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Plant Growing Tips

Tips and tutorials for growing a variety of plants including annuals and perennials including flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, and vines.

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How to Care for Christmas Cactus Year-Round

Top Strawberry Growing Tips

7 Best Tips for Growing Dahlias (Year After Year)

Why Epsom Salt is Not Good For Your Garden (or the Environment)

Published on May 5, 2026 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Collage with roses in a garden and a bag of Epsom salt.

Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is frequently recommended as a plant fertilizer but it's rarely lacking in home gardens and the excess harms waterways. This is part of a series on common garden … [Read more...]

Popular Garden Myths We’ve All Fallen For

Published on December 11, 2025 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Examples of popular garden myths.

Garden myths spread fast, yet many are rooted in old folklore, not facts. See why popular fixes like Epsom salt and household remedies may do more harm than good. You can avoid a lot of … [Read more...]

Why Gardeners Are Going Peat-Free

Published on July 5, 2025 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Bowl of potting mix with peat.

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...]

12 Sweet & Juicy Tomato Growing Tips

Published on June 4, 2025 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Collage of images of tomato plants, fruits, and flowers.

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...]

What to Do About Mealybugs on Houseplants

Published on May 26, 2025 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Mealybug infestation on houseplants

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...]

Will My Flowering Bulbs Come Back Next Year?

Published on May 24, 2025 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Flowering tulips in the spring garden.

Learn which flowering bulbs come back each year, which donโ€™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...]

Garden Speak: Odd Terms That Confuse & Amuse New Gardeners

Published on May 1, 2025 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Garden image with examples of garden jargon words like bolting and deadheading.

Garden-speak can sound like a secret language, especially when you're just getting started. This guide unpacks the oddest termsโ€”like bolting, deadheading, and hardening offโ€”with friendly, … [Read more...]

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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
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