Although deep watering is usually best, over watering can also stress your plants. Of course, there will be a lot of variables to take into consideration – such as the amount of rain and other weather conditions. Do a simple moisture test with your finger on the top 2 to 4 inches of soil before you water. Be careful about the watering tips you see circulating on the internet or in Youtube videos!

Garlic and onions are often casually grouped with root vegetables — but that is botanically incorrect. Garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, and chives all belong to the allium family: plants that grow as bulbs, which are modified stems surrounded by fleshy leaf bases.

Most gardeners in the Chicago area are now considered Zone 6a, due in part to the warming effects of Lake Michigan and long-term climate change.

Use a dedicated bed and a different soil to grow root vegetables - Deep Roots explains why.

Here is the slideshow from the Deep Roots Project Edible Garden Planning interactive workshop held Sunday, March 8, 2026 at the Oak Park Main Library.

Here is the slideshow from the Deep Roots Project and BEAT Roots interactive workshop held Saturday, February 7, 2026 at the Oak Park Main Library.

By combining native plants, ornamentals and flowers with a food garden, you can create a beautiful and productive outdoor space that will provide fresh produce, attract wildlife, and bring joy to your life. It is a wonderful way to bring beauty, sustainability, and fresh produce to your outdoor space. Create a unique & thriving edible landscape with natives, flowers, ornamentals & food crops.

The Soil Food Web shows how soil life turns organic matter into plant nutrition. This is a natural and essential process that releases nutrients, builds soil structure, and supports healthier plants. Your garden soil is a kitchen, recycling center and immune system all in one.

Transformational Gardening is an innovative method used by Deep Roots Project to grow food in organic kitchen gardens with limited space and raised beds. We provide our gardeners with the best products for success – like cedar raised beds, microbe-rich compost and microbe-rich worm castings. Check our many tips and details in our blog posts from the links scattered throughout this post.

Welcome to the Deep Roots Project's full season guide for climate zones 5b and 6a. We go step-by-step through our innovative and easy to learn organic gardening method from early spring preparation through fall harvest.

At Deep Roots, every raised garden bed we build is made from Eastern cedar (often called Eastern Red Cedar). We chose it because it performs beautifully outdoors and it can be a responsible wood choice when it’s harvested and used thoughtfully.

The idea is simple: move healthy peppers into pots before hard frost, keep them alive with minimal effort through winter, and set them back outside in spring for a head start.