Rod Gesten here, Owner of Mud Hub Greenhouses.
November is the month we all slow down, give thanks, and turn our attention to the heart of the home: the holiday meal. If you think your greenhouse has been put away for the year, think again!
The mild, protected environment of your Mud Hub is perfectly designed to be your secret weapon for the Thanksgiving table. It provides the freshness, flavor, and color that no grocery store can match.
Here are five items you can and should be harvesting right now to elevate your Thanksgiving dinner—all of which thrive under the protection of a greenhouse in the late fall.
1. The Shallot Secret (Rod’s Personal Favorite)
As I noted in my recent field overview, I was particularly excited about the shallots I tried for the first time Check out my 2025 warm season gardening overview. They are my favorite onion, and they were a success! If you want to learn to grow shallots, I have just the video for you right there.
Shallots provide a far more complex, nuanced, and sweet flavor than common onions. Use them generously in your stuffing, sautéed with green beans, or slow-roasted with root vegetables. If you planted them earlier in the fall (like I did), they should be sizing up beautifully now.
2. Tender Greens for a Fresh Salad
If you’ve maintained your kale, chards, and cool-weather lettuces, your greenhouse is a bounty of tender leaves. The key benefit? No frost damage. These greens are often sweeter and less bitter than their outdoor counterparts because the greenhouse protects them from the harsh elements.
- Try: A mix of Red Kale and Spinach (both of which were a banner yield in my own greenhouse [cite: uploaded:2025 warm season gardening overview.docx]). Dress them lightly with a warm vinaigrette, toasted pecans, and cranberries for a festive salad.
3. The Year-Round Herb Garden
While your outdoor basil is long gone, the protected, warmer pockets of your greenhouse are the perfect place to keep perennial herbs like Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme thriving. These are the three essential herbs for Thanksgiving cooking:
- Rosemary: Perfect for your turkey or baked rolls.
- Sage: The backbone of classic stuffing recipes.
- Thyme: Great in gravy and roasted vegetables. Harvesting these fresh, right before the meal, makes an unbelievable difference in flavor.
4. Root Vegetables (For the Color and Earthiness)
If you planted your carrots and beets in late summer or early fall, they are now growing slowly and concentrating their sugars in the cool, stable greenhouse soil.
- Carrots and Beets: Roast them with butter and brown sugar for a colorful side dish. The consistency of the greenhouse soil also means they are less likely to be gnarled or split, resulting in perfect presentation.
5. Winter Squash (The Ivette Inspiration)
Ivette, one of our Mud Hub customers, had great success growing large squashes this season and is planning for more in 2026. If you started your squash early and trellised it well (avoiding the crowding mistake I made!), varieties like butternut or acorn squash may be perfectly cured and ready for pies or soups right now.
Plan Your 2026 Feast Now
Alright, call this a late recommendation if you like. The Thanksgiving table is proof that a little planning goes a long way. Use this quiet month to start preparing for your most ambitious season yet.
To see exactly what you should be seeding, planting, or harvesting right now based on your specific location, use the Almanac Planting Calendar.
Click here to find your personalized planting dates: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar
Happy growing, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Rod Gesten Owner, Mud Hub Greenhouses
