For urban and suburban gardeners, potatoes can feel like a crop that belongs on farms, not patios, side yards, and small backyard beds. But the right variety and the right growing method can turn a few square feet into a surprisingly productive potato patch.

A shady yard can feel discouraging to a food gardener. Most people look at a dim corner, a north-facing wall, or the space beneath trees and assume it is a dead zone where vegetables will never grow well. But that assumption is totally wrong.

Grow for the pantry before you grow for novelty – dependable calories, long storage, and crops that make simple meals taste good are what turn a garden into real food security.

Welcome to your Summer + Fall planting guide for the Deep Roots method—built in the same spirit as our Spring step-by-step. Think of this as your two-season roadmap: surviving the heat, staying ahead of pests, and then pivoting smoothly into a wildly productive fall harvest.

Companion planting is one of the simplest ways to create a healthier, more productive garden. By growing certain crops together, gardeners can naturally improve plant health, reduce pest problems, make better use of limited space, and even increase harvests.

You’ve babied your seedlings indoors for weeks. Before they go into the garden, they need one more step – hardening off.

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.