“Americans are sicker than ever, and it’s not only resulting in poor physical and mental health; it’s impacting our economy, our environment, our children’s future, and our national security. Although new science tells us that nutrition is the most important part of wellness, ultra-processed foods dominate the American diet which drives our obesity, chronic disease, and mental health crises.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
The brassica family of vegetables, which includes broccolini, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi, are susceptible to various pests and diseases. See our lists below of (1) common pests and diseases affecting brassicas in Northern Illinois and (2) safe organic pesticides best used to control them.
Starting a food garden can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Although it takes planning and effort, the rewards are well worth it. With a little bit of know-how and some careful planning, you can enjoy fresh, delicious produce right from your own backyard. You also get to reap the benefits of physical activity and time spent outdoors.
Don’t hang up your gardening gloves just yet! Fall is the most important season for improving your soil. If soil is still warm, nutrients and organic matter in the compost stimulate micro-organisms. This is the time when you get a head start on your growing season. What you do NOW and the products you use NOW will make the difference between an OK garden and a spectacular harvest.
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.
Deep Roots innovative method “Transformational Gardening” combines the best practices of “Organic Farming” and “Regenerative Farming” and applies them to kitchen gardens with raised beds and large containers. Integrating the two systems addresses their shortcomings and adapts them to small growing spaces and raised beds. The result is a robust and resilient natural gardening system that promotes soil and crop biodiversity.
The DRP team absolutely loves the videos on this page by environment scientist Octaivia Hopwood. The links to articles, books, and videos on our Deep Roots blog posts are not merely copied and pasted. They have been selected after hours spent consulting and evaluating literally hundreds of resources.
