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Sign up here for the free Empress of Dirt creative gardening newsletter. You can also receive a weekly message with all the latest articles and news.| Empress of Dirt
Sign up here for the free Empress of Dirt creative gardening newsletter. You can also receive a weekly message with all the latest articles and news.| Empress of Dirt
Birdhouses offer safe nesting spots, but each bird species has different needs. Use these plans to build boxes that suit your favorite backyard birds.| Empress of Dirt
Discover creative ways to repurpose an old birdbath into a charming garden planter. Ideas include planting with annuals or succulents, and crafting mini rock and fairy gardens.| Empress of Dirt
August is our time to savor summer—harvesting, crafting, and soaking it in—while also preparing the garden for fall vegetables and planting for the year ahead.| Empress of Dirt
The end of the warm season shouldn't stop you from keeping compost. You can save those fruit and vegetable scraps for your garden all winter long. It's easy in a cold climate.| Empress of Dirt
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
Create colorful cotton fabrics at home with MX dyes. This ebook shows how to dye fabric for quilting, sewing, or even a small hand-dyed fabric business.| Empress of Dirt
Creative + Frugal Home & Garden Ideas| 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
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
If you want to block your neighbor’s view of your backyard there are lots of privacy options even if you do not have a fence.| Empress of Dirt
Want to grow houseplants from kitchen scraps? Learn how to grow avocado, mango, orange, lemon, lime, ginger, pineapple, tomato and more using seeds and cuttings.| 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
I built this in-ground garden pond on my own, using a pond kit and some rocks. I’ll take you through the entire process, from digging the hole to setting the rocks and building the waterfall.| Empress of Dirt
In cold climates, July is peak garden season with flowers blooming, food crops thriving, and pollinators busy. Here are some garden tasks to do this month.| Empress of Dirt
Get a bundle of garden-related digital products from Empress of Dirt. If you would like a sweet deal on our most popular items, this is for you.| Empress of Dirt
Take the stress out of vegetable gardening with this weekly plan for sowing seeds indoors and outdoors from spring to fall to time everything just right.| Empress of Dirt
Just about any fruit tree or soft fruit including berries can grow in containers if you start with the right plants and growing conditions. Browse the suggestions and see what's best for your growing space.| 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
Most plants prefer neutral soil, but many thrive in acidic conditions too. Explore this list of trees, shrubs, perennials, fruits, and more for low-pH gardens.| 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
Many of us identify as organic gardeners and say we garden organically, but what does this mean? It may not be easy to define the term but having a basic organic ethos or personal philosophy about gardening can help steer every garden decision we make.| 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
Is compost tea good for plants? Should I make it for my garden? Let’s look at what is known about compost tea and what—if any—value it has for improving soil and feeding plants.| Empress of Dirt
This simple tutorial shows how to take cuttings from your pothos houseplant (Epipremnum aureum) and root them for new plants.| Empress of Dirt
Learn which flowering bulbs come back each year, which don’t, and how to care for perennial varieties after blooming to give them the best chance of flowering again.| Empress of Dirt
A smelly compost pile is a sign something's wrong. Learn why compost can smells like rotten eggs or ammonia and how to fix it with these simple steps.| 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
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
Create a secluded space with this combination raised bed and privacy fence. Using standard lumber sizes, it’s an easy-to-assemble DIY project.| 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
What is the best way to fill a tall raised bed or large planter without spending a lot of money? The secret is to put your best soil where you need it and fill the rest of the container with other harmless materials. There are plenty of natural, organic, and synthetic options.| Empress of Dirt
Back and knee pain can limit garden time as we age. These accessible ideas make gardening easier and more comfortable so you can keep doing what you love.| Empress of Dirt
Wildlife gardening can transform even a modest urban space into a thriving habitat. In these videos, UK ecological gardener Chris Baines shares how he created his own wildlife garden and pond decades ago and how it’s doing today.| Empress of Dirt
Wondering if crop rotation is really necessary in your home vegetable garden? This article explains why the practice may not offer much benefit in small, diverse gardens, and what to focus on instead for healthy, productive plants.| 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
Wondering which fertilizer to use in your garden? This guide explains the differences between organic and synthetic fertilizers and how to choose the best option for your garden's long-term health.| Empress of Dirt
This printable garden planner comes as a digital file you download to your device and print out. With its simple forms and lists, it is intended for gardeners who like to do their garden planning and journaling by hand with a pen on paper. This is not a gardening guide but instead a simple framework to assist with garden planning and note-taking.| 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
Tall raised garden beds and salad tables make gardening easier and more accessible while helping deter pests like rabbits. This photo gallery shares ideas from home gardens.| Empress of Dirt
If you need basic plant name labels to help organize your seeds or track seedling containers, these ready-to-print files are helpful. This digital product includes four popular layouts to suit a variety of uses.| Empress of Dirt
Many of us started gardening before we ever understood the ecological impact of our choices. Little did we know how seemingly innocuous decisions like plant selections, soil amendments, or pest management can have very different outcomes, either helping or harming the environment. While one garden alone may not make a big impact, the cumulative effect of millions of us toiling away in our yards really adds up.| Empress of Dirt
Empress of Dirt ebooks featuring creative and frugal home and garden ideas.| Empress of Dirt
Is there anything worth buying for the garden at the dollar store? We scoured the aisles to look for items that are useful and long-lasting—not single-use or disposable—and discovered some good finds.| Empress of Dirt
Want to know if seeds will germinate without going to the trouble of sowing them? This easy paper towel test shows which seeds will sprout and along with the expected germination rates.| Empress of Dirt
Indoor Seed Starting for Beginners | Sow Indoors Grow Outdoors is a complete, easy-to-follow guide for new gardeners who want to start seeds indoors to grow outdoor plants.| Empress of Dirt
We need gardeners to grow milkweed plants for the survival of the monarch butterflies. These beautiful flowering native plants are essential for more butterflies, bees, insects, birds, and more.| Empress of Dirt
Get your seeds organized with these easy container systems. Managing seeds is a breeze when you have a system that works for you.| Empress of Dirt
This simple system shares how to organize your garden seeds in a manner that is logical, easy to use, and easy to maintain. Gather up your seeds, follow along, and let's get everything in order.| Empress of Dirt
Hummingbirds and bees love bee balm (Monarda). Use these tips to grow it and attract them to your garden.| Empress of Dirt
Forget letting birds nest in cute but unsafe birdhouses! If you really want to help wild birds, provide proper nesting boxes made for specific species and do what you can to prevent birds from using other hazardous nesting locations.| Empress of Dirt
If you provide birdseed for wild birds, it is essential to clean your feeders on a regular basis using the tips here to prevent the spread of disease and avoid spoilage.| Empress of Dirt
This beginner’s guide to botanical names shares the basics for gardeners wanting to get comfortable using the scientific names for plants. Once you understand the conventions for how the names are formed and written, you will know a lot more about the plants.| Empress of Dirt
If you need cheap, easy-to-use tags for tracking your indoor seedlings, there are several options. We've tested several common materials along with the writing tools gardeners like best.| Empress of Dirt
There are all sorts of creative, low-cost ways to make your own plant tags, markers, and labels for the garden. Grab some art supplies and repurposed household items and get crafty.| Empress of Dirt
Welcome to Empress of Dirt’s Two Minutes in the Garden—our podcast! Get bite-sized informative updates on gardening basics, gardening myths and other subjects of interest to gardeners both new and experienced.| Empress of Dirt
How to make nectar for hummingbirds in the right sugar to water ratio to match how nature does it. Also see which feeders are best for the birds.| Empress of Dirt
Discover the incredible journey of monarch butterflies and explore how gardeners can help them thrive. From planting milkweed for caterpillars to providing nectar-rich flowers and sheltered roosting spots, every step counts.| Empress of Dirt
Transform your garden into a hummingbird haven with an abundance of nectar-rich flowers, nutritious bugs, and plenty of trees and shrubs in a pesticide-free environment.| Empress of Dirt
Use this guide to select top-quality birdseed for wild birds. By filling feeders with quality seed, you meet their needs and minimize waste.| Empress of Dirt
Bees are essential for our gardens but is there a harmless way to keep them away from hummingbird feeders? Use these tips to bee-proof your sugar water feeder and save it just for the hummingbirds.| Empress of Dirt
The fall hummingbird migration south from parts of Canada and the United States begins as temperatures start to cool. When it starts depends on their summer location and how far they have to travel. Find out what to expect as these tiny birds make the long, solo flights to their winter homes.| Empress of Dirt
If your Dyson vacuum cleaner battery has long stopped working and the warranty has expired, this popular hack could help. By adding a simple adapter, the vac can run on common 20v power tool batteries, giving the machine a new life for years to come.| Empress of Dirt
Follow these tips to harvest and store seeds from your flowers, fruits, and veggies. With the right timing and storage, you'll have free seeds ready for next season.| Empress of Dirt
Use this tip while your flowers are blooming to guarantee you save top-quality seeds for next year’s planting. The healthiest flowers, fruits, and vegetables have superior genetics, so be sure to mark your best for later.| Empress of Dirt
The best birdbath is not only attractive in the garden but keeps birds safe. Use these tips to ensure your backyard birdbath is the right style and depth to provide a safe place for wild birds to drink and bathe.| Empress of Dirt
These DIY plant markers are the longest lasting option I have found. They are completely weather-resistant and will last year-round outdoors indefinitely.| Empress of Dirt
This seed viability chart lists how long you can expect packets of garden seeds to remain viable. Each seed type has its own shelf life, making it essential to list "sow before" dates on your seed packets for optimal success.| Empress of Dirt
Use this spring gardening checklist to get your garden in shape as the days become warmer and longer. While some tasks should wait until after last frost, there are plenty of things to do now.| Empress of Dirt
If you started seeds indoors and they are not germinating, or they have sprouted but they are failing to thrive, this should help you troubleshoot the problem.| Empress of Dirt
Spring is migration time for hummingbirds travelling from their winter homes to breeding habitats in the United States and Canada. Use this map to know when to expect them in your area.| Empress of Dirt
What is the best wood to choose for raised garden beds? Which wood lasts the longest? Can the wood harm my garden? Find out the best wood to choose.| Empress of Dirt
