Storing and Using Spinach and Lettuce

Freeze Lettuce & Spinach in Soups, Stews & Dips

Here are 8 delicious vegan recipes for soups, stews, and dips that make excellent use of an abundant lettuce and spinach harvest, and also freeze well.

Healthy Soups & Stews

Spinach and Lettuce Green Soup

•   Ingredients: spinach, lettuce, onions, garlic, potatoes, vegetable broth, coconut milk, salt, pepper.
•   Preparation: Sauté onion and garlic, add diced potatoes, spinach, lettuce, and broth. Simmer until tender. Blend until creamy, then stir in coconut milk.
•   Freezing: Freeze in airtight containers; reheat gently.

Spinach, Lettuce, and White Bean Stew

•   Ingredients: spinach, lettuce, cannelloni beans, tomatoes, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, Italian herbs, olive oil.
•   Preparation: Sauté onion and garlic, add spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, and broth. Season with Italian herbs, simmer until thickened.
•   Freezing: Freeze portions in containers; thaw overnight before reheating.

Curried Lettuce and Spinach Soup

•   Ingredients: spinach, lettuce, coconut milk, vegetable broth, onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, chili flakes, lime juice.
•   Preparation: Sauté aromatics, add spinach, lettuce, broth, spices. Cook briefly, blend until smooth, finish with coconut milk and lime juice.
•   Freezing: Freeze in serving-sized portions; thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Lentil and Spinach Stew

•   Ingredients: spinach, lentils, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, vegetable broth, cumin, smoked paprika.
•   Preparation: Sauté vegetables, add lentils, spinach, lettuce, broth, and spices. Cook until lentils are tender and stew thickens.
•   Freezing: Cool completely and freeze in airtight containers.

Delicious Dips

Spinach-Lettuce Pesto Dip

•   Ingredients: spinach, lettuce, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper.
•   Preparation: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
•   Freezing: Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning. Thaw cubes in the fridge overnight.

Creamy Spinach & Lettuce Hummus

•   Ingredients: chickpeas, spinach, lettuce, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil.
•   Preparation: Blend all ingredients until creamy, adjust seasoning.
•   Freezing: Portion into containers or bags; thaw overnight in fridge.

Spinach and Lettuce Artichoke Dip

•   Ingredients: spinach, lettuce, artichokes, vegan cream cheese, nutritional yeast, garlic, onions, vegan mozzarella, salt, pepper.
•   Preparation: Blend spinach, lettuce, garlic, cream cheese; fold in chopped artichokes and onions. Top with vegan mozzarella, bake until bubbly.
•   Freezing: Freeze before baking; thaw and bake as needed.

Spicy Spinach and Lettuce Avocado Dip

•   Ingredients: spinach, lettuce, avocados, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, salt.
•   Preparation: Blend spinach, lettuce, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro. Mash with avocado, add lime juice, cumin, salt to taste.
•   Freezing: Freeze in small airtight containers; defrost overnight in refrigerator and stir well before serving.

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.

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.

Call our customer support team with any questions or help with calculations. Then place your order online. If you need help or have a question contact us at support[at]deep-roots-project.org and 708-655-5299.

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

Signup for Our Newsletter

Please leave your cell phone number when you sign up for our eNewsletter to get gardening and seasonal text messages 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.

Red Malabar Spinach: A Heat-Loving, Edible Beauty

A Heat-Loving, Edible Beauty

If you’re looking for a leafy green that thrives when the summer sun is blazing and most other greens have called it quits, Red Malabar Spinach is your new garden best friend.

Not a True Spinach

With its deep red stems, lush vining habit, and glossy, succulent leaves, this plant is as beautiful as it is useful. Although it’s not technically a true spinach, the taste and texture are close enough that many gardeners use it the same way and fall in love with it for its resilience and beauty.

Red Malabar Spinach, also called New Zealand spinach, climbing spinach, or Ceylon spinach, is officially known as Basella rubra. Native to India and tropical Asia, this plant thrives in heat and humidity. The hotter the summer, the more it seems to flourish.

Eat Raw or Cooked

The leaves are crisp and citrusy when eaten raw and mellow and earthy when cooked. You can toss it into salads, stir it into soups and curries, or blend it into green smoothies. It even produces vivid purple berries that aren't particularly flavorful, but they’re so striking that they’re sometimes used as a natural dye.

In India, the leaves are often sautéed with garlic, onion, chili, and mustard oil—a delicious combination worth trying. Cooked, the leaves are silky but not slimy. Raw, they’re juicy and full of bright, fresh flavor.

Growing Tips

At Deep Roots Project, we grow Malabar spinach using our signature method—100% living compost instead of traditional soil, enriched with worm castings for maximum microbial and nutrient density. This creates the ideal environment for Malabar spinach to grow large, strong, and flavorful, with none of the synthetic inputs used in conventional gardening. Our raised beds packed with life are perfect for heat-loving climbers like this one.

This vigorous vine needs a warm environment, a sturdy large trellis, and consistent moisture to perform at its best. It prefers full sun, though it can tolerate some shade, and it grows rapidly once the weather warms. A couple of plants are usually plenty for a household, producing baskets of leafy greens all through the hot months of summer and into early fall.

Plant Seeds or Stem Cuttings

You can grow Red Malabar Spinach from either seeds or stem cuttings in raised beds or containers. Seeds benefit from scarification—lightly scratching the surface with a nail file or sandpaper helps speed up germination.

Start the seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost if you live in a cooler region like Zone 5b or 6a. Transplant seedlings into the garden only once the soil has fully warmed and there’s no longer any threat of frost. In warmer zones, you can direct sow the seeds in late spring.

Stem cuttings root easily, and pruned vines can often be re-planted directly into the soil to continue growing. That’s just one more reason gardeners love this plant—it’s generous and forgiving.

When planting, give each vine plenty of space to spread out and something to climb. A fence, an arbor, or even an old tomato cage can do the trick. Some gardeners train it to grow over entryways or pergolas, letting the edible vines double as ornamental greenery.

Don’t plant next to large plants like tomatoes and cucumbers since it will grow all over the neighboring plants.

Keep Well Watered

The plant does best in rich, moist soil, and like many leafy greens, it can become bitter if it’s allowed to dry out or go to seed. So keep it well watered and pick the young leaves often to encourage fresh growth and discourage flowering.

Harvesting Tips

Harvest begins once the vines are established. Just snip off the growing tips and tender leaves as needed, leaving the stems to keep producing. The more you harvest, the bushier and more productive your plant becomes.

This plant is a gift for anyone who loves greens but struggles to keep them alive in the peak of summer. Where lettuce and spinach wither, Malabar spinach comes into its own, providing a steady harvest of greens during the hottest weeks of the year. It’s also a great choice for small-space gardens, since it can be grown vertically, freeing up room for other crops.

Save Your Seeds

If you want to save seeds for the next season, let a few berries mature on the vine until they turn deep purple. Once they dry, store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Avoid exposing them to high heat, which can damage their ability to germinate. A paper envelope or sealed glass jar in a cupboard works well.

Perfect for Hot Summers

Malabar spinach is one of those plants that seems too good to be true—gorgeous, delicious, productive, and practically bulletproof in the heat. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or trying your hand at summer greens for the first time, this one’s worth a spot in your raised bed or container garden.

Free Seed Offer for Spring 2025

To help introduce Red Malabar to our local community, Deep Roots is offering free seeds during May and June 2025. Please contact our customer service team at 708-655-5299 or support@deep-roots-project.org.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Place Raised Beds on Native Soil

At Deep Roots Project, we carefully research best practices using a wide range of trusted sources before making gardening recommendations. Our goal is to teach a method that makes food gardening not only successful, but also as easy and low-maintenance as possible—especially for busy people who want great results with less work.

Raised bed soil should touch the native soil below.

If you're installing a raised bed on gravel, place the gravel around the bed, not directly under the bed. Also, using landscape fabric under raised beds creates more risks and hassles than benefits.

Placing raised garden beds directly on compacted gravel or cement can significantly impede plant health and productivity. If you want gravel around your raised beds for convenience or aesthetics make sure you leave an area without gravel directly below the bed frame.

Drainage challenges and root development: Compacted gravel lacks the porosity necessary for proper water drainage. This can result in water pooling at the base of the raised bed, leading to waterlogged soil conditions. Such conditions deprive plant roots of essential oxygen, potentially causing root rot and stunted growth. Moreover, the hard surface of compacted gravel can act as a barrier, preventing roots from extending into the native soil below, thereby limiting access to deeper nutrients and moisture reserves.

Disruption of soil ecosystem: A thriving garden relies on a dynamic soil ecosystem, rich with microorganisms, fungi, earthworms and beneficial insects. These organisms play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and soil structure maintenance. When a raised bed is isolated from the native soil by a compacted gravel layer, it restricts the movement of these organisms into the bed. This isolation can lead to a less active soil ecosystem, reducing the natural fertility and resilience of the garden bed.

Landscape fabric under raised beds
causes more harm than good

Soil leakage and weeds: Most gardeners worry that soil will leak into the gravel or that weeds will creep up from below. But research and experience show that weeds rarely grow up through 15 inches of compost. Instead, they arrive from windblown seeds landing on the surface. And gravel itself is a natural weed deterrent. So putting plastic fabric between your gravel and raised bed won’t stop weeds—it just creates more work later.

Drainage issues: Landscape fabric also traps moisture and can interfere with drainage. If it gets clogged or pressed against uneven gravel, water may build up instead of draining freely, leading to soggy roots. Worse, it blocks the natural exchange of air, microbes, and moisture between the soil and the earth below. Over time, that hurts soil health and the thriving underground ecosystem your plants depend on.

Microplastic and chemical contamination: Another downside? Landscape fabric eventually breaks down into microplastics. Polypropylene, the most common material in these fabrics, doesn’t biodegrade. As it ages, it sheds plastic fibers into the soil—polluting your garden for years to come. Some fabrics also leach chemical into the soil over time.

In short, landscape fabric and gravel under raised beds may seem like a good idea, but it causes more harm than good. Stick with natural solutions, and you’ll support healthy soil, clean pathways, and a garden that grows stronger every year.

Ways to contain soil leakage onto gravel

So what can you do if you’re worried about raised bed soil (compost) leaking into your decorative gravel surrounding your bed? There are smart, ways to contain soil:

• Add coarse gravel pebbles: The best solution with the least work is to spread coarse gravel pebbles over your fine gravel extending about a foot around the bed. If soil leaks out of the bottom it will mix with the fine gravel and be hidden by the course gravel. Best choice is gray pebbles (also called pea gravel) with same gray color as your fine gravel.

• Recess the bed slightly—dig a shallow trench (2–3 inches) into the gravel so the bed frame sits lower. This helps hold in compost at the base.

• Line the bottom inside edge with cedar boards, bricks. These act as a gentle barrier without sealing off water flow.

• Add a natural breathable liner like burlap or straw inside the base of the bed. These will decompose safely over time while filtering fine soil particles during the first rains.

Ensure optimal garden health

A bonus tip: when you use 100% compost as you new “soil,” as Deep Roots Project recommends, it holds together better than blended soils. Compost's rich microbial structure helps it settle firmly and resist leaking.

By ensuring raised beds have direct contact with the native soil and are free from obstructive layers, gardeners can promote a healthier, more productive growing environment. Recommendations for optimal garden health to ensure the success of raised beds:

• Establish direct soil contact: Position raised beds so they rest directly on native soil, facilitating root expansion and organism movement.

• Enhance soil structure: Incorporate organic matter, such as compost, to improve soil aeration and water retention.

Avoid physical barriers: Refrain from using landscape fabric or similar materials beneath the bed, as they can hinder drainage and organism migration.

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.

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.

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.

Tomato Growing Myths & Mistakes

Tomatoes are the crown jewel of backyard gardens. No vegetable gets planted with more anticipation or more heartbreak when things go wrong. If you’ve struggled to get a good tomato harvest—or you’re growing them for the first time—this guide is here to help you avoid five common mistakes and grow juicy, healthy tomatoes the Deep Roots way.

Mistake #1: Leaving the Lower Leaves On

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make is leaving the lowest leaves on the tomato plant after it's been transplanted. These early leaves once served a purpose—helping the seedling break through the soil and photosynthesize—but once the plant grows taller, they become liabilities.

Rain and irrigation can splash soil up onto these bottom leaves, spreading fungal and bacterial diseases. By trimming the leaves below the first flower cluster, you dramatically reduce the risk of infection. This also improves airflow at the base, helping your tomato plant stay dry and disease-free.

Pro tip: If you’re planting tomatoes deep to encourage rooting along the stem (a great idea), trim the lower branches a few days before transplanting. That gives the stem time to heal and prevents infection from open wounds.

Mistake #2: Fertilizing the Wrong Way or Not Enough

Tomatoes are heavy feeders. Unlike forest ecosystems, vegetable gardens don’t replenish their nutrients naturally—everything the plants take from the soil must be put back by you.

Many gardeners under-fertilize or use low-quality fertilizers. At Deep Roots Project, we recommend a powerful, soil-friendly combination: worm castings and fish emulsion.

Why Deep Roots fertilizers work better. Most powdered fertilizers—especially the ones sold in bags at big-box stores—are manufactured from isolated nutrients. These quick-fix formulas may “green up” your plants fast, but they don’t feed the soil, and over time, your soil becomes depleted.

Worm castings are nature’s perfect slow-release fertilizer. Made by red wiggler worms from nutrient-dense organic matter, they’re packed with microbes that wake up your soil and help roots absorb nutrients better. They improve soil structure, water retention, and disease resistance—benefits that powdered fertilizers just can’t match.

Fish emulsion, especially cold-processed organic types, gives your tomatoes a gentle, balanced dose of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It’s also loaded with micro-nutrients and beneficial bacteria. When watered in every two weeks, it keeps your tomatoes growing strong without the harsh chemical burn of synthetic options.

Our Suggested Routine (Every Two Weeks):

•   Top-dress each plant with ½ to 1 cup of worm castings.

•   Water in with fish emulsion (about 2–3 tablespoons per gallon).

•   Repeat every 14 days for happy, productive plants.

Want to go 100% organic? Great. Need to cut costs and mix in a bit of a commercial product? Fine. But always keep high-quality compost and natural fertilizers at the heart of your routine. Healthy soil = healthy tomatoes.

Mistake #3: Over-Pruning Tomato Plants

Pruning has become a trend among tomato growers—but many are doing too much. For determinate (bush) or dwarf varieties, never prune above the first flower cluster. These plants are pre-programmed to stop growing at a certain height. Over-pruning means fewer fruits.

For indeterminate tomatoes (which keep growing all season), it’s tempting to remove every sucker (the shoots that grow between the main stem and branches). But unless you're growing inside a greenhouse with 20-foot vertical space, this "single-stem" method will lower your yield. In a home garden, allow suckers to develop—especially ones low on the plant that your support structure can handle. More suckers = more flowers = more tomatoes.

Key takeaway: Prune for airflow and structure, not out of habit. If you can’t explain why you're pruning a certain branch, don't prune it.

Mistake #4: Planting Too Late in Warm Climates

If you live in a hot, humid region, timing is everything. Once daytime temps consistently hit 90°F and nights don’t dip below 70°F, tomato flowers won’t pollinate. Pollen becomes sticky, and flowers drop without forming fruit.

In cooler regions, gardeners are taught to wait until the danger of frost is well past. But in the South and other hot climates, waiting too long can mean a total harvest failure. Tomatoes should be planted early in spring, so they reach their peak flowering before the worst summer heat arrives.

If you're relocating from a northern state, adjust your timing expectations. Aim to plant tomatoes on the shoulder season—early enough to flower before the summer swelter.

Mistake #5: Believing the 'Full Sun' Myth

“Full sun” is a misleading term. While tomato seedlings love spring sunshine, intense summer sun stresses the plants, making them more vulnerable to disease and insect attack.

In their native tropical forests, tomatoes grow as sprawling vines under a canopy of dappled light. That’s why Deep Roots recommends 40% shade cloth during the summer.

Here's the winning formula:

•   Let your tomatoes soak up the full sun in spring (April–May).

•   Then, install shade cloth starting around Memorial Day to mimic their native light conditions.

This keeps your plants cool, reduces disease pressure, and extends your harvest by 45 to 60 days.

Final Thoughts on Tomato Mistakes

Whether you’re growing five tomato plants or fifty, mastering these five tips will set you up for success. Use Deep Roots Project’s organic fertilizers, plant at the right time, prune wisely, and protect your tomatoes with shade when the summer sun turns brutal.

Tomatoes may be the most beloved crop in the garden—but they’re also one of the trickiest. With a little knowledge and the right soil-building approach, your tomato patch can become the envy of the neighborhood.

The Tomato Pruning Debate

Pruning tomato plants has been a topic of debate among gardeners. Some claim that it increases yield, while others believe it's unnecessary. Scientific evidence does suggest that pruning can have specific benefits, but the extent of its impact on yield can vary based on factors like tomato variety, growing conditions, soil nutrients/microbes and pruning techniques.

Recent research has begun to challenge the long-held belief that pruning tomato plants invariably leads to better yields and healthier crops. While pruning can offer certain benefits, such as improved air circulation and disease prevention, studies suggest that its impact on yield and fruit quality may not be as significant as once thought.

Are Benefits of Pruning Tomatoes Just a Myth?

Pruning is not a myth, but its benefits can be specific to certain circumstances:

Indeterminate vs. Determinate Varieties: Pruning is more beneficial for indeterminate varieties that continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the season.

Disease Management: Improved air circulation from pruning can reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Fruit Quality: Pruning can result in larger, higher-quality fruits.
However, for determinate varieties, which produce fruit in a shorter, more concentrated period, pruning is less critical and may not increase yield.

A Recent Science on Tomato Pruning

Studies collected by The Spruce suggest that while pruning can have specific benefits, such as disease prevention and plant manageability, it may not universally enhance yield or fruit quality. Home gardeners should consider factors like tomato variety, local climate, and available resources when deciding on pruning practices. For instance, determinate varieties often require minimal pruning, while indeterminate types may benefit from selective pruning to manage growth. Read full article by The Spruce “Should You Prune Out Tomato Suckers.”

The Spruce is committed to the quality and trustworthiness of their content and editorial processes. Their team of writers, editors, fact checkers, illustrators, photographers, and medical and financial professionals rigorously researches and reviews all content on an ongoing basis to ensure it is up to date, accurate, and puts the needs of their readers first. Learn more at The Spruce Content Integrity Promise

Customize Your Pruning Methods

In summary, pruning should be tailored to individual gardening contexts rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all solution. Understanding the specific needs of your tomato plants and observing their responses to pruning can lead to more informed and effective gardening practices.

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.

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.

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.

How to Start Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors is a fun and rewarding activity for gardeners of all levels. With a little bit of planning and care, you can grow healthy, strong seedlings that will thrive in your garden. It’s a great way to get a jumpstart on your garden and extend your growing season. It's also a fun and rewarding activity for gardeners of all levels.

Grow Strong, Healthy Seedlings

Starting seeds indoors is one of the most satisfying ways to get a head start on your garden—and it’s easier than you might think. This post will walk you through every step: from selecting seeds to preparing soil, to caring for your seedlings—and finishing with “hardening them off” before planting outdoors. Deep Roots uses a 1:! mix of our microbe-rich compost and worm castings as our potting soil, not shown in this video.

Why Start Seeds Indoors?

Whether you're growing tomatoes, peppers, herbs, or flowers, starting your own “transplants” (another word for seedlings) can save you money, expand your variety choices, and give your garden a healthy early boost.

By starting seeds indoors in early spring, you can give summer crops like tomatoes and peppers the head start they need to be productive all season long. It’s a great way to extend your growing season and get hands-on with your garden early in the year.

Follow These Simple Steps

Step 1: Choose the Right Seeds

Not every plant needs to be started indoors. Focus on varieties that need a longer growing season and benefit from transplanting, such as tomatoes, peppers, many herbs, and flowers. Choose seeds that are fresh, high quality, and well-suited to your growing conditions. You can buy them from local nurseries, trusted online seed retailers, or even seed swaps with other gardeners.

Step 2: Gather Your Supplies

To get started, you’ll need a few essentials. These include containers to plant in, such as seed trays or small pots with drainage holes. For an eco-friendly option, consider biodegradable pots made from materials like peat, coir, or paper—these can be planted directly into the garden without disturbing the roots. Your potting mix should be rich and alive; we recommend a blend of half microbe-rich compost and half worm castings. You’ll also need a light source—grow lights work best, since windows typically don’t provide enough consistent sunlight indoors. Keep a spray bottle or watering can nearby to keep the soil moist.

Step 3: Plant Your Seeds

Fill your containers with the compost and worm casting mixture, leaving about a quarter inch of space at the top. Gently press down the soil to remove any air pockets. Follow the seed packet instructions, but a general rule is to plant seeds about a quarter inch deep and place two to three seeds per cell or pot. Cover the seeds lightly with more soil and water gently. Be sure to label your trays so you know which plants are which.

Step 4: Provide Proper Light

Most seedlings require 12 to 14 hours of light per day to grow properly. A grow light is your best bet to provide this kind of steady illumination. While it might seem convenient to use a sunny window, it usually doesn’t provide strong or consistent enough light to keep your seedlings healthy. Without enough light, seedlings may become weak and leggy.

Step 5: Care for Your Seedlings

Once your seeds have germinated and begun to grow, keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. As they get taller, thin them out by snipping the weaker seedlings and leaving the strongest one in each pot. Eventually, your seedlings will outgrow their starter pots. At that point, transplant them into slightly larger containers filled with fresh compost and worm castings. This gives their roots more space to grow and prepares them for life in the garden.

Step 6: Harden Off Your Seedlings

Before you plant your seedlings outdoors, you’ll need to harden them off. This means gradually getting them used to outdoor conditions like wind, sun, and changing temperatures. Start this process about ten to fourteen days before you plan to transplant them into your garden.

On the first day, place the seedlings outside in a shaded, sheltered spot for one to two hours, then bring them back inside. Each day, increase their time outdoors and gradually expose them to more sunlight. Always bring them indoors at night unless the temperatures are very mild. This slow transition toughens up your seedlings and helps prevent transplant shock, giving them the best chance to thrive when they go into the ground.

Step 7: When Are Seedlings Ready to Go Outside?

Before moving your seedlings to your outdoor garden beds, it’s important to make sure they’re mature and sturdy enough to handle the transition. A good rule of thumb is to wait until your seedlings have at least two to three sets of “true leaves”—the ones that grow after the first small seed leaves (called cotyledons). At this point, the plant is photosynthesizing and growing on its own.

Your seedlings should be about 3 to 6 inches tall, with strong, thick stems. If they are tall and wobbly, they may need more time under the grow lights or better airflow to strengthen their stems. The roots should be well-developed and hold the soil together when gently removed from the container. If the roots are still fragile or fall apart easily, give your seedlings more time indoors. However, if the roots are circling the pot tightly (called rootbound), it’s time to transplant.

Step 8: Planting Dates

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. Learn more details about planting dates in the Chicago area in our blog post on planting calendar for Zones 5b & 6a.

The average last frost dates for Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, including Oak Park and River Forest, in 2025 are typically April 21 to 30. However, it's important to note that this is just an average, and there's always a chance of frost occurring before or after these dates. 

Gardeners not in the Chicago area can ask their local university ag extension or a botanic garden for a planting calendar and average frost dates for their climate zone.

Final Thoughts

Starting seeds indoors is a simple and deeply rewarding practice that lets you take control of your growing season. It’s a fun way to engage with your garden long before outdoor planting begins. With a little planning, care, and patience, you’ll grow strong, healthy transplants that are ready to flourish the moment they hit the soil.

You can also use Winter Sowing techniques to start some seeds outdoors - see the blog linked below.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Understanding Compost and Mulch

What to Use Where, and Why It Matters

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All Compost Is Not Equal

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.

When we add organic worm castings (vermicompost), our microbial populations explode with diversity and strength, increasing nutrient availability and plant resilience even further.

In contrast, many bagged retail composts are mostly ground-up wood chips and tree bark—byproducts of the lumber industry. These materials are low in nutrients, often still decomposing (which robs nitrogen from your plants), and nearly devoid of microbial life. Yet, they’re marketed as “organic” simply because they come from trees.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.