It’s important to understand how average temperatures shift through the seasons and the preferred temperature range for specific crops in your climate zone.This post is mostly about the Chicago area (climate zones 5b and 6a). Use a planting calendar for your climate zone.

Know which crops are cold tolerant and which need warmth to thrive. Know how to protect your seeds and seedlings from unexpected temperatures. How early you can plant in spring depends on the hardiness (cold tolerance) of the vegetables and your climate.

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!

This post gives beginner gardeners tips and tricks for planting a successful garden from the first year. We want to help you avoid common beginner mistakes.

This post is for gardeners with many levels of experience who want to reap the many rewards of learning to grow from BOTH seeds and seedlings. Remember that some crops must be grown from seed since the young plant can’t survive transplanting. The Deep Root team will continue researching and testing new tricks and tips that will require the least time and energy. Skip parts you are not ready to tackle now and come back to them later.

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

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.

Growing vertically in a food garden offers several advantages, including increased yields, efficient use of space, improved air circulation, and easier maintenance. A trellis can also shade cool season veggies from summer heat. The trellis designs below offer different options for supporting a wide range of climbing vegetables. Construct your own trellis or buy them ready-made.

Converting a lawn to a native plant garden using cardboard to cover and kill the grass is an environmentally friendly and low-maintenance method. This process is called sheet mulching or lasagna gardening, and it involves layering materials to suppress grass and weeds, improve soil quality, and support the growth of native plants.

One way to ensure a quick and bountiful harvest is planting fast-growing crops from seed directly in your outdoor beds. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or just starting out, planting fast-growing crops can be a fun and rewarding experience. Not only do these crops provide a quick return on your investment, but they also offer a variety of benefits, such as not waiting long for results. reducing the risk of pest and disease, making space to replant more diverse crops and increasing your harvest when space is limited. Fast-growing crops typically germinate quickly and will be ready for harvesting in just a few weeks.

Starting a vegetable garden from scratch may seem daunting, but some vegetables are easier to grow from seed than others. Growing your own vegetables from seed can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. Not only is it cost-effective, but it also allows you to control the quality of the produce because more seed varieties are available than transplants from a nursery. Blog posts are coming soon on growing tips for specific crops.

Even if you successfully planted in spring, refresh your memory and follow these important steps if you are planning on planting new seeds or seedlings now.

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