Need a rat-proof compost bin or a way to keep rodents including mice out? This tumbler compost bin keeps your food scraps away from pests and makes good compost for the garden.| Empress of Dirt
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
The cardboard method makes it easy to turn lawn into garden beds. It smothers grass as it breaks down, with most beds ready to plant in 4 to 6 months.| 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
Is wood ash good for the garden? For centuries, people tossed fireplace ashes in their yards, but its impact on plants and soil depends on various factors.| 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
Used in farming for years, you can also grow cover crops in your home garden to improve and protect the soil. The recommended seed sowing times are early spring and fall.| Empress of Dirt
Many garden plants prefer "well-draining" soil—but what is it and how do you know if you have it? Use our simple test to assess your garden's drainage conditions and why it matters.| 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