Spring Is Peeking Around the Corner

"Winter dreams manifest spring greens. Use this moment to immerse yourself in seed catalogs and choose some new varieties that we never see on supermarket shelves.”
– Rafa Crevoshay, Horticulturist, Deep Roots Project

Get Ready to Grow Your Own Food!

Spring means – it’s time to DIG IN! Whether you’re a gardening guru or a total newbie, Deep Roots Project is here to make this year your most abundant, stress-free, and delicious growing season yet.

Nothing beats the satisfaction of plucking a sun-ripened tomato straight from your backyard and taking that first juicy bite. But, of course, your tomatoes taste great too, after ripening in your kitchen.

Why grow your own healthy food?

Because grocery store tomatoes taste like cardboard, let’s be honest! Store-bought produce just doesn’t cut it. When you grow your own vegetables, you get:

•   Explosively flavorful, nutrient-packed food that tastes the way nature intended. View our blog post on the growing health revolution.
•   A fatter wallet—save hundreds of dollars on overpriced organic groceries.
•   Peace of mind knowing exactly what’s in your food (hint: NO harmful pesticides or chemicals!).
•   A natural mood booster—fresh air, sunshine, and playing in the dirt = instant stress relief. View our blog post Benefits of Food Gardening.
•   Street “cred” with your neighbors—who doesn’t admire a thriving food garden? Learn how to grow an edible landscape.

Secret ingredient to your best garden ever

So, what makes Deep Roots Project different from every other gardening guide? We don’t mess around with traditional soil blends. Nope. We go straight to the gold—100% microbe- and nutrient-rich compost that transforms any garden into a thriving paradise. Think of it like a probiotic superfood for your plants, packed with living microbes that supercharge soil health and fuel unstoppable growth. It’s like rocket fuel for your lettuce, without the actual rocket.

What’s the #1 reason most gardeners struggle?

So many gardeners give up before they even get to their first harvest. Why? Because they don’t have the right guidance or the right foundation. That’s where we come in! Deep Roots Project is your shortcut to success. We take the guesswork out of growing by giving you:

•   Step-by-step guidance—so you know exactly what to do (and when to do it!) Check out our Grow Your Own Food blog posts.
•   Raised bed gardening support—get top-notch custom-built cedar raised beds and compost delivered to your yard, instantly ready to start planting. View our raised beds online store page.
•   Worm castings fertilizer - also called “vermicompost” - is 100% worm poop. But the nutrient density depends on what the worms eat. Our Wisconsin farmer makes the absolute best nutrient and microbe dense worm castings. View our worm castings online store page.
•   Workshops & events—hands-on learning and a vibrant community of fellow growers.
•   Personalized advice—because every garden (and gardener) is unique.

What to do right now to have your best garden yet

If you want to be harvesting lot of crisp greens, juicy peppers, tomatoes and homegrown herbs ASAP, start NOW in the spring! Learn more from our blog posts “Larger Harvests in the Cool Seasons.”

Here’s what you can do today:

•   Plan your dream garden—think about what you want to grow and how much space you have.
•   Start with the best soil (ahem, we mean 100% compost!) - good soil = thriving plants. Period.
•   Pick your plants wisely—choose high-yield crops suited to your climate.
•   Get ready to plant—early crops can go in sooner than you think!

Join the Deep Roots movement

We’re not just about gardening; we’re about changing the way people grow food. Whether you have a tiny balcony or a full backyard, we’ll help you grow like a pro.

Stay in the loop: Signup for our email newsletter. If you also provide your phone number you will get text message updates that link to our best blog posts.

Get involved: Attend a free workshop, become a volunteer, grab a raised bed, or simply follow along for expert tips. Contact our support team any time you have a question at 708-655-5299 and support@deep-roots-project.org.

Learn. Share. Grow. Volunteer: We invite you to be a part of our sustainable movement right here in our own backyards! We want all our volunteers to have fun and learn while they contribute to expanding the Deep Roots community. We can customize a volunteer assignment to your time, interests and skills. Learn more on our Volunteer page

Let’s make this your most delicious year yet!

Dive Deeper

Click on the Blog Posts Below for more about our Innovative methods.

Beautify your yard with elegant cedar raised beds!

 Our Deep Roots handcrafted cedar raised beds are designed to endure outdoors while adding a touch of style to your yard. As a bonus, they are the perfect depth to hold just the right amount of our nutrient-rich compost growing medium, which comes free with each bed.

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

We provide our gardeners with the best products for success – like cedar raised beds, microbe-rich compost and microbe-rich worm castings. Check our online store. Always talk to our customer support team before placing your order online. If you need help or have a question contact us at support[at]deep-roots-project.org and 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots Online Store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter, if you want text message announcements now and then.

Donations help us provide organic kitchen gardening education to individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Thank you in advance for contributing to our community and for sharing our website and blog with friends and family.

Larger Harvests in the Cool Seasons

Maximizing your harvests in both spring and fall, especially in northern climates with short growing seasons, requires smart planning and efficient use of space. By focusing on cool-season crops and utilizing techniques like succession planting, frost protection, and soil enrichment, you can enjoy larger, more plentiful harvests in both seasons. In this blog post, we’ll share tips on how to boost your spring and fall yields, helping you make the most of your limited garden space.

Bigger Harvests in Spring

Growing a bountiful spring harvest in a limited space, particularly in a northern climate zone with cold winters, can be challenging. However, with proper planning and management, it's still possible to get maximum harvest from such spaces. In this article, we'll discuss how to achieve this goal, including when to plant, what to plant, how to plant, when to harvest, and how to protect your plants from frost during climate change temperature surprises.

Getting maximum harvest from limited space in a northern climate zone with cold winters requires careful planning and management. Starting seeds indoors, choosing the right crops, maximizing available space, timing your harvests, and protecting your plants from frost are all essential steps to ensure a bountiful spring harvest. With these tips, you can enjoy fresh, homegrown produce even in challenging growing conditions.

When to plant: In northern climate zones, the ground is often frozen until late April or early May. Thus, it's essential to start your seeds indoors under grow lights in late winter or early spring to ensure that your plants will be ready to be transplanted outdoors when the ground thaws. There are also ways to start seeds outdoors like “cold frames” and special “winter sowing” milk jugs. See the chapter on “winter sowing” for more details on method and timing. Depending on the specific plant, you can start seeds indoors anywhere from 4-12 weeks before the last expected frost date in your area.

What to plant:  For spring harvests in limited spaces, you should choose plants that grow quickly, produce a lot of food, and are cold-tolerant. Some examples of suitable crops include leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, and kale; root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes; and cool-season herbs like parsley, chives, and cilantro. Since spinach is especially cold hardy seeds can be direct sowed in the bed in November in cold climates. It will germinate in the spring

How to plant: In limited spaces, it's essential to maximize the use of available space. You can do this by planting in containers or raised beds, using vertical space, or interplanting. Planting in containers and raised beds allows for more control over soil quality and drainage, while vertical space can be utilized by growing crops on trellises, fences, or walls. Interplanting involves planting multiple crops in the same space, allowing for more efficient use of the area.

When to harvest: The timing of your harvest will depend on the specific crop you're growing, but generally, it's best to harvest leafy greens when they reach full size, But pick them before they “bolt” (when the plant begins to flower) since the taste often comes bitter. Root vegetables can be harvested when they reach maturity, usually between 2-3 months after planting, while herbs can be harvested continually throughout the season.

Protecting from frost: In northern climate zones, unexpected frosts can damage or kill crops that are not cold-tolerant. To protect your plants from frost, you can cover them with blankets or tarps, use “row cover” fabric, or bring potted plants indoors during cold snaps. You can also choose cold-hardy varieties of plants that are less susceptible to frost damage. See our blog post Installing Hoops on Raised Beds.

Bigger Harvests in Fall

While focusing on spring harvests is key, maximizing your fall harvests can directly impact your spring production. Preparing your garden for a successful fall harvest allows your soil to rest, regenerate, and replenish nutrients needed for the next growing season. Here are some tips for making the most of your fall garden to ensure larger, healthier harvests come spring:

Extend the Growing Season: In northern climates, the frost-free growing season can often feel too short. However, there are several ways to extend this period. Consider using row covers, cloches, or even cold frames to protect your fall crops from the first frost. These simple structures trap warmth and create a micro-climate that allows for continued growth even as temperatures drop. Adding a layer of mulch around plants also helps retain warmth and moisture, further protecting them from the chill.

Focus on Late-Season Crops: Choosing crops that thrive in cooler temperatures will help you make the most of your fall harvests. Plant hardy vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, and leeks, all of which improve in flavor after a frost. Root vegetables like carrots and parsnips can be left in the ground through the fall, allowing them to mature even as the weather cools. Certain herbs, like thyme and sage, are also very frost-tolerant and can continue growing into late fall, offering fresh seasoning for your winter dishes.

Harvest at the Right Time: To optimize your fall harvest, timing is crucial. For crops like root vegetables, waiting until after the first frost often results in sweeter flavors. For leafy greens, harvest before the weather turns too cold, as they can become bitter after frost. Early harvesting also prevents overcrowding, allowing your crops to continue growing into the cooler months. When you harvest, leave some of the root systems intact—many root crops can regrow in the fall for a second harvest, offering more food in the months ahead.

Compost and Feed the Soil: Fall is an ideal time to replenish the soil after a long growing season. Adding organic matter such as compost or well-aged manure ensures that your soil is rich with the nutrients needed for an abundant spring harvest. Mix this compost into your raised beds or garden beds so that it can break down over the winter, creating nutrient-rich soil for the upcoming planting season. Worm castings, a rich source of nutrients, are also great for improving soil quality and promoting healthy root growth for next spring.

Plan for Succession Planting: To make the most of your space, use the fall season for succession planting. As early crops are harvested, new crops can be planted in their place. Fast-growing vegetables like radishes, turnips, and quick-maturing greens such as arugula or mustard greens can still be grown in the late summer or early fall and harvested before the first frost. This technique allows you to grow multiple crops in the same area, increasing your overall yield.

Prepare for Spring: Preparing for spring begins in the fall. Use the cooler months to clean, tidy, and reset your garden, which will make planting easier come spring. You can also plan for new crops that will be ready for early spring, such as peas and onions, by setting up your raised beds, containers, or seed-starting area. Planting cover crops like clover or vetch during the fall helps prevent soil erosion, fix nitrogen, and add organic material, creating a healthy, thriving environment for your spring crops.

By increasing your fall harvests, you ensure a more abundant and healthier spring harvest. Maximizing your garden’s potential during the colder months will set you up for a season of bountiful produce, helping you grow fresh, flavorful food even when space is limited.

Spring Planting Step-by-Step

The basics with links to more posts:

•   Start planting in March: In Zone 5 and 6, March is an excellent time to plant cold-hardy vegetables that can tolerate the cool temperatures of early spring. View our blog post on Climate Zones.

•   Spread compost in spring and fall: Spread 2-inch layer of our microbe rich compost on your existing beds to replenish microbes and nutrients. Read our blog post on Compost, Microbes and Soil Science.

•   Plant with worm castings: Use our top quality worm castings fertilizer, also called ”vermicompost” to plant seeds and seedlings. Explore more with our article Worm Casting Fertilizer and Microorganisms.

•   Planting seeds and seedlings: View our blog posts on Planting for Beginners, Next Level Planting, Seed Starting Indoors, Winter Sowing outdoors.

•   Biodiversity planting: Cultivating a variety of different plant species within a given area, aiming to create a diverse ecosystem that supports a wider range of wildlife, including pollinators, insects, and birds, by providing food and shelter throughout the growing season. View our blog post on Biodiversity

•   Planting seedlings and seeds: View our blog posts on planting using

• No need to rotate crops when you practice biodiversity. Rotation is for mono culture planting (same crops in one field or one bed).

• Succession Planting: Sow fast-growing crops every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. View our blog post on Succession Planting.

• Maximize space: Use trellises for peas, companion plant smaller crops between slow-growing ones. View our blog post on Trellises.

• Mulch early: Use straw or compost to retain moisture and suppress weeds after seedlings are 3 inches tall. If you use both, put the straw on top.Try not to mix straw with soil/compost since it dilutes the compost nutrients. Don’t use hay or anything that contains weed seeds. View our blog post on Moisture and Mulch.

• Pest alert Swede Midge: Protect from Swede Midge fly which attacks only Brassica crops like broccoli, collards, cabbage, kale, Brussel sprouts. We got decent harvests from kale and collards last year by protecting our beds with bug netting, and harvesting all big leaves quickly. Wash the leaves well. Swede Midge is a recent invasive pest in the Northeast and Midwest.View blog post on Swede Midge fly.

• Pest alert Club Root disease: We stopped growing broccoli altogether because protection from Club Root disease needs a large garden and takes to much time and planning. Watch this video on club root disease.

Cold tolerant veggies:

All of these can be direct-seeded outdoors as soon as the soil is workable and above freezing. If you want a head start, you can start some of these indoors and transplant them in mid to late March.

Leafy Greens:

•  Lettuce (Romaine, Butterhead, Leaf varieties)
•  Spinach (doesn’t transplant well, direct seed in November)
•  Swiss Chard
•  Arugula
•  Endive
•  Radicchio

Root Vegetables:

•  Carrots
•  Beets
•  Parsnips
•  Radishes
•  Turnips (not Brassica but closely related)
•  Salsify

Alliums (Onion Family):

•  Onions (sets or seeds)
•  Shallots
•  Garlic (if not already planted in fall)
•  Leeks (start indoors or plant young starts)

Legumes:

•  Peas (snap peas, shelling peas, snow peas)
•  Fava Beans

Herbs:

•  Cilantro
•  Parsley
•  Chervil

Planting tips for early spring veggies

Since March in Zone 6 can still have frost, it's best to focus on cold-hardy vegetables that tolerate chilly soil. Here are some tips for direct seeding and transplanting:

1. Soil preparation

• Fill new raised beds or in-ground beds with our microbe-rich compost

• Cover the existing beds with 2 inches of our microbe-rich compost.

• Make sure the soil is workable (not too wet or frozen). If it crumbles in your hand and isn’t sticky, it’s good to go.

• Use “row cover” light-weight white fabric to warm up the soil faster and provide a slight frost buffer.

2. Direct-seeding cold-hardy vegetables (best for March)

These seeds can go directly in the ground when soil reaches 35–40°F:

• Peas (Trellis them to save space)

• Spinach (best to direct seed in November, can also sow every 2 weeks in spring for continued harvest)

• Carrots (Thin seedlings to avoid crowding)

• Beets (Soak seeds overnight for better germination)

• Radishes (Quick-growing; ready in 25-30 days)

• Parsnips (Long germination time; sow with radishes as a marker)

• Salsify (A lesser-known root vegetable; plant deep)

3. Transplanting young plants

Certain cold-hardy plants do better when started indoors and transplanted out in early spring. A quick alternative is to buy seedlings. “Winter sowing” using clear plastic milk jugs is also an option:

• Lettuce (Start indoors 3-4 weeks before planting out)

• Swiss Chard (Tolerates cold but grows faster from transplants)

• Leeks (Need a long season, so start early indoors)

• Onions (Plant sets or seedlings rather than seeds for an earlier harvest)

Succession planting for a continuous harvest

Instead of planting everything at once, stagger your plantings for a continuous supply of fresh vegetables.

1. Quick-growing crops for succession planting

• Radishes – Every 10-14 days (harvests in 25-30 days)

• Spinach – Every 2 weeks (harvest young leaves continuously)

• Lettuce – Every 2-3 weeks (mix different varieties for variety)

• Cilantro & Parsley – Every 3 weeks (bolt-resistant varieties last longer)

2. Slow-growing crops that can be inter-cropped

• Carrots & Radishes – Plant together; radishes sprout first and loosen the soil for carrots.

• Beets & Lettuce – Beets take longer; lettuce matures quickly between rows.

• Peas & Spinach – Spinach can grow underneath peas before they take off.

3. Relay planting strategy

Once an early crop is harvested, immediately replant with something that can take its place:

• March: Radishes → Follow with carrots or bush beans (after frost risk)

• March: Peas → Follow with cucumbers or summer squash

• March-April: Spinach → Follow with basil or peppers in late spring

• March-April: Lettuce: Follow with warm-season greens (Malabar spinach

Early spring planting calendar (March-May)

This early spring calendar for Zone 6 outlines when to direct sow (DS), transplant (TP), or start seeds indoors (IN) for your early spring vegetables. Check the calendar for when to transplant purchased seedlings. Start Indoors (IN) for “Succession Crops” – more lettuce, radishes, cilantro, spinach for future plantings.

March planting

March soil is workable, but it’s still cold, and there is some frost risk.

Direct seed (DS) outdoors:

• Peas (Sugar snap, shelling, snow) – Use trellises for vertical growth.

• Spinach – Best germination at 35–45°F soil temp.

• Carrots – Cover with burlap to maintain moisture.

• Beets – Soak seeds overnight for faster sprouting.

• Radishes – Successive plantings every 10-14 days.

• Parsnips – Takes 14–21 days to germinate, plant in loose soil.

• Salsify – Long season crop, plant deep.

Transplant (TP) outdoors.

“Harden off” first. Gradually expose young plants grown indoors to outdoor conditions like sunlight, wind, and temperature fluctuations.

• Lettuce – Choose cold-hardy varieties like 'Winter Density.'

• Swiss Chard – Can tolerate frost but grows faster if started indoors.

• Leeks – Space 6 inches apart for full-size bulbs.

Start indoors (IN) for later transplanting:

• Celery – Needs 10-12 weeks indoors before transplant.

• Parsley & Cilantro – Start now and succession plant every 3 weeks.

April planting

It’s still cool but warming with moderate frost risk.

Direct seed (DS) outdoors:

• More lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, beets – Continue succession planting.

• Green onions (scallions) – Can be grown densely.

• Fava Beans – Tolerate cool weather well.

Transplant (TP) outdoors:

• Swiss Chard – If not already planted in March.

• Leeks, onions, and celery – After hardening off.

Start indoors (IN) for warm season crops:

• Malabar Spinach (heat-loving alternative to spinach)

• Basil, Dill, and other tender herbs – Start for later transplant.

May planting

Frost risk decreasing, more growth

Direct seed (DS) outdoors:

• Bush Beans – Only if soil reaches 55°F+ consistently.

• New rounds of radishes, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets.

• Sweet Corn – Wait until soil is 60°F+ for best germination.

Transplant (TP) outdoors:

• Basil, Malabar Spinach, Summer Herbs – Once nighttime temps stay above 50°F.

• Celery & Parsley – Need regular watering.

Companion planting guide

Companion planting boosts plant health, repels pests, and enhances yields. Sow fast-growing crops every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest. Maximize space – use trellises for peas, companion plant smaller crops between slow-growing ones. Here’s how to pair your early spring crops:

Good companion pairings

•   Carrots + Onions/Leeks – Onions repel carrot rust flies.
•   Peas + Spinach – Peas provide shade for spinach in warming months.
•   Beets + Lettuce – Lettuce fills gaps between slow-growing beets.
•   Radishes + Carrots – Radishes loosen soil for slow-sprouting carrots.
•   Lettuce + Cilantro – Cilantro helps deter aphids.
•   Parsley + Carrots – Encourages beneficial insects like hoverflies.
•    Peas + Mint – Mint deters aphids (but plant mint in containers!).

Avoid these pairings

•   Carrots + Dill – Dill can stunt carrot growth.
•   Peas + Onions – Onions inhibit pea growth.
•   Beets + Pole Beans – Compete for nutrients.
•   Fennel + Any Veggies – Fennel secretes chemicals that stop growth.

Happy Gardening!

By following the Deep Roots Project’s transformational gardening methods through the seasons, you will create a thriving, nutrient-rich garden that supports both your plants and the soil. See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Each post is assigned ”tags” which are under the post title.

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

We provide our gardeners with the best products for success – like cedar raised beds, microbe-rich compost and microbe-rich worm castings. Check our online store. Always talk to our customer support team before placing your order online. If you need help or have a question contact us at support[at]deep-roots-project.org and 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots Online Store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter, if you want text message announcements now and then.

Donations help us provide organic kitchen gardening education to individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Thank you in advance for contributing to our community and for sharing our website and blog with friends and family.

Cover Crops in Raised Beds

Cover crops are an effective way to improve soil health, suppress weeds, and provide other benefits to a raised bed food garden. By choosing the right cover crop for your growing conditions, planting at the right time, and following good maintenance practices, you can enjoy a healthier and more productive garden. Whether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out, incorporating cover crops into your raised bed garden is a great way to maximize the benefits of this popular gardening method.

Our favorite is mustard

What are cover crops?

Cover crops, also known as green manure, are plants that are grown to cover and protect the soil. They are usually planted between crops, one bed per year or during the off-season. Although traditional organic gardeners till the cuttings into the soil, we never use tilling in transformational gardening. Cover crops can include legumes, grasses, or a mixture of both.

Why use cover crops in raised beds?

•   Improved soil health: Cover crops can help to improve soil structure, nutrient cycling, and organic matter content. They can also help to reduce soil erosion, improve soil aeration and improve water infiltration.

•   Weed suppression: Cover crops can help to suppress weeds by shading the soil and competing with weeds for nutrients and water.

•   Pest and disease management: Some cover crops can attract beneficial insects, such as pollinators and predators of garden pests. They can also help to reduce the incidence of soil-borne diseases.

•   Nutrient management: Cover crops can help to scavenge nutrients from the soil that might otherwise be lost, and then return those nutrients to the soil when their cuttings become mulch.

How to use cover crops in raised beds

Choose the right cover crop: Select a cover crop that will thrive in the growing conditions of your raised bed garden. For example, if you have a sunny bed with well-draining soil, you might choose a cover crop like clover or buckwheat. If you have a shadier bed with heavier soil, you might choose a cover crop like oats or rye.

Timing: Determine the best time to plant the cover crop based on the growing season and crop rotation. In general, it is best to plant cover crops in the fall, after the summer crops have been harvested, or in the early spring before the summer crops are planted.

Planting: Broadcast the cover crop seed evenly over the soil surface, and then gently rake the soil to cover the seed. Be sure to follow the recommended seeding rate for the particular cover crop you are planting.

Maintenance: Water the cover crop as needed to ensure good germination and growth. If the cover crop becomes too tall, cut it down to prevent it from going to seed and becoming a weed.

Don’t till in the dead cover crop cuttings. Follow the ”no till, no dig, no pull” rule. Instead cut it down at soil level and use as a mulch on top of the soil. If the cuttings are more that 6” long cut them up.

Making mulch: Mix other clipping and straw into the cover crop cuttings.

Succession planting: After the cover crop has been tilled into the soil, you can plant your summer crops. If you are using a cover crop in the fall, you may need to plant a winter cover crop to protect the soil during the winter months.

Know Your Climate Zone

This post offers general tips to beginning gardeners in many climate zones. If you are in climate zone 5b or 6a follow our  Planting Calendar for Zone 5b for popular veggies, herbs and flowers. The Chicago area and many regions in the U.S. are in Zone 5b and 6a. Our Planting Calendar for Zone 5b includes tips about planting and harvesting dates and more. Learn how to protect specific crops from temperature extremes and unpredictable weather in our blog post Veggie Temperature Tolerances. Find YOUR climate zone in the Map of U.S. Climate Zones on the USDA website.

Know what your plants need

Understanding the needs of your plants and how to care for them can help ensure a successful harvest. Know the crops that are cold tolerant for planting in spring and fall. Know the crops that need warmth to thrive and are planted in late spring and mid-August. Know how to protect your seeds and seedlings from unexpected dips and spikes in temperature.

How early you can plant in spring depends on the hardiness (cold tolerance) of the vegetables and the climate in your area. The Planting Calendar Chart for Zones 5b and 6a gives the planting and harvesting dates for popular veggies.

Follow a planting calendar chart for YOUR “climate zone” to know planting and harvest dates for each crop. The planting dates are based on the date of the average last 32º freeze in your climate zone. The most reliable planting calendars are from the state university agricultural extension offices.

Climate change has made the safe planting date a moving target. It’s unpredictable. It’s helpful to know the lowest safe temperature for each crop. Many crops can be planted before the last frost date. Some crops are more sensitive to cold than others. Know what is the lowest temperature a crop can tolerate, especially at night. Some crops are very sensitive to temperature and some are less sensitive.

Each climate zone has an average first and last frost date which determines the length of the growing season.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Visit the USDA’s interactive Plant Hardiness Zones map on their website to find your local climate zone. It’s the map at the top of this post. On the USDA’s site click on a spot to zoom in or out. The map is divided into 13 zones, each representing a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature.  

Connect with a local organization like a botanic garden or a university agricultural extension who can answer your questions as they arise. They should provide a planting calendar and other important local gardening information. The Deep Roots gardeners use the Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Information Service.

Know the best crop varieties and pests for your zone. Knowing your zone will help determine which plants are most likely to thrive in your specific geographic area. As a beginning gardener, it's also important to learn local pest management.

Frost-free dates. As a beginning food gardener, understanding your hardiness zone can help you determine the average frost-free dates for your area. This information can be used to plan planting and harvesting times for your crops. For example, if you live in a colder zone with a shorter growing season, you may need to start your plants indoors earlier or choose shorter-season crops that can mature before the first frost.

Fast and easy way to find first and last average frost-free dates in your climate zone by entering your zip code. Try this online climate zone search tool on the Morning Chores website.

Temperature tolerances. It's important to consider the heat and cold tolerances of your plants. Some crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, thrive in warmer temperatures and may need special attention and care in cooler climates. Other crops, such as kale and broccoli, can tolerate colder temperatures and may be better suited for cooler zones. See our post about optimal sunlight to learn how to protect crops from extreme temperatures.

Planting calendar tips for beginners

Here are some general tips on how to use your local climate zone calendar effectively. We provide lots more details in our planting calendar for Zones 5b and 6a.

Understand your climate hardiness zone and your planting calendar before you start planting. This information will help you determine the appropriate planting dates for your favorite veggies and herbs. Start a small garden and learn more at a comfortable pace.

Determine the first and last average frost-free dates: The planting calendar will include the first and last average frost-free dates for your region. This information is critical to ensure that you plant at the right time and avoid frost damage to your crops.

Know planting dates for seeds and seedlings (transplants). As a beginner, it's recommended that you buy transplants from your local nursery or garden center. This will help you avoid the challenges of starting seeds indoors or outdoors and also ensures that your plants are healthy and ready to grow.

Move the transplants to larger pots as you learn about your climate zone. Watch the temperature fluctuations carefully. Bring the transplants inside if the temperature may go too low during the day or at night.

Plant warm-loving vegetables after the magical average frost-free date: Some vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, require both warm soil and air temperatures to grow. Wait until two weeks after the average frost-free date to plant these vegetables.

Plant some crops outside only when all danger of frost has passed. Some vegetables, such as beans and corn, are sensitive to cold temperatures and must be planted outside only when all danger of frost has passed.

Be prepared for unpredictable weather. Climate change makes planting dates more unpredictable. Make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast and use techniques like floating row covers to protect your plants from unexpected high and low temperatures.

Extend your growing season: You can extend your growing season by planting crops that can withstand cooler temperatures and by using season-extending techniques such as floating row covers, hoop houses, and cold frames. In this video learn how to use hoops to protect crops in raised beds from high and low temperatures as well as pests. See our blog post Installing Hoops on Raised Beds.

Check the days to maturity: The planting calendar will include the days to maturity for each vegetable. This information will help you plan your harvest and ensure that you have a continuous supply of fresh produce throughout the season.

High and low temperature tolerance: Some vegetables are more tolerant of high and low temperatures than others. The planting calendar will include this information so that you can choose vegetables that are suitable for your climate.

“Grow Your Own Food” blog posts

See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Each post is assigned ”tags” which are under the post title. If you need a quick answer to a gardening question give us a call or send a text to our customer support team – support[at]deep-roots-project.org AND 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots online store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

(708) 655-5299 and support[at]deep-roots-project.org

Sign up for our newsletter

Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter, if you want text message announcements now and then.

Donations help us provide organic kitchen gardening education to individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Thank you in advance for contributing to our community and for sharing our website and blog with friends and family.

Planting Calendar Climate Zone 5b

Depending on where you live, the growing season can be limited, and it can be challenging to extend it. Know which crops are cold tolerant and which need warmth to thrive. Know how to protect your seeds and seedlings from unexpected temperatures. This calendar gives planting dates for both spring and fall in Climate Zone 5b which covers most of northern Illinois as well many other areas in the U.S.

Know WHEN to plant & harvest

The U.S. has 13 “climate zones” (plant hardiness zones.) Find your climate zone in the Map of U.S. Climate Zones. To learn more about how climate zones work and how to use planting calendars go to our blog post What are climate zones?

Average frost dates. Each climate zone has an average first frost date in spring and average last frost date in fall, which determines the length of the growing season. An exact frost date is unpredictable due to climate change. The LAST average frost date is May 10 to 15 in climate zone 5b. The FIRST average frost date is October 10 to 15.

Most Chicago gardeners are in climate 6a. We don’t have a planting calendar for climate zone 6a which is somewhat warmer and applies to most of the city of Chicago due to the “lake effect.” Lake Michigan influences the climate of Chicago and most of northeastern Illinois. The large thermal mass of the lake tends to moderate temperatures, causing cooler summers and warmer winters.

We prefer that Oak Park gardeners follow our zone 5b planting calendar even though Oak Park is officially in zone 6a. River Forest (just west of Oak Park is officially in zone 5b.

Beginners should plant at the warmer part of a planting period. The Deep Roots team likes to be conservative about when to plant to make growing less risky for beginners. But we also want you to learn the tools to protect your garden from unexpected cold temperatures and heat waves.

Experienced gardeners living in zone 6a can take advantage of its longer frost-free growing season. Use our zone 5a planting calendar in this post as a reference point. The zone 6a spring planting dates are 2 weeks earlier and the fall planting dates are 2 weeks later. 

Climate change has made the safe planting date a moving target. It’s unpredictable. It’s helpful to know the lowest safe temperature for each crop. Many crops can be planted before the last frost date. Some crops are more sensitive to cold than others. Know what is the lowest temperature a crop can tolerate, especially at night. Some crops are very sensitive to temperature and some are less sensitive. Learn more in our temperature tolerances blog post,

Raised beds are well-suited for season extension because they can be easily covered and protected from the elements.Raised beds have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their many benefits, such as better drainage, improved soil quality, and easier access for gardeners.

Mini-planting calendars for 9 plant groups

These are general guidelines based on averages. The best planting dates can vary based on specific local weather patterns and the particular variety of each vegetable. Always check seed packets for specific planting information. Also, the temperatures given are in Fahrenheit. The temperature tolerance for specific veggies in our mini-calendars is in our blog post Veggie Temperature Tolerance.

Our planting calendar post is divided into 9 planting groups, each with its own mini-chart below. A few important tips are listed under each mini-chart. We hope to provide more tips on each veggie soon in a new post. Below are the veggies in each planting calendar mini-chart:

1. Brassicas (broccolini, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi)

2. Cucurbits (cucumbers, cantaloupe, summer squash, winter squash, zucchini, watermelon)

3. Flowers (cosmos, marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias)

4. Fruiting plants (eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes)

5. Greens (salad amaranth, Swiss chard, Bibb lettuce, New Zealand spinach, spinach, Tatsoi)

6. Herbs (basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, sage, parsley)

7. Legumes (bush/pole beans, fava beans, snap peas, snow peas, shell peas)

8. Root crops (beets, carrots, garlic, green onions, parsnips, radishes)

9. Corn (sweet corn)

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Seeds or seedlings? Plant seeds or seedlings for kale. Plant seedlings for brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards. Plant seeds for kohlrabi.

• Pests and diseases: Spray weekly with BT (Bacillus Thuringensis) to repel insects.

• Fungal Diseases: There are many fungal diseases. For example, “club root” attacks broccoli and broccolini roots and stunts plant growth. It is very tricky to prevent and manage since the disease stays in the soil for many years. Another example is “stem rot” which can be stopped with a biofungicide/bactericide spray.

• Broccolini: A fast growing, delicious crop that can replace broccoli.

• Brussel Sprouts: Needs meticulous crop protection over a long season.

• Cabbage: Choose short season, compact cabbages for success.

• Kale: Is a superfood. Plant early and mid-season for abundant crops.

• Kohlrabi: A delicious root crop. Plant early and mid-season.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant either seeds or seedlings for all cultivars. Beginners should plant seedlings.

• Pests and diseases: Spray all Curcubits weekly with organic biofungicide for powdery mildew prevention and management.

• Cucumber: Pick hidden cucumbers before they get over-ripe and turn yellow which can signal the plant to stop or slow fruit production.

• Zucchini: Although they are huge plants with enormous leaves, they don’t need a trellis. Planting in large containers or in a separate bed is best. Many gardeners prefer to pick zucchinis at 12” long or less.

• Trellis is needed for cucumbers, summer squash, and winter squash. View this video with a wide range of trellis designs you can buy or make yourself. Cucurbits need a very sturdy and strong trellis. Squash and melons can also grow on the ground or on a lawn without hurting the grass.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant either seeds or seedlings for all cultivars – eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes.

• Placement: Alternate peppers, small marigolds, and basil in a bed. Place kale, lettuce and chard on the south side of the tomatoes if there is room.

• Tomatoes: Indeterminate tomatoes need a tall stake since they never stop growing. Determinate tomatoes are smaller and produce all fruit at once. Plant seedlings deep so part of the stem is under soil. Don’t water very much, other than at the beginning. Deep water every few days. View a video on tomato pruning. View our blog post on Tomato Growing Tips. Buy tomato seedlings from the Oak Park Tomato Lady and read her growing tips.

• Pests & diseases: Plant disease resistant cultivars. Prune the lower leaves up to 10” to prevent fungal spores from splashing upwards. Dip your tool in alcohol as you prune diseased leaves. View tomato disease prevention post.

• Eggplant: Plant disease resistant cultivars. Plant mini-eggplant seedlings in midsummer for a fall crop.

• Season extension. A lightweight “floating row cover” might provide 2ºF of frost protection, whereas a heavy-weight row cover might provide as much as 6ºF to 10ºF of frost protection. In the spring, when transplants are small, row cover can often be simply draped over plants without a frame.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant either seeds or seedlings for chard, lettuce, New Zealand spinach and tatsoi. Plant seeds for spinach and amaranth.

• Pests: Spray weekly with Neem Oil. Use Pyrethrum on alternative weeks

• Spinach: Plant seeds November 15 to 30 for March germination. Spinach will begin to flower (called “bolting”) as soon as spring days begin to lengthen. The response comes when days are longer than 14 hours and temperatures creep above 75 degrees F. (23 C.) In Chicago area 14-hour days start on May1.

• Tatsoi: Versatile, nutritious oriental greens.

• Lettuce: Don't plant too much at once. Do 2-3 small plantings of leaf lettuce and radishes 7 to 10 days apart in early spring, with another planting in the fall.

• New Zealand spinach and amaranth salad: Summer substitutes for spinach. Heat tolerant.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant either seeds or seedlings for basil, cilantro, oregano, sage and parsley. Plant seeds for dill at intervals for big harvest.

• Basil: Is a must for pest protection. Plant next to tomatoes.

• Oregano: Is an excellent ground cover for strawberry and asparagus. It is a cold tolerant perennial that comes back year after year

• Sage: Is a perennial that needs protection over winter. Place a layer of straw around it.

• Dill: Choose a spot protected from high winds because the tall, hollow stalks can easily blow over if you don’t stake them. Sow several batches of seeds a week apart.

• Cilantro and dill: Plant in spring and again in August.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant all peas and beans from seed.

• Peas: To speed germination, soak seeds in water overnight before planting. Peas come in two heights – bush peas and climbing peas. Provide a trellis since all peas need support. Bush peas are only 2 to 3 feet tall. Climbing peas may reach 6 to 8 feet tall and they need a sturdy trellis or a pole.

• Bush beans and pole beans: Plant weekly for successive summer crops.

• Fava beans: They grow as rigid, upright plants from 2 to 5 feet tall and often require staking as they mature. Plant in late spring.

• Pole beans: Are vines that keep growing all season and need a tall trellis.

• Bush beans grow compactly (reaching about two-feet tall) and do not require extra support from a structure like a trellis.

• Trellis designs: We like this video with a wide range of trellis designs you can buy or make yourself that work well for climbing beans. Use the same trellis for peas and beans. Peas are a cold weather crop for spring and fall. Beans are warm season crop.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant all root crops from seed.

• Harvesting: Find one whose top is sticking out of the soil. if it pulls out easily it is ready to harvest. They will not be ready all at the same time.

• Beets: Thin early for baby beets and harvest the rest when full size.

• Carrots: Over winter in the bed to optimize sweetness. Very tiny seeds are tricky to plant. Keep seeds and new sprouts moist constantly. Great tips in video How to sow carrot seeds that includes protecting seeds with a board until they germinate.

• Garlic: Plant in mid-October and harvest in mid-July. Cut off “garlic scapes” (curved white bulbs on a long stem).

• Green onions keep renewing as they are harvested. If harvesting, use only green tops over winter and grow again in spring.

• Parsnip: Over-winter in the bed to optimize sweetness.

• Radish: Fastest crop to grow to maturity

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• Seeds or seedlings: Plant from seed.

• Staking: Support with an 8-foot sturdy pole secured properly.

• Pollination: Need at least 10 corn plants to pollinate each other.

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• Seeds or seedlings? Plant seeds or seedlings for cosmos, marigolds, nasturtiums and zinnias.

• Pests and diseases: If you need help, contact Chicago Botanic Garden plant information service: plantinfo[at]chicagobotanic.org and (847) 835-0972.

• Cosmos: Plant at raised bed corners. Cosmos attracts beneficial insects that feed on crop pests – everything from tiny parasitizing wasps to aphid-hungry hoverflies.

• Marigolds: Are ranked number one as the best flowers to plant in the vegetable garden. Plant at edges of your raised bed and between tomatoes & peppers. They continue to flower into the fall.

• Nasturtiums: Have edible flowers, leaves and stems with a tangy flavor. Plant at sides of the bed and prune so it grows only toward the outside of the bed.

• Zinnias: Attracts pollinators, especially butterflies. Interplant between vegetables or as a border to attract more pollinators. They lure predator bugs into a fall garden where they eat the pests. Their long bloom season makes them excellent for landscape color in mixed plantings.

Succession Planting Basics

Succession planting is a popular farming and gardening method which gets maximum harvest from limited space by immediately filling empty spaces with new seedlings or seeds. Succession planting Increases your harvest and is part of our biodiversity planting method.

Biodiversity and succession planting

First learn how to use the biodiversity planting method – not placing the same veggie types next to each other. Then add succession planting to your garden plan to increase your harvest by filling empty spaces as you harvest individual new plants throughout the season.

• You need a planting calendar for your climate zone which will tell you when to plant and harvest. We provide a Planting Calendar Guide for the great Chicago area (Climate Zones 5b and 6a) since most Deep Roots gardeners are in the Chicago area. Ask your local state university agricultural extension for a planting calendar.

• Fill empty spaces with a fresh seedling or plant seeds if there is enough space and enough sun.

• Don’t fill an empty space with the same crop that was previously in that spot. This is important for some crops more than others.

• Some crops can be planted more than once because they tolerate a range of temperatures and they need a shorter number of days to maturity. (See below a list of crops with short days to maturity.)

• Replace crops that slow down production in mid-season by planting fresh young seedlings or new seeds.

• Most root crops can only grow from seeds like beets, carrots, radishes. Other crops are healthier if grown from seeds like peas and beans. Carrots are harder to grow since their seeds are very tiny.

• You can grow your own new seedlings from seeds in small pots outdoors or directly in your raised bed.

• If you prefer growing from purchased seedlings check with your garden center when they will re-stock seedlings. Buy them young and healthy immediately after delivered to the store.

• Buy seedlings before you have empty spots to make sure you have them when you need them.

• Immediately re-pot purchased seedlings into 5” to 8” diameter pots filled with a mixture of our compost and worm castings so their roots can expand while you wait for empty spots. Keep the soil constantly moist.

• Try NOT to buy seedlings that are unhealthy – “root bound” (tangled roots around the root ball), yellowing leaves and tiny fruit.

Benefits of fast maturing crops

The veggies with the “shortest days to maturity” have the least problems with pests and diseases. If you like planting veggies from seed outdoors or are a beginner and want to grow from seed for the first time, we encourage you to try our favorite veggie varieties that come to maturity quickly and can be harvested sooner. (See our list below)

Fast maturing crops have advantages for beginner gardeners. You don't have to wait long for results. If you wait the normal days to maturity for these crops your garden is more vulnerable to pests and diseases. It also frees up space to replant more diverse crops. We have a chance to start more new plants which we call “accelerating” the garden.

Below are examples of 9 fast growing veggies to grow from seed that you can order from seed catalogs online. High Mowing sells all organic seeds and Baker Creek includes unusual mostly organic selections. Order early since seed stock sometimes sell out. If you can’t find the varieties in our list, pick other ones with similar days to maturity. We normally don’t recommend garden supply companies, but in this case there are far too many seed companies, and we want you to start out with the highest quality.

Veggies with short days to maturity

Find seeds that have similar days to maturity as the ones listed below. Learn more about planting seeds in our 2 blog posts.

• Beet: (40 days to maturity)
  Fast maturing, scaled-down, but fully formed and full-flavored beet. Regular seed, not pelleted

• Broccolini: (33 days to maturity)
  Fast maturing spring harvest mini-broccoli called “broccolini”

• Carrot: (34 days to maturity)
  Baby carrot at early harvest can be left in the soil for another month for full-size harvest.

• Swiss Chard: (55 days to maturity)
  Rainbow chard selection, develops all-season, just keep picking.

• Green Onion: (50 days to maturity)
  A short season scallion.

• Lettuce: (54 days to maturity)
  Butterhead lettuce type.

• Pea: (51 days to maturity)
  A fast maturing sweet spring pea.

• Radish: (21 days to maturity)
  Fastest of all crops.

• Spinach: (30 days to maturity)
  Reliable early crop, full-leaved spinach.

Plant in FALL for spring germination

Plant garlic cloves and spinach seeds in fall for early spring germination. Plant garlic cloves in mid-October for a July harvest. Although the easiest time to plant spinach seeds is mid-November, you can also plant them in March when the ground thaws. Get larger spinach plants and bigger harvests when planting seeds in fall. The spinach seedlings don’t mind a little snow in March. Harvest spinach before warm weather starts which will cause it to go to seed (called ”bolting”) which makes the leaves bitter. Spinach is fully harvested on May 21 or earlier.

April planting and harvesting tips

If you plant spinach seeds in fall you will have lots of spinach seedlings by April. Gradually harvest the spinach by picking big leaves first. With the first sign of ”bolting” cut down all the spinach plants carefully on a dry sunny day. Do NOT pull up by the roots. Cut the stem at the soil level. Shake off any soil. Replant the area with your next crops – NOT more spinach.

Sensitivity to cold varies between spring crops. Crops that CAN NOT take a “hard freeze” (below 32 degrees for many hours) are lettuce, broccolini, radishes, carrots, Swiss chard, kale, leeks, green onions and more. If you plant around April 25 be prepared for a possible hard-freeze below 32 degrees by having “floating row cover” on hand. It’s a light-weight white fabric that boosts the temperature and lets in sun and water. Buy it online.

Plant new lettuce seeds every 2 weeks so your new crop is ready when the old crop has been harvested. Plant beets on April 21 all at once and begin harvesting in 60 days. Plant peas all at once on April 15 to harvest in early June. Check the planting calendar about planting from seeds or seedlings.

May planting and harvesting tips

Frost free dates in Zones 5b and 6a is May 10-15. We used to have a fixed date. But the destabilizing effect of climate change has changed all that. Add to the bed between May 1 and 15 at least 2 or 3 kinds of flowers and 2 or 3 kinds of herbs. They can be placed anywhere in the bed and must include marigolds and basil, but can also include dill, cilantro, parsley, arugula, ginger, nasturtiums, cosmos, sunflowers and calendula flowers. Check the planting calendar for other crops that can also be added in early May.

Put some large perennial herbs like sage and oregano in a large container cloth pot near the bed, but not in the bed. Sage and oregano are perennial in our climate zone 5b and 6a and will return next season if protected over winter with straw. Plant another perennial mint, near the raised bed in a large pot by itself since it is “invasive” (tends to take over all empty spaces).

In the raised beds start planting seeds and seedlings of the rest of the early May crops – tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cabbage, lettuce, corn, bush beans and pole beans. Near the south side of the bed plant seeds of small crops in clusters (carrots, beets, radishes). Check the planting calendar for which crops must be planted from seed.

Water the soil before you place your tiny seeds. Gently water your seeds with a sprayer nozzle on your hose or watering can. Keep your seeds and seedlings constantly moist. Drip irrigation makes growing from seeds much much easier.

Plant the tiny carrot seeds about an inch apart. Try the “board trick” with tiny carrot seeds. Save watering time by placing a small board over a cluster of carrot seeds to stop evaporation. Carrots don’t need sun to germinate. Check them daily for germination. Remove the board when the first seed germinates. Pick some baby carrots to make room for some of the carrots to grow longer.

Plant in separate large containers or in separate raised beds the larger crops – cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash (butternut, acorn, etc), and potatoes. They will take over and need lots of space. Grow them vertically on a trellis whenever possible. The separate pots or raised beds for very large plants need herbs and flowers on edges in spots where they get the most sun.

There is lots of sun in your entire bed until mid-June when the plants are still small and the garden lacks shade. Take advantage of the shade cast by large mature plants later in the season for crops like lettuce that don’t need lots of light and suffer from high heat (like lettuce).

June planting and begin harvesting

By mid-June you can begin to harvest the April plantings. Start your harvest of cherry tomatoes in late June and continue to harvest all season long.

Which plants to harvest in June and which to keep growing? For example, If you are still eating lots of kale and chard, keep these plants in the bed. If you are eating less of a crop, harvest it now and store it for later. As you harvest, fill empty spaces with warm weather salad greens (salad amaranth and New Zealand spinach), culinary herbs, bush beans, radishes, and carrots.

When harvesting leafy greens (kale, swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, collards) harvest the largest outer leaves first to make more room for neighboring plants. Plants NOT in the same biodiversity family group could touch each other since diseases and pests prefer one plant family.

The first exception to the rule of NOT planting the same plant variety as neighbors is spinach in the fall or spring. It’s the only popular leafy green veggie that will grow in cold temperatures.

The second exception to the neighbors rule applies to clusters of small crops like carrots, beets, radishes, green onions, broccolini. Plant seeds in small clusters (8” diameter area) and rows (8” long) of small plants along the southern edge of your bed and containers to maximize sunlight and avoid shadows cast by larger plants.

Plant large plants like zucchini, squash and cucumbers in large cloth or wood containers (about 2 feet in diameter and 15” tall) because these big plants take up too much raised bed space. But, if you have a huge garden with lots of raised beds, dedicate some of the beds to large plants with lots of flowers and herbs around the edges or in small pots around the exterior of the bed. But remember that the small pots will need more attention and frequent watering. Try to set up irrigation for them. Although it’s okay if the huge leaves of vining squash plants overflow onto a deck or lawn it is better to grow vertically in limited space. My butternut squash sprawling on my lawn didn’t hurt the lawn at all. Spray with a OMRI certified fungicide to prevent and manage powdery mildew.

Vining plants like peas, pole beans, and tomatoes need a way to grow vertically. Plant them at the north side of a raised bed or container so they don’t shade the other plants. Learn more about vertical growing in an upcoming post.

August planting for a fall harvest

Some plants that were planted earlier in the season that you have already harvested can actually be planted again - in a “second-round”. Sometimes, if planted in the hotter time of year, harvested in the cool temperatures, the plants are sweeter and more tender.

Timing is key. Start early to think about what comes next after their beautiful summer veggies have been eaten. They should think about what to plant now and when to plant. This is determined by how long it will take before the veggie matures. Getting the timing down to finish one harvest and start growing for another takes time and experience. It is an art. You don’t want to plant a veggie that takes a long time to mature, and risk it failing due to frost.

Weather is unpredictable, especially now during climate change. Any plant that we suggest for August planting could be overwhelmed by an unexpected heat wave. Best to choose veggies that love both hot and cool weather. Plant more than one of each crop – so, if one doesn’t make it – you’ve got some others!

“Grow Your Own Food” blog posts

See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Each post is assigned ”tags” which are under the post title. If you need a quick answer to a gardening question give us a call or send a text to our customer support team – support[at]deep-roots-project.org AND 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots online store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

(708) 655-5299 and support[at]deep-roots-project.org

Sign up for our newsletter

Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter, if you want text message announcements now and then.

Donations help us provide organic kitchen gardening education to individuals, organizations, and entire communities. Thank you in advance for contributing to our community and for sharing our website and blog with friends and family.

Harvesting & Storing Food

Know the the “no till, no dig, no pull rule.” Avoid pulling out crops by the roots. Know the tricks for the biggest harvest. Allow nature to improve the soil. Stop and think before you harvest. Think about how you will cook, store or share the harvest.

Tricks for the biggest harvest

• Harvest from the same plant as long as it is producing. Don’t remove healthy prolific plants too soon.

• Encourage growth by frequently picking salad greens, tomatoes, beans, peppers, cucumbers, squash, herbs, etc. Harvest frequently the large leaves from leafy green veggies like spinach, lettuce, kale and swiss chard so pests don’t damage them.

• Harvest outer leaves of leafy greens to make room for airflow between neighboring plants and to encourage the plant to produce more foliage.

• Learn to recognize when a plant is past its prime. Aging plants lose taste and take up precious space.

Stop and think before you harvest

Avoid pulling out crops by the roots. You can undo all the great work you’ve done building up your soil if you don’t give some thought to the root zone or Rhizosphere which includes the roots and everything that surrounds them in the soil. Soil microorganisms interact with a host of chemicals released by plant roots. Any harsh pulling of plants without sensitivity to its roots can upset the soil micro-organisms.

Pulling a plant out by its roots interferes with bacterial colonies and fungal networks. Think of tiny soil structures as invisible towns and cites that the microflora (fungi and bacteria) build and live in. Maintain maximum soil health by leaving the micro-organisms attached to the roots undisturbed.

The “no till, no dig, no pull rule” is an essential part of the Deep Roots innovative growing method. If you avoid interference in the lives of soil fungi and bacteria they will be healthier and happier. They will do a better job of transporting essential nutrients and substances to the plant’s roots. Huge populations of microflora make the critical difference for growing super-healthy plants.

Allow nature to improve the soil. Avoid any digging except for a seedling hole or a furrow for planting seeds. Although traditional farmers and gardeners turn over their soil every season, modern soil scientists now know that digging destroys the soil structures that build up over time which greatly harms the health of the soil.

Pull out roots for only root veggies. Pull out root veggies like carrots and beets when the top peeks out from the soil and they are easy to pull out. For non-root veggies leave the roots in the soil undisturbed and cut the stem close to the ground. Roots supply critically important food for soil microbes. The exception to this rule is harvesting root crops like beets, onions, carrots, garlic, radishes, etc.

Add organic materials like compost and worm castings to the top of the soil. Worms, bugs, plant roots and weather will mix it in for us. But at least you can add organic material when necessary.

Storing your harvest

Think about how you will cook, store or share the harvest. Make a list and research how to use and store your harvest – recipes, freezing, canning, fermenting, drying, storing in sand, storing in a basement, “vacuum sealing” before freezing, and more.

• Store leafy greens for a few days in a tight closing plastic bag with all the air squeezed out.

• Chop the leafy greens before freezing in tightly closed plastic bags. Freeze in small bags that will be the right amount for a meal.

• Freeze cooked foods like stews, smoothies and soups in jars with wide-mouth jars. Leave a half to one inch empty at the top so the food can expand as it freezes. If there is no space at the top the jar could crack.

• Fermented foods can be stored for many months at room temperature. There are lots of YouTube videos and online courses on how to ferment many types of foods.

• A “vacuum sealer” is a counter-top appliance that allows you to freeze your harvest in small plastic bags for longer and also compresses some foods into a smaller space. Whether you buy in bulk, freeze small portions for meal prep or hunt, vacuum sealing helps most food from going stale as quickly as it would in a non-airtight container. It also helps prevent freezer burn, which affects taste and texture. There are many brands of vacuum sealing machines.

• An inexpensive chest-style freezer that opens from the top in storage room or basement makes harvesting and storing food faster and easier.

• Store carrots in the ground during winter. Leaving unharvested carrots and parsnips in the ground over winter makes them sweeter.

• Canning food in Mason Jars allows you to store food without freezing or refrigerating. It takes time and skill. Find out how to do do home canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Our Innovative Food Gardening Method

Learn more in our two recently revised blog posts.

Our online store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, compost, worm castings and more. Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions.

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Contact us at (708) 655-5299 or support[at]deep-roots-project.org.

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Frost-free Planting Dates and Plant Protection in Zones 5b & 6a

Climate change adds complexity to predicting frost-free dates by influencing weather patterns and subsequently the growing seasons across the globe. The USDA Hardiness Zones (also known as climate zones) were widely used to provide an average expectation of minimum winter temperatures. But there were never any specific frost dates.

Frost-free date prediction is getting harder

The U.S. has 13 “climate zones.” Find your climate zone in the official USDA Map of U.S. Climate Zones. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. To learn more about how climate zones work and how to use planting calendars go to our blog post Know Your Climate Zone.

Greater Chicago area and most of northern Illinois are in climate zones 5b and 6a. The city of Chicago and a few bordering towns are in zone 6a which is warmed by the “Lake Effect.” The collar counties are in zone 5b.

Oak Park is officially in Zone 6a. River Forest and the western suburbs are in Zone 5b. We want as little cold weather risk for our beginner gardeners as for their warm weather veggies like tomatoes and peppers.

Beginners use zone 5b planting calendar. We recommend that all Greater Chicago area beginning and intermediate gardeners follow our Planting Calendar for Zone 5b since there is less risk of unexpected cold weather. Beginners should plant at the warmer part of a planting period in our planting calendars. Still it is important to learn the tools to protect your garden from unexpected cold temperatures and heat waves.

Experienced gardeners in zone 6a (city of Chicago) can take advantage of the longer frost-free growing season. Use our zone 5a planting calendar as a reference point. The spring zone 6a planting dates are 2 weeks earlier and the fall 6a planting dates are 2 weeks later than 5b.

Average frost-free dates for spring and fall in zones 5b & 6a:

• Climate Zone 5b: Last spring frost is between mid-May and late-May. The first fall frost is between late-September and mid-October. The growing season is approximately 150-180 days.

• Climate Zone 6a: Last spring frost is between early-May and mid-May. The first fall frost is between early October and mid-October. The growing season is approximately 160-200 days.

Average frost date ranges vary across the U.S. The front-free date ranges for zones 5b and 6a can vary significantly across the U.S. due to regional climate differences such as altitude, proximity to large bodies of water, and other factors. Therefore, it's essential to refer to local university extension services. botanic gardens or weather stations for more precise data.

Microclimates can cause temperature variations. Be aware that even within your specific zone, microclimates can cause variations in temperature. Garden placement, such as near a south-facing wall or in a low-lying area, can cause warmer or cooler spots, respectively. Monitoring your specific conditions will give you the best understanding of your garden's climate over time.

We use the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden for advice on local gardening problems including planting times and weather.

How to track temperatures effectively

• Use a reliable outdoor thermometer: This can help you monitor the current temperature in your garden.

• Consider a digital weather station: These can provide much more accurate and real-time data, including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rainfall.

• Use online resources: Websites like The Weather Channel, AccuWeather or National Weather Service (NOAA) provide comprehensive weather forecasts, including nighttime lows.

• Mobile Apps: There are numerous gardening and weather apps that can help monitor your local conditions and even send frost alerts.

Frost Protection and Soil Temperature

Predicting frost-free dates is becoming more challenging due to changing weather patterns during climate change. Therefore, be prepared to use frost protection techniques.

Soil temperature is crucial for planting food garden seeds and transplants, as it affects seed germination, root development, and overall plant growth. Different plants have specific temperature requirements for optimal growth, so it's essential for gardeners to consider both soil temperature and frost-free dates. See our Veggie Temperature Tolerances blog post for details about crops we include in our planting calendar.

For beginner gardeners, it's wise to balance soil temperature and frost-free dates. Choosing the right time to plant can minimize the risk of frost damage and ensure a successful garden. Beginners should plant their warm weather seedlings at the warmer end of the recommended planting period in spring. See our Planting Calendar for Climate Zone 5b.

Low temperatures can damage or kill warm weather crops. Monitor weather and temperature  daily and weekly. Know the temperature tolerance of your plants. The night time temperatures are usually the lowest. Some plants are more sensitive to temperature than others. The duration of exposure to a low temperature is also a factor. Cold tolerance plants have varying temperature sensitivities as well. Some warm weather crops can be damaged by temperatures in the low 40s, and 50s.

How to protect your garden from frost

Check YouTube for videos about how to make the protections below.

Don’t plant outdoors until the risk of cold damage is gone. Know the temperature tolerance of each plant, follow the planting calendar and monitor the weather.

Re-plant your tiny warm weather seedlings like tomatoes, peppers and basil into larger pots (4-5” diameter, 6-7” tall) until safe planting time at the end of May arrives. Deep Roots has lot of pots you can use and keep for future years. Fill the pots with half compost and half worm castings. This way you can protect the seedlings with sufficient space and nutrients.

Bring re-potted warm weather seedlings indoors (house, garage or shed) overnight or even all day near a large window.

Setup temporary a mini-hoop house covered with heavy fabric if you have too many seedling pots to move indoors on cold nights. Use sheets, light blankets, frost cloth (frost shield) and canvas supports by hoops. Place the hoops in a raised bed or in the ground. Remove the cloth during the day if temperature permits. The frost cloth is best and is sold at many hardware stores and big box stores. Use metal fencing or 1/2” inch PVC pipes for the hoops. Place stones and boards around the bottom of the fabric to keep out cold and keep it from blowing away. Make sure the fabric doesn’t touch the plant foliage. Don’t cover with plastic or tarps which will collect moisture and harm your plants.

Floating row covers: Floating row covers or frost blankets can be draped over your plants to shield them from small dips in temperatures. They allow light and water to pass through while providing insulation. But this often can’t raise the temperature adequately to protect from low temperatures. See our blog post Installing Hoops on Raised Beds.

Cloches: Cloches are small, transparent covers, often made from plastic or glass, that protect individual plants. They create a mini-greenhouse effect, trapping warmth and moisture around the plant. Use them at night and take them off in the morning.

Cold frames: Cold frames are bottomless boxes with a transparent lid, usually made of glass or plastic. They can be placed over garden beds to provide insulation and protect plants from frost.

Greenhouses: Greenhouses, even small or portable ones, can provide a controlled environment to protect plants from frost and extend the growing season. Small inexpensive fold-up green houses can be found online.
Water-filled containers placed in a hoop house. Placing water-filled containers, like plastic bottles, next to your plants can help retain heat. The water absorbs heat during the day and releases it slowly at night, creating a warmer microclimate.

Mulch: Adding a layer of mulch around your plants can help insulate the soil, maintaining a more consistent temperature and protecting the root system from frost.

“Grow Your Own Food” blog posts

See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Each post is assigned ”tags” which are under the post title. If you need a quick answer to a gardening question give us a call or send a text to our customer support team – support[at]deep-roots-project.org AND 708-655-5299.

Deep Roots online store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card in the store or by check.

(708) 655-5299 and support[at]deep-roots-project.org

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