SEARCH
MENU
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
Creative & Frugal Home & Garden Ideas

Empress of Dirt

  • Grow
  • Make
  • Ideas

New here?

Dig in!

Start here

Plant Lists

20 Fast-Growing Vegetables in 4-6 Weeks (Spring or Fall)

Published on March 16, 2026 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Examples of fast-growing cool-tolerant vegetables including carrots, radishes, and spinach.

Quick-growing vegetables for cool spring and fall gardens include leafy greens, carrots, beets, radishes, and peas. Many are ready from seed to harvest just four to six weeks. If you are new to … [Read more...]

10 Vegetable Seeds to Start Indoors in Winter Before It’s Too Late

Published on March 2, 2026 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Example of a slow-growing tomato plant seed.

Most seeds are started indoors weeks before last frost. But some slow-growing vegetables need extra time indoors to be ready to plant out in spring. If you are interested in outdoor sowing, I have … [Read more...]

When To Start Seeds Indoors (Easy Printable Sowing Plan)

Published on January 15, 2026Last updated February 25, 2026 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Seedlings starting indoors.

This indoor seed starting plan is designed for cold climate gardeners in Canada and the U.S. Follow along to time your seeds just right for indoor sowing and outdoor planting. This is part of a … [Read more...]

Growing Softwood Cuttings: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 23, 2024 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Diagram showing how to take softwood cuttings and plant them in potting mix.

Use softwood cuttings to propagate new plants from favorite annuals and perennials. Includes recommended plants and detailed step-by-step instructions. In late fall and winter, you can root older … [Read more...]

25 Vegetables You Can Grow in Shade

Published on July 11, 2023 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Vegetables growing in part shade.

Forget the old-fashioned advice that you need full sun to grow a vegetable garden. There are lots of crops like broccoli, beans, and spinach that can grow just fine with part-sun or shade during the … [Read more...]

Hostas for Sun: Sun-Tolerant Options For Your Garden

Published on June 20, 2023 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Hostas in a sunny garden.

Can hostas grow in the sun? Yes, while we think of hostas as shade plants, there are dozens of varieties that thrive in full-sun conditions so long as the roots receive consistent moisture and never … [Read more...]

How to Naturalize Bulbs in Lawn For a Sea of Flowers

Published on January 30, 2022 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

Blue flowering bulbs naturalized in a lawn.

Turn a plain grass lawn into a sea of beautiful spring flowers by planting bulbs that gradually naturalize and multiply year after year. Choose early-flowering varieties to provide much-needed pollen … [Read more...]

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 5
  • Next Page »

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.
More:ย Contact/About
New here? Dig in!ย  |ย  Our Podcast

Handy Resources

  • Create Your Garden Profile
  • Soil-Mulch-Potting Mix Calculator
  • Garden Name Generator
  • Explore more โ–บ

 

DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS

Some articles on this site contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Affiliate and Ad Disclosure | Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Copyright © 2026 ยท Empress of Dirt Creative + Frugal Home & Garden Ideas