Bruce Files 4/8/25 Bruce Files 4/8/25

Grow Miscanthus Grass for Straw Mulch

This is one of those plants that earns its keep in more ways than one—ornamental beauty in the garden all season long, then natural, homemade mulch to feed next year’s crops. Pretty clever, right?

This Prairie Grass is Beautiful & Easy

If you’ve ever wished you could make your own mulch instead of buying bales of straw every year, I’ve got a garden tip you’ll love: grow Miscanthus grass. It’s beautiful, easy to care for, and—best of all—you can cut and use the dried stems as mulch right from your own yard.

Miscanthus, often called maiden grass, is a tall, graceful ornamental grass with soft, arching leaves and fluffy flower heads that show up in late summer. Even when it’s not blooming, the plant looks elegant. Once it dries out in the winter, you can cut it back and use the stalks just like straw to protect and nourish your soil.

Planting and Maintenance

This grass grows best in full sun and well-drained soil, and it likes a little compost added to the planting hole to help it get started. The best time to plant it is in spring, after the last frost. You’ll want to give it some room to grow—most varieties get tall and wide—but there are also smaller options like 'Adagio' if space is limited. If you live in a warmer climate, make sure to choose a sterile variety so it doesn’t spread where it’s not wanted.

When you first plant Miscanthus, keep the soil moist until the roots settle in. After that, it becomes quite drought tolerant and low-maintenance. Don’t worry about fertilizing it the first year, and keep any feedings light in later years so the plant doesn’t grow too floppy. The dried leaves and stems also provide winter interest, so it’s nice to leave them up until early spring.

Harvest Straw in Early Spring

When you see signs of new growth, that’s your cue to cut it down to just a few inches tall. That’s also when you’ll collect your straw mulch. Just gather the dried stalks and store some in a dry place. There are two ways to use the straw. Lay them across your garden beds or cut up the straw before placing it around your seedlings. Straw helps keep the soil moist, block weeds. Don’t let the straw decompose and mix with soil in your edible plant beds. Push the straw to the sides of the beds after harvesting your crops.

If your Miscanthus gets too big over time or starts to die out in the center, you can dig it up and divide it to refresh the plant and maybe even give a few chunks away to friends.

Tips for Getting Started

For beginner gardeners, it's best to start with low-maintenance, non-invasive varieties of miscanthus that are reliable, manageable in size, and easy to care for. it’s also a good idea to check with your local extension office or nursery to make sure the variety you choose isn’t considered invasive in your area. Look for sterile cultivars, especially if you live in a warmer climate

Here are a few beginner-friendly options to consider:

Miscanthus ‘Adagio’: Height is 3 to 4 feet. Compact, tidy, and beautiful. Perfect for small gardens or raised beds. It still offers that soft, graceful miscanthus look, but won’t overwhelm your space. Drought tolerant once established and produces lovely silver plumes in fall.

Miscanthus ‘Gracillimus’: Height is 4 to 6 feet. One of the most popular varieties for a reason—it’s adaptable, elegant, and reliable in many climates. Narrow leaves with a silver stripe down the center and airy flower plumes.

Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’: Height is around 4 feet. A bit finer-textured and slightly more refined than ‘Gracillimus.’ Great for adding a silvery glow to your garden. The reddish-pink flowers turn a soft tan as they mature.

Miscanthus X Giganteus (for large spaces only): Height is up to 12 feet in one season. This giant variety produces a ton of biomass, so it’s ideal if your main goal is making mulch. It's sterile, so it won’t spread or reseed. This one’s better suited for bigger gardens or as a screen.

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

Dive Deeper

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

Transformational Gardening Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Transformational Gardening by Season

Planning Your Food Garden

Beautify Your Garden with Our 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.

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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.

Bruce Files 4/6/25 Bruce Files 4/6/25

Understanding Compost and Mulch

At Deep Roots Project (DRP), we emphasize the power of high-quality compost and mulch in creating thriving food gardens and sustainable landscapes. But not all compost and mulch are created equal. In this post, we'll guide you through the best uses of DRP's microbe- and nutrient-rich compost and our dense leaf mulch, what to avoid, and how to find safe substitutes if you're gardening beyond our delivery zones.

What to Use Where, and Why It Matters

DRP Compost: Microbe and Nutrient Powerhouse

Our compost is produced by an OMRI certified organics operation in northern Illinois. It is rich in beneficial microbes and nutrients, and is thermophilically composted with heat generating microbes to kill pathogens and weed seeds. It includes high-quality manure as a key ingredient.

This makes our compost ideal for:
•   Vegetable gardens (raised beds or in-ground beds)
•   Fruit trees and berry bushes
•   Perennial herbs and edible flowers
•   Soil restoration and improvement projects

Use 2" of compost as a top layer in food gardens each fall and/or spring, and mix it into new garden beds or landscape plantings for optimal microbial health and nutrient density.

Also see All Compost is Not Created Equal

Caution: Leaf Mulch Is Not for Food Gardens

Our dense leaf mulch is made from shredded leaves, which is allowed to age and compact. It retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and breaks down slowly, adding organic matter to the soil. However, do not use leaf mulch on food gardens. It can harbor fungal spores and does not provide the rich nutrient and microbe support that vegetables require.

Instead, use our leaf mulch for:
•   Ornamental landscaping
•   Native plant gardens
•   Tree and shrub bases
•   Pathways and ground cover areas

Using Chopped Straw as Mulch in Food Gardens

While DRP’s dense leaf mulch is not suitable for food beds, you can use clean, chopped straw as a mulch to help retain moisture and suppress weeds during the growing season.

Make sure to use straw, not hay—hay is loaded with weed seeds that can turn your garden into a weeding nightmare. Look for weed-free, pesticide-free straw that’s been chopped for easier handling and quicker breakdown.

See "Grow Miscanthus Grass for Straw"

How to Use:
•   Wait until the soil has warmed up and seedlings are 4–6 inches tall.
•   Gently spread a 2" layer of chopped straw around the base of your plants, leaving a bit of space around each stem to avoid rot.
•   Straw mulch reduces evaporation, keeping roots cool and moist during summer heat.

Important End-of-Season Tip: At the end of the harvest, remove the old straw mulch—don’t mix it into the soil. DRP’s compost acts as a soil substitute, not a traditional top dressing, and it needs to stay clean. Letting straw break down into the top layer can interfere with the microbial balance and reduce the effectiveness of your compost for next year’s planting.

Want to keep your compost pure and powerful? Treat straw as a temporary garden helper—not a permanent soil amendment.

Substituting Compost Outside the DRP Region

If you live beyond the reach of DRP truck delivery, here’s how to find the next-best thing:
•   Seek out municipal composts labeled as clean, organic, and thermophilic.
•   Avoid composts that contain “biosolids” or "sewage sludge," often labeled under terms like: Municipal sludge, Wastewater solids, Residuals. These can contain harmful toxins and heavy metals that have no place in your garden.
•   Deep Roots Customer support can help find a source of microbe and nutrient rich compost if you live beyond our delivery area.

• Enrich any municipal compost with top-quality worm castings to boost microbial life and provide balanced nutrition. Our customer support team will explain how to add the worm castings.

More About Worm Castings

Match Plants to Soil Type: High vs. Low Nutrients

Some plants, particularly native and drought-tolerant species, actually prefer leaner soils with less nutrients. Here's a quick guide:

Landscape plants that prefer low-nutrient soils:
•   Purple coneflower (Echinacea)
•   Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
•   Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
•   Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
•   Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Edible plants that prefer lower nutrient Ssoils:
•   Garlic
•   Carrots
•   Parsnips
•   Radishes
•   Oregano and thyme

Overfeeding these plants can result in excessive leaf growth, poor root development, or reduced flavor.

Conclusion: Right Inputs, Right Places

DRP compost and leaf mulch are powerful tools in your gardening and landscaping toolkit. Use our compost where nutrients and microbes matter most—in food production and plant establishment. Use our leaf mulch for moisture retention and weed suppression in ornamental and native plantings.

By choosing the right material for the right use, and avoiding harmful or inappropriate substitutes, you'll build a garden that flourishes naturally—whether you're in the DRP delivery area or beyond.

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.

Dive Deeper

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

Transformational Gardening Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Transformational Gardening by Season

Planning Your Food Garden

Beautify Your Garden with Our Cedar Raised Beds!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

Deep Roots Online Store

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.

Signup 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.

Bruce Files 3/28/25 Bruce Files 3/28/25

All Compost Is Not Equal

In today’s gardening world, “compost” is often used as a catch-all term for anything dark, crumbly, and sold in a bag. But don’t be fooled. Compost quality varies wildly—and using the wrong kind can quietly undermine your garden’s health and productivity.

Not all compost is created equal—and your garden knows it. In today’s gardening world, “compost” is often used as a catch-all term for anything dark, crumbly, and sold in a bag. But don’t be fooled. Compost quality varies wildly—and using the wrong kind can quietly undermine your garden’s health and productivity.

At Deep Roots Project, our innovative Transformative Gardening method is built on a simple truth: your soil is only as good as the microbial life within it. And the microbial life depends entirely on the quality of compost you use.

While many people assume compost is just “compost,” the truth is, there’s a world of difference in how it’s made and what it does for your plants. Some composts are simply a dumping ground for waste, left to rot with no real recipe or care. Others are expertly crafted with precision—specific ingredients, the right balance of moisture, temperature, and timing—to create compost that’s teeming with nutrients and living microbes. At Deep Roots Project, we know that high-quality compost can make or break a food garden. That’s why we use manure-based thermophilic compost, carefully made with heat-generating microbes that transform raw plant waste and manure into living soil gold bursting with nutrients and microbes. The farms use large machines to tum the piles that brings oxygen to the process.

Microbial Powerhouse in Deep Roots Compost

Our 100% microbe- and nutrient-rich compost is not just soil—it is the growing medium. Instead of filling beds with conventional “topsoil” or store-bought potting mixes that often lack life, we fill our raised beds with compost made through a thermophilic (heat) process using only organic matter from plants and manure from herbivores. This heat process destroys weed seeds and harmful pathogens while nurturing beneficial microbes and fungi. These living organisms then create an underground ecosystem that feeds your plants naturally, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

There are six common types of compost

They range from casual backyard piles to composts designed for maximum harvests. Watch out for leaf mulch since It looks like compost, but it’s not. Leaf mulch is great for native plants, shrubs, trees, and flowers —but it’s low in nutrients and shouldn’t go in your veggie beds. Ready to dig in? Let’s break down the dirty details.

• Manure-based thermophilic compost is made from animal manure and chopped up plant waste. Deep Roots uses this 100% compost instead of traditional soil to fill new raised beds, and to replenish nutrients in existing beds at the beginning of every growing season.

• Spent mushroom thermophilic compost is the leftover growing medium from mushroom farms made from manure and plant materials.

• Premium thermophilic compost is same as manure-based compost, plus it contains extra boosts like seaweed and fish protein.

• Municipal facility compost is mixed waste from homes and restaurants. There are no uniform regulations nationwide, though there are somecommon standards and best practices. It is not recommended for food gardens unless quality is verified.The exact inputs, processes, and end-product quality can vary significantly. Never use if contains biosolids (sewer sludge).

• Backyard compost is miscellaneous kitchen and yard waste naturally decomposed without heat (called “cold composting”). It is low quality, suitable to supplement any soil. Not recommended for growing food.

• Vermicompost (also called “worm castings”) is worm poop that has been processed by red wiggler worms (Eisenia foetida). Vermicompost is supercharged with microbial activity and plant-boosting compounds that help gardens truly thrive.

A Warning About Toxic “Composts”

Perhaps the most dangerous composts are those made from sewage sludge, commonly marketed under green-sounding names like “biosolids” or “recycled waste.” These materials come from municipal wastewater treatment plants and contain far more than just human waste.

Sewage sludge can include:

•   Heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium)
•   PFAS (“forever chemicals”) linked to cancers and hormonal disruption
•   Pharmaceuticals and hormones (from medications flushed down the drain)
•   Microplastics
•   Pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella

Though these biosolid products are legal to sell in many areas, they pose serious risks to human health, soil microbiomes, food safety, and local water supplies.

That’s why Deep Roots will never use biosolids, and we encourage you to avoid them, too. Always ask what’s in your compost.

What About Free Municipal Compost?

We understand that buying premium compost isn’t always in everyone’s budget. Some gardeners rely on free municipal compost, which is typically made from leaves, grass, and brush. This compost isn’t harmful, but it’s usually low in both nutrients and microbial life compared to Deep Roots compost.

Here’s a great solution: You can safely use municipal compost if you mix in our top-quality worm castings. This combination boosts microbial activity and improves nutrient availability. While not as effective as using 100% Deep Roots compost, it’s a strong compromise when budgets are tight.

Why Deep Roots Compost Is Worth It

Compared to most retail options, our compost is:

•   More nutrient dense
•   More microbially active
•   Free from toxic materials
•   OMRI and USCC certified for organic food growing

Yes, Deep Roots compost may cost a little more. But it’s a small investment that pays off in healthier plants, bigger harvests, and safer soil.

Order DRP Compost in Bags Here

Order DRP Compost in Bulk Here

Bottom Line: Not All Compost Is Equal.

Your garden—and your health—deserve better than compost made from industrial waste or bark chips. Choose compost that supports soil life, not destroys it.

Choose Deep Roots Compost.

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.

Let’s make this your most delicious year yet!

Dive Deeper

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

Transformational Gardening Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Transformational Gardening by Season

Planning Your Food Garden

Beautify Garden with Our Cedar Raised Beds!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

Deep Roots Online Store

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.

Signup 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.

Bruce Files 3/25/25 Bruce Files 3/25/25

Installing Hoops on Raised Beds

If you're new to gardening with raised beds, adding hoops is one of the smartest, most affordable upgrades you can make. Hoops let you cover your plants with protective materials like shade cloth, bird netting, row covers, or plastic—helping you grow more successfully through all seasons.
grow more successfully through all seasons.

Easy Inexpensive Hoop Systems for Raised Beds

Whether you want to block harsh sun, stop birds and rabbits, warm up your soil in spring, or shield your crops from early frosts, there's a hoop system that can help. Below are four types of hoops you can make yourself using easy-to-find materials. Each method is simple and ideal for beginners. Watch video How to Make Hoops for Raised Beds.

Contact our customer support team about buying bug netting bags and sheets from us. The bug netting page is not yet on our store.

Tips for First-Time Gardeners

Start with a simple material like poly tubing or PVC. Choose your hoop height based on how big your plants will get and what kind of protection they need. Use shade cloth in hot summer months to protect cool-season crops from burning. In spring and fall, cover your hoops with row cover or plastic to warm up the soil and shield from cold. And always secure your hoops well—wind can lift lightweight covers if they’re not anchored.

With just a small investment in materials and time, hoops can help protect your plants, extend your harvest, and give you more gardening success all year round.

Black Poly Tubing – Light, Simple, Inexpensive

Black poly tubing (½-inch wide) is one of the easiest and cheapest materials to work with. It’s ideal for supporting lightweight materials like row cover fabric, insect netting, or bird netting. When you cut it into 5-foot lengths, the resulting hoop stands about 16 inches above the soil—perfect for small plants like strawberries or young seedlings.

You can cut the tubing with a utility knife or a plastic pipe cutter. Pipe cutters are safer and easier for beginners—just squeeze and twist to get a clean cut. To install the hoops, you can push the ends into the soil if your raised bed isn’t too wide. However, for more stability, especially if you’re using wooden beds, attach tube straps to the inside of your bed walls and slide the tubing into them. These straps screw into the wood and hold the tubing firmly in place. If you use ¾-inch straps, you’ll have the flexibility to upgrade to thicker tubing later without replacing the hardware.

This setup is incredibly affordable. You can build a full hoop system for one bed for less than five dollars.

PVC Pipe – Sturdier for bug netting, plastic & more

For more durability and strength, many gardeners turn to schedule 40 PVC pipe, either ½-inch or ¾-inch in diameter. This option can handle heavier covers like plastic or shade cloth. If you cut the pipe into 6-foot lengths, you’ll get hoops about 24 inches tall. That’s enough height for medium-sized crops or for general spring and summer protection. If you're growing taller plants or want a tunnel-like structure in fall, leave the 10-foot pipes uncut to make hoops that reach about 50 inches above the soil.

Just like with poly tubing, you can use tube straps to secure the ends to your bed. But when working with taller hoops, a better method is to drive short metal stakes—called rebar—into the ground, then slide the ends of the PVC pipe over the rebar. This gives your hoops more stability and keeps them upright even in wind or rain.

Tall hoops can be a bit floppy, especially when covered with plastic, so it helps to support the structure using long wooden strips. A simple 1 x 2-inch fir strip works well. Place one strip across the top of the hoops and one on each long side of the bed, tying them to the PVC using twine. This keeps the entire system firm and resistant to wind. A basic medium-height PVC hoop setup costs about five to eight dollars. A taller system with rebar and bracing runs closer to ten dollars.

Metal Conduit – Durable & Professional

Metal conduit (also called EMT) is a galvanized steel tube used for running electrical wire, but it makes fantastic, long-lasting garden hoops. These hoops are stronger and more stable than PVC, and they don’t degrade in sunlight. Many gardeners use ¾-inch conduit for high hoops, which makes them great for large covers, heavy winds, or repeated seasonal use.

Conduit doesn’t bend easily by hand, so you’ll need a special metal hoop bender (also called a jig), available from garden suppliers. Once mounted to a sturdy surface, the jig lets you gradually bend the conduit into a smooth arch. You’ll need to move the pipe slowly along the jig, making the bend in sections to get a nice even curve. When done, the hoops are typically sized to span a 4-foot-wide raised bed.

To install metal conduit hoops, drive rebar stakes into the ground, just as with PVC hoops, and slide the ends of the metal pipe over them. You can tie a fir strip across the top for added support, using twine or clamps. While metal conduit hoops cost about twice as much as PVC (closer to $20 for a full setup), they’re incredibly sturdy and will last for many seasons. For serious gardeners, they’re often worth the extra investment.

Cattle Panels – Super Sturdy & Dual-Purpose

Cattle panels are another excellent option for hoops, especially if you want something that doubles as a trellis. These are heavy-duty, welded wire grids used for fencing livestock, and they come in 16-foot lengths. Cut into 6-foot sections, they can be bent into low arches that stand about two feet above your raised bed. They're perfect for shade cloth, row cover, or netting—and sturdy enough to last for decades.

To cut a cattle panel, use bolt cutters to snip through the wire. Then, place one end of the panel on the ground and bend it into a hoop using your body weight. Start in the middle and gradually curve the sides until you have the shape you want. Once shaped, press the ends into the soil or secure them with stakes.

Cattle panels are strong enough to hold up to wind, snow, and even climbing plants. In fact, many gardeners let beans, cucumbers, or peas grow up through the panel, using it as both a cover and a vertical trellis. One downside is transportation. At 16 feet long, you’ll need a truck or trailer to bring them home from the store. But once you have them, cattle panels are among the longest-lasting and most useful hoop systems available. Surprisingly, they cost less than the metal conduit option.

Choosing the Right Hoop System

Choosing the right hoop depends on your plants and your goals. Low hoops, around 16 to 24 inches tall, are perfect for protecting small plants and seedlings in early spring. Medium hoops, 24 to 36 inches high, are great for general use throughout the growing season. High hoops, about 50 inches tall, work best later in the season or for tall crops like tomatoes and pole beans.

Most gardeners use different hoop types at different times. You might use low hoops in spring to protect lettuce from a late frost, then switch to tall hoops in fall to extend the growing season for your tomatoes. Medium hoops can be helpful all season long, especially if you're dealing with birds, bugs, or hail.

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.

Let’s make this your most delicious year yet!

Dive Deeper

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

Transformational Gardening Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Transformational Gardening by Season

Planning Your Food Garden

Beautify Garden with Our Cedar Raised Beds!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

Deep Roots Online Store

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.

Signup 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.

Bruce Files 3/24/25 Bruce Files 3/24/25

Spring Planting Step-by-Step

Welcome to your ultimate Spring gardening guide! In this step-by-step roadmap, you'll discover all the essential tasks needed to kickstart your garden for the season. Along the way, you’ll find links to additional blog posts that invite you to explore each topic in greater depth, ensuring you have all the knowledge and inspiration you need to cultivate your green oasis.

Here are the Basics

• 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.

• Plant with worm castings: Use our top quality worm castings fertilizer, also called ”vermicompost” to plant seeds and seedlings.

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

Planting for Beginners
Next Level Planting
Seed Starting Indoors
Winter Sowing outdoors.

Maximizing Your Results

• 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

• No need to rotate crops when you practice biodiversity. Rotation is for monoculture 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.

Managing Pests

• 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.

• Install Hoops and Netting to stop pests. See Installing Hoops on Raised Beds.

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, all need a trellis)
• Fava Beans (needs a trellis)

Herbs:

•   Cilantro
•   Parsley
•   Chervil

Growing in Partial Sunlight

If you have less than 8 hours of full sun, you can still grow a variety of spring vegetables, including leafy greens like lettuce, kale, spinach, and chard, as well as root vegetables like carrots, radishes, and beets. Here's a list of vegetables that can tolerate less than 8 hours of full sun:

Leafy Greens:

•   Lettuce: Most lettuce varieties thrive in partial shade.
•   Kale: Kale can tolerate partial shade and will still produce edible leaves, though they may not be as stocky as those grown in full sun.
•   Spinach: Spinach is another excellent choice for partial shade.
•   Chard (Swiss Chard): Swiss chard is a great option for partial shade, and its leaves can bolt and become bitter if exposed to too much sun.
•   Arugula: Arugula also does well in partial shade.
•   Mustard Greens: These greens are also shade-tolerant.
•   Collard Greens: Collard greens can also thrive in partial shade.

Root Vegetables:

•   Carrots: Carrots can tolerate partial shade, though they may take longer to mature.
•   Radishes: Radishes are relatively shade-tolerant.
•   Beets: Beets also prefer full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.
•   Turnips: Turnips can tolerate partial shade.
•   Rutabaga: Rutabaga is another root vegetable that can tolerate partial shade.

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.

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.

Let’s make this your most delicious year yet!

Dive Deeper

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

Transformational Gardening Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Transformational Gardening By Season

Planning Your Food Garden

Beautify your yard with elegant cedar raised beds!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

Deep Roots Online Store

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.

Signup for Our Newsletter

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Bruce Files 3/7/25 Bruce Files 3/7/25

Spring Is Peeking Around the Corner

And that means one thing – 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.

"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.

Let’s make this your most delicious year yet!

Dive Deeper

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

Transformational Gardening Basics

Common Beginner Mistakes

Transformational Gardening by Season

Planning Your Food Garden

Beautify your yard with elegant cedar raised beds!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

Deep Roots Online Store

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.

Signup 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.

Bruce Files 3/6/25 Bruce Files 3/6/25

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.

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:

• 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.

• 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

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)

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

Good companion pairings

Avoid these pairings

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

Deep Roots Online Store

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.

Signup 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.

Lindsey Rauba 3/6/25 Lindsey Rauba 3/6/25

Are Black Fabric Grow Bags Safe?

Black fabric grow bags have become a favorite among gardeners for their lightweight design, excellent drainage, and root-air pruning capabilities. Yet concerns have emerged about potential microplastic shedding and chemical leaching from recycled plastic materials. In this post, we’ll explore the safety of these bags, examine what materials and certifications to look for, and offer recommendations for reputable brands and safe alternatives—including natural fiber options and hard plastic pots.

Microplastics, Materials, & Safer Alternatives

Many fabric grow bags are made of recycled plastics, such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Their fibrous, breathable construction can improve root growth but may also shed tiny plastic particles over time. This microplastic release is primarily a concern because the bags degrade under UV exposure and regular watering. Shedding is much more of a concern with fibrous versus solid plastics.

While research is still ongoing, early studies suggest that virgin plastics may be safer than recycled plastics. Solid plastics are also preferable to fibrous plastics simply due to the fact that a solid is less likely to break down with handling. Consider these strategies:

Invest in Quality: BPA-free virgin plastics that are solid may cost a few dollars more, but last longer in addition to being potentially safer for health and environment. Choosing these more durable plastics also reduces overall waste.
Gentle Handling: If you’re already using these bags and can’t replace them right away, minimizing abrasion during cleaning or moving can lessen fiber shedding.
Containment Solutions: It may be possible to reduce shedding from your grow bags to surrounding soil by placing your grow bags into a secondary container.

Material Safety and Chemical Leaching

Beyond the physical issue of microplastics, many gardeners wonder if any chemicals might leach from fabric grow bags into the soil. The safety of a plastic product largely depends on the type of plastic used:

Food-Grade Plastics: Materials like high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and PET are considered safe for food contact. These plastics are commonly used in food containers because they do not leach harmful chemicals under normal use.
Avoiding Certain Plastics: Products made from PVC or polycarbonate (often categorized as “#7” or “other”) may release toxins such as BPA or phthalates. Reputable grow bag manufacturers avoid these materials in favor of food-safe options.
Recycled Material Cautions: While recycling in general is aimed at reducing overall waste to help the environment, recycled materials must be carefully processed to avoid contaminants such as heavy metals. Additionally, bonding agents used to get recycled materials to hold their shape could be unsafe additives. Look for manufacturers who verify that their recycled content meets stringent standards.

Many trusted brands state that their products are BPA-free, phthalate-free, and use either virgin or properly processed recycled plastic. This transparency is crucial for ensuring that the products remain inert in your garden. Research companies to find out whether they adhere to the standards they claim to in their marketing.

Certifications and Transparency

When shopping for grow bags, certain certifications can provide extra peace of mind:

Global Recycled Standard (GRS): This certification verifies that recycled content is processed under strict criteria, ensuring the material is free from harmful contaminants.
Food-Grade Labels: Look for any indication that the plastic is “food safe” or that the product is tested to be BPA-free. While these labels don’t cover every potential issue, they do indicate that the manufacturer is aware of chemical safety concerns.

If a product’s labeling or website provides detailed information on the materials used, it’s a sign that the company may prioritize safety and quality.

Exploring Natural Fiber Grow Bags

For gardeners who prefer to avoid plastics entirely, natural fiber grow bags present an attractive alternative. Options include bags made from jute, burlap, or hemp. These materials are entirely biodegradable and completely free of synthetic microplastics.

Advantages of Natural Fiber Bags

Zero Microplastic Risk: Made entirely from plant fibers, these bags will not shed plastic particles.
Eco-Friendly: Being biodegradable, natural fiber bags can be composted after their useful life.
Breathable: Like synthetic fabric bags, natural fibers allow for excellent air and moisture movement, promoting healthy root growth.

Considerations When Using Natural Fiber Bags

Shorter Lifespan: Natural fibers decompose over time. You may need to replace them after one or two growing seasons.
Structural Strength: Natural fibers might not hold up as well with larger volumes of soil or frequent handling. They are often best used for smaller crops or as liners.
Availability: While options are growing, natural fiber bags are still somewhat niche. Some hybrid products combine natural fibers with a small percentage of plastic to extend lifespan while still reducing overall synthetic content. Read product descriptions carefully to make sure you know what you’re buying.

If you are environmentally cautious and willing to invest in a short-term solution that can be composted, natural fiber grow bags offer a compelling alternative.

Safer Hard Plastic Containers

For those who prefer the stability of a rigid container over a fabric grow bag, hard plastic pots are another safer option—provided you choose the right material. Hard containers made from food-grade plastics such as HDPE and PP are widely used in food storage and are less prone to microplastic shedding because they lack the fibrous structure of fabric bags.

Recommendations for Hard Plastic Pots

EarthBox® Planter: The EarthBox system is a popular self-watering planter designed for growing vegetables. These containers are made from UV-stable, BPA-free plastic, ensuring safety over many seasons. EarthBox products have a longstanding reputation in both home and school gardens for their durability and safety.

Air-Pot® Containers: Air-Pot containers feature a unique design with holes that encourage air-pruning of roots, similar to fabric grow bags. Made from recycled HDPE, Air-Pots are designed for longevity. HDPE is a proven, food-safe plastic used in everyday items like milk jugs, and its use in Air-Pots reinforces the safety and durability of the product.

High-Quality Nursery Pots: Many traditional nursery pots are constructed from polypropylene. Trusted brands such as Bloem and Akro-Mils offer durable, food-grade plastic pots that can be used safely for edibles. These are often available in various sizes, including repurposed food-grade 5-gallon buckets (after ensuring they have not previously contained harmful substances).

Restaurant discards: It is often possible to collect food-safe plastic vessels from local restaurants. Many receive large quantities of food in BPA free containers that they simply discard after use. As these are designed to be food safe, they can provide a cheap or free alternative to purchasing garden vessels. In the Chicagoland area, Portillo’s restaurant sells pickle buckets for $2 as part of an ongoing heart health fundraiser. Options like this may exist in any community with restaurants. It can’t hurt to stop into an establishment and ask!

When choosing any hard plastic container, check for clear labels indicating food-grade material and BPA-free status. This ensures that your container remains inert and safe for growing edibles.

Final Thoughts

While black plastic grow bags are accessible and affordable, they come with potential health risks to the environment and to the health of the person eating food produced in them. These risks come both from the potential for microplastic shedding as well as chemical leaching. Avoiding use of plastics in the garden altogether is best practice, but not always affordable. Solid, virgin plastics that are labeled food safe are the safest plastics to use in the garden.

Happy gardening—and may your harvests be as bountiful as they are safe!

Happy Gardening!

Deep Roots Supports Gardeners

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