage, your plate is packed with crops you can grow—and nutrients that nourish your body all winter long. In this episode, Jill shares seven Thanksgiving favorites you can grow yourself (plus one bonus!), and why each one deserves a spot in your garden plan. 🌱 Free Download: Seasonal Garden Task List Stay on track in every season with clear, simple garden to-dos. 👉 Key Takeaways Why Thanksgiving foods are some of the most nutrient-dense crops you can grow How potatoes, sweet...
info_outline
447 - November Garden Checklist: Protecting Cold-Sensitive Crops, Planting Onions for Spring, and Making the Most of the Final Garden Days
The Beginner's Garden
When November arrives, it can feel like the garden season is winding down—but there’s still so much happening if you know where to look. In this episode, Jill takes you on a walk through her own November garden to show what she’s harvesting, planting, and protecting right now. You’ll learn how she uses this in-between season to prepare for a strong start next spring while still enjoying small harvests and fresh herbs from the fall garden. Free Download: 5-Day Garden Audit Take time to reflect before you plan next year’s garden! The free 5-Day Garden Audit helps you assess what...
info_outline
446 - Overwintering herbs indoors and out
The Beginner's Garden
Worried about what happens to your herbs when frost arrives? In this episode you’ll learn which herbs survive winter outside, which to bring indoors, and simple steps to protect them. We’ll cover pruning timing, zone hardiness, and indoor care so you go into winter with confidence. Keywords: overwinter herbs, herb winter care, pruning. live workshop: 5-Day Garden Audit + Optional Live Q&A Reflect on your season and plan smarter for next year. Join the free 5-day email audit; add the live workshop on Thursday, November 6 for $15. free download: Herbs Quick Reference Chart One-page,...
info_outline
445 - What I Learned... about my capacity in this season of life
The Beginner's Garden
Feeling guilty that your garden doesn’t look like it used to? You’re not alone. In this episode, I share how my own season of life changed my garden—and how you can adjust yours with less stress and more joy. You’ll learn practical ways to right-size your garden for your time, energy, and goals (no shame required). Seasonal series (starts Nov 2): Garden Audit – free 5-day email Quick daily prompts + optional short videos to review what worked, what didn’t, and shape a vision for next season. Join here: free download: Garlic Planting Cheat Sheet Your first (or best) garlic...
info_outline
444 - What I Learned... from planning 10 fall gardens
The Beginner's Garden
If your fall garden isn’t producing the way you hoped—or if you’re wondering whether your plants will even mature before frost—this episode is for you. After helping 10 gardeners across the country plan their fall gardens, I noticed clear patterns that explain why some thrive while others struggle. You’ll learn what timing mistakes most gardeners make, how to simplify your plan, and how to maximize your space for more harvests before winter. Free Download: Fall Salad Garden Planning Calendar Plan your fall harvest with confidence—know exactly when to plant for fresh greens all...
info_outline
443 - What I learned... from the failures of this season
The Beginner's Garden
Feeling discouraged by garden failures? You’re not alone. In this episode, I walk through four issues I faced this year and how I’m troubleshooting each one so you can apply the same practical steps in your garden. You’ll learn simple ways to read plant stress, reduce disease and pest pressure, and plan smarter for next season. free download: Garlic Planting Cheat Sheet Your first (or best) garlic crop—timing, spacing, curing. Key Takeaways Why peppers sometimes need light shade in hot summers and when to add it What root-knot nematodes look like and how cover crops can help ...
info_outline
442 - What I learned... Visiting GreenStalk: The Story You Don’t See Online
The Beginner's Garden
Struggling to tell which garden products are worth your money? You’re not alone. Today I’m sharing what I learned on a behind-the-scenes visit to GreenStalk in Knoxville—how they design, test, and support a planter I’ve used for five years. You’ll leave with practical ways to use a vertical planter this fall for salad greens, herbs, and flowers. free download: Fall Salad Garden Planning Calendar Plant at the right time for fresh greens all season. Key Takeaways How a family-owned US company designs and tests products for real gardeners. Why quality materials and thoughtful...
info_outline
441 - Garlic Growing Timeline: Month-by-Month from Planting to Harvest
The Beginner's Garden
Worried your garlic sprouted too soon or won’t survive winter? In this episode, I walk you through a clear garlic growing timeline so you know what’s normal, what to expect by zone, and when to harvest. You’ll learn planting windows, mulch depth by zone, vernalization for warm climates, spring care, scapes, and curing. Primary keyword: garlic growing timeline. 🧄 Planting garlic soon? Get my free Garlic Planting Cheat Sheet → Garlic Mini Course On Sale NOW! - journeywithjill.net/garlicworkshop Chapters 00:00 – Why garlic confuses beginners 01:20 – When to plant by zone...
info_outline
440 - Let go or push through? (an unplanned, personal conversation)
The Beginner's Garden
This past week has been heavy — my dad’s heart surgery and walking with friends through hard times. Normally my garden is my refuge, but lately it’s been more discouraging than refreshing. From cutworms in the carrots to nematodes on summer crops, the struggles have piled up. In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about choosing whether to push through or let go, and why I’m focusing on easier, more rewarding crops like lettuce and greens. My hope is that my story encourages you if you’re facing setbacks of your own. Next week, I’ll be back with a garlic growing timeline. Until...
info_outline
439 - Stop Blaming the Weather: Clues Your Plants Are Giving You
The Beginner's Garden
How many times have you said, “It’s just been too hot,” or “We haven’t had enough rain”? Weather is an easy scapegoat when our gardens struggle — but is it really the whole story? In this episode, I’m sharing a personal parallel from my years in the car business to show how blaming outside factors (like the weather) can actually hold us back. We’ll talk about: Why observation is your most powerful gardening tool How to recognize when the weather really is to blame — and when it isn’t Other factors that might be affecting your crops (soil, sun, irrigation, pests) ...
info_outlineWhen November arrives, it can feel like the garden season is winding down—but there’s still so much happening if you know where to look. In this episode, Jill takes you on a walk through her own November garden to show what she’s harvesting, planting, and protecting right now. You’ll learn how she uses this in-between season to prepare for a strong start next spring while still enjoying small harvests and fresh herbs from the fall garden.
Free Download: 5-Day Garden Audit
Take time to reflect before you plan next year’s garden! The free 5-Day Garden Audit helps you assess what worked, what didn’t, and what you want to do differently next season. https://journeywithjill.net/audit
Key Takeaways
-
10 tasks Jill’s doing in her Zone 8A garden this November.
-
How short-day onions fit perfectly after summer crops.
-
What “growing degree days” mean and why they matter.
-
Simple ways to protect crops before the first frost.
-
Why now’s the best time to plan your spring garden.
Chapters
00:00 – Intro: why November gardening still matters
01:10 – Protecting crops ahead of the first frost
04:30 – Moving the lemon tree and basil to shelter
06:00 – Planting short-day onions after peppers
09:30 – Understanding growing-degree days
14:30 – Interplanting lettuce and testing cold-hardy greens
17:00 – Harvesting and fermenting fall cabbage
19:00 – Small-batch beet pickling tips
20:20 – Overwintering and harvesting herbs
22:30 – Volunteer cilantro and fall collard greens
25:45 – Garlic planting reminders
27:00 – Checking stored onions, potatoes, and garlic
28:10 – Topping off beds with compost for spring
Resource Links
-
Free 5-Day Garden Audit → https://journeywithjill.net/audit
-
Friday Emails (newsletter) → https://journeywithjill.net/gardensignup
-
Recommended Brands & Products → https://journeywithjill.net/recommended-brands-and-products
-
Podcast Archive → https://journeywithjill.net/the-beginners-garden-podcast
Soft Mention:
🗓 Plan your best season yet with the 2026 Complete Garden Planner – a printable system for planning, tracking, and staying inspired.
https://shop.journeywithjill.net
Disclaimer:
Gardening advice shared in this podcast is based on my own experience in Zone 8a (Arkansas) and feedback from gardeners in other regions. Your results may vary depending on your climate and growing conditions. Always consult local extension resources for region-specific guidance. Some links may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.