Welcome! I'm Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada). I've got creative and frugal ideas for your home and garden. New to this site? Start here.
Turn old bed frames into real garden beds. See creative ways gardeners repurpose metal bed frames to enclose garden beds, build benches, and add charm to their outdoor spaces. ... [Read More...]
If you live in a cold climate, there are plenty of annual and perennial flower seeds you can sow in the fall garden. Later, as winter turns to spring, the seeds germinate, giving a jump start on sprin ... [Read More...]
Hummingbirds are sweet, curious, and fiesty visitors in the garden but did you know you can unknowingly poison or kill them by providing the wrong nectar or neglecting the feeder? Learn how to make hu ... [Read More...]
Spring beauty starts in fall. See what you can do now to give your garden a jump-start for the season ahead. Also be sure to get the free, printable Fall Gardening Checklist for more ways … [Read more...]
Turn everyday items into something useful or decorative with these secondhand DIY ideas. Repurpose what you own for a one-of-a-kind home and garden. If you're not sure where to start, check your … [Read more...]
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. … [Read more...]
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. If you'd like an overview by season, … [Read more...]
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. Also see How to Dye Fabric Naturally … [Read more...]
Peat has long been a staple in commercial potting mixes, but growing environmental concerns are prompting gardeners to seek more sustainable, peat-free alternatives. We also have guides on … [Read more...]
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. For more, see garden task lists for … [Read more...]
