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Welcome to your Summer + Fall planting guide for the Deep Roots method—built in the same spirit as our Spring step-by-step. Think of this as your two-season roadmap: surviving the heat, staying ahead of pests, and then pivoting smoothly into a wildly productive fall harvest.
Companion planting is one of the simplest ways to create a healthier, more productive garden. By growing certain crops together, gardeners can naturally improve plant health, reduce pest problems, make better use of limited space, and even increase harvests.
You’ve babied your seedlings indoors for weeks. Before they go into the garden, they need one more step – hardening off.
Although deep watering is usually best, over watering can also stress your plants. Of course, there will be a lot of variables to take into consideration – such as the amount of rain and other weather conditions. Do a simple moisture test with your finger on the top 2 to 4 inches of soil before you water. Be careful about the watering tips you see circulating on the internet or in Youtube videos!
Garlic and onions are often casually grouped with root vegetables — but that is botanically incorrect. Garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, and chives all belong to the allium family: plants that grow as bulbs, which are modified stems surrounded by fleshy leaf bases.
Most gardeners in the Chicago area are now considered Zone 6a, due in part to the warming effects of Lake Michigan and long-term climate change.
Use a dedicated bed and a different soil to grow root vegetables - Deep Roots explains why.
Here is the slideshow from the Deep Roots Project Edible Garden Planning interactive workshop held Sunday, March 8, 2026 at the Oak Park Main Library.
Here is the slideshow from the Deep Roots Project and BEAT Roots interactive workshop held Saturday, February 7, 2026 at the Oak Park Main Library.
By combining native plants, ornamentals and flowers with a food garden, you can create a beautiful and productive outdoor space that will provide fresh produce, attract wildlife, and bring joy to your life. It is a wonderful way to bring beauty, sustainability, and fresh produce to your outdoor space. Create a unique & thriving edible landscape with natives, flowers, ornamentals & food crops.
The Soil Food Web shows how soil life turns organic matter into plant nutrition. This is a natural and essential process that releases nutrients, builds soil structure, and supports healthier plants. Your garden soil is a kitchen, recycling center and immune system all in one.
Transformational Gardening is an innovative method used by Deep Roots Project to grow food in organic kitchen gardens with limited space and raised beds. We provide our gardeners with the best products for success – like cedar raised beds, microbe-rich compost and microbe-rich worm castings. Check our many tips and details in our blog posts from the links scattered throughout this post.
Welcome to the Deep Roots Project's full season guide for climate zones 5b and 6a. We go step-by-step through our innovative and easy to learn organic gardening method from early spring preparation through fall harvest.
At Deep Roots, every raised garden bed we build is made from Eastern cedar (often called Eastern Red Cedar). We chose it because it performs beautifully outdoors and it can be a responsible wood choice when it’s harvested and used thoughtfully.
The idea is simple: move healthy peppers into pots before hard frost, keep them alive with minimal effort through winter, and set them back outside in spring for a head start.
In zones 5b and 6a (including the Chicago area), our first frost is usually mid-October. Plant seeds and seedlings in July and August. Some fast growing, fast maturing, cold-hardy vegetables seedlings can be planted as late as early September—the ones that thrive in cooler days and can even sweeten after a light frost.
Using fish emulsion in a food garden is an excellent way to support the health of soil microorganisms and crops. It provides essential nutrients, beneficial microorganisms, and a balanced pH, all while being a natural and sustainable fertilizer option. By incorporating fish emulsion into your gardening routine, you can help to create a healthy and thriving ecosystem in your garden.
Did you know that many ingredients still found in U.S. grocery stores are banned in other countries due to health risks? Look at this list of dangerous ingredients and additives!
Planting Calendar for the Alliums family.
Planting Calendar for Berries.
Planting Calendar for Herbs.
Planting Calendar for Root Crops.
Planting Calendar for Legumes.
Planting Calendar for Leafy Greens.
Planting Calendar for Fruiting Plants - like tomatoes and peppers.
Planting Calendar for the Brassica family.
Planting Calendar for the Brassica family.
Here are 8 delicious vegan recipes for soups, stews, and dips that make excellent use of an abundant lettuce and spinach harvest, and also freeze well.
If you’re looking for a leafy green that thrives when the summer sun is blazing and most other greens have called it quits, Red Malabar Spinach is your new garden best friend. Free seeds are available from us in May and June 2025. Contact the Deep Roots support team at 708-655-6299 or support[at]deep-roots-project.org.
Raised bed soil should touch the native soil below. If you're installing a raised bed on gravel, place the gravel around the bed, not directly under the bed. Also, using landscape fabric under raised beds creates more risks and hassles than benefits.