Garden zones or plant hardiness zones are frequently mentioned in gardening. But, do you know what your zone is? Or, how to find it—and—most importantly—what it means for your garden? Let's look how this information helps but why it does not give the full picture for gardeners.| Empress of Dirt
Lots of gardeners are trying no-dig gardening but what exactly is it and what are the benefits? Let's have a look at this approach and why it might be a good option.| Empress of Dirt
Neem oil, often suggested for pest control, has big drawbacks: it is not selective and can harm beneficial insects and Lepidoptera including butterflies and moths. For these reasons (and more), it is not a harmless solution.| Empress of Dirt
Use these tips to store your seeds at home and keep them viable as long as possible. There are lots of options using an assortment of containers so long as the seeds are kept cool and dry.| 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
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
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
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 versus 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
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
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
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
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
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
Hummingbirds and bees love bee balm (Monarda). Use these tips to grow it and attract them to your garden.| 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
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
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
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
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
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
