Drainage is a common problem throughout Utah.| extension.usu.edu
Leave the leaves! There are so many beneficial uses including mulching garden beds, insulating plants from damaging winter conditions, creating nutritious compost, and providing essential food and habitat for living things.| Empress of Dirt
How do you know if you are overwatering your plants? We tend to be so anxious about making sure our garden gets enough water that it's easy to forget you can go too far the other way.| Empress of Dirt
Use this simple test to determine how much sand, silt, and clay are in your garden soil. We tend to ignore it as new gardeners but soil is the key to healthy, happy plants.| Empress of Dirt
Whether marketed as topsoil, black soil, black earth, or some other catchy phrase, it’s not easy to know what’s in the bag. Use these tips to help guide your soil shopping decisions.| Empress of Dirt
If you want to understand what your garden needs, a soil test can measure soil health and nutrients to identify any deficiencies. We tried a popular do-it-yourself home test with a lab test to see how they compare.| Empress of Dirt
Use this handy soil calculator to calculate the total size (volume) of your garden bed, raised bed, flower pot, container, or window box to know how much soil, mulch, compost, or potting mix you need and the estimated cost to fill it.| Empress of Dirt
Ready to build a raised garden bed? These free beginner plans include designs in different shapes, sizes, and heights to fit a wide range of garden spaces.| Empress of Dirt
We hear a lot about ways to alter our soil pH to suit certain plants, but what is soil pH and we should be messing with it? Dive in to learn the basics and find out how your soil pH level can help guide your plant decisions.| Empress of Dirt
No matter what, you win. By keeping kitchen scraps and turning them into compost, we divert food waste from landfills and offer essential nutrients to our garden plants. Learn how to make compost quickly, plus the slower way for those who do not have the time.| Empress of Dirt
Animal manures are an excellent source of nutrients for our gardens and help improve soil structure. But which ones are best? Cattle? Sheep? Horse? Also, find out why manure should be composted before use and what to know before you buy.| Empress of Dirt
Knowing your garden’s growing conditions helps you select the right plants, plan for seasonal changes, and make sustainable choices. Use these tips to create your own garden profile, covering everything from frost dates to soil health, for better planning and long-term success.| Empress of Dirt
