Straw Mulch Available During This Week’s Heat Wave

With extreme heat in the Chicago area this week, Deep Roots is offering organic straw mulch to help customers protect their raised beds, vegetables, and herbs. A layer of straw mulch acts like insulation for the soil: it shades the surface from direct sun, slows evaporation, helps hold in moisture, and reduces sudden temperature swings around plant roots. Even a 2 inch layer helps, while about 4 inches of straw is often the sweet spot for keeping soil cooler and more evenly moist. This is especially important for crops like tomatoes, which can slow or stop fruit production during long stretches of 90–100°F heat.

Customers may pick up straw mulch from the Deep Roots garden for use in their raised beds. Because this straw is being offered as heat-wave support, it is not listed in our online store. To arrange pickup, please call customer service at 708-655-5299. Bring large plastic bags to fill with straw, and consider cutting longer straw into 3–5 inch pieces before spreading it around your plants. Instead of placing a normal order, we ask customers to make a donation through our Deep Roots donation page.