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.
Want nice full zinnia plants with lots of flowers? The secret is pinching. By cutting back some stems while the plant is young, zinnias respond by creating more stems and that means more buds and bloo ... [Read More...]
Get creative with old house windows and build a mini greenhouse for your garden. These step-by-step plans make a sturdy, lasting structure from recycled parts. ... [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...]
This simple tutorial shows how to take cuttings from your pothos houseplant (Epipremnum aureum) and root them for new plants. There are also practical tips for How to Grow African Violets From … [Read more...]
A beginner-friendly guide to growing delicious tomatoes from seed to harvest. Discover everything you need to grow healthy plants and sweet, juicy fruit. If you want to grow tomatoes from seed, … [Read more...]
June is a busy time for cold-climate gardeners. Summer is here and it’s time to plant, create, and visit other gardens for inspiration. Have a look at the ideas for this month. June Garden … [Read more...]
Learn how to identify, manage, and prevent mealybug infestations on your houseplants with practical tips for spotting signs early and keeping plants healthy. If you've got little jumping bugs, see … [Read more...]
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. If you're new to this, see How … [Read more...]
Wondering why nearby hummingbirds aren't visiting your feeders? This checklist looks at why they might be avoiding your yard—or choosing a neighbor’s instead. By understanding what they need, you can … [Read more...]
Be sure to stay on top of these early summer garden chores to avoid missed opportunities for plant propagation and prevent small issues from turning into big problems. If time has slipped away, … [Read more...]
