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Fall & Winter

How to Force Branches to Bloom Indoors Before Spring

Published on April 3, 2025 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Spring flowering shrub branch

This guide shows how to take budding branches from flowering trees and shrubs and coax them into blooming indoors—weeks ahead of schedule. You'll learn when to cut, how to care for the branches, and … [Read more...]

February Garden Checklist: Tasks & DIY Projects

Published on February 1, 2025 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Growing seedlings indoors under LED lights

There's a saying that February is both the shortest and longest month of the year. And for cold climate gardeners it means the growing season is still a few months away. These February tasks will … [Read more...]

January Garden Checklist: Tasks & DIY Projects

Published on January 17, 2025 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Snowy winter garden in January

January garden tasks for cold-climate gardeners include winter maintenance, early indoor seed starting, creative crafts and DIY projects, and planning for the upcoming growing season. This … [Read more...]

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

Published on December 17, 2024 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Seedlings growing indoors

Most indoor seed starting begins just weeks before last frost in spring. But some plants like the vegetable cultivars listed here are slow-growing and need a much longer jump start. Started indoors in … [Read more...]

2024 Fall Hummingbird Migration (Canada & United States)

Published on August 2, 2024 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Fall hummingbird migration map for the United States and Canada.

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...]

Simple Trick to Save the Best Seeds from Your Garden

Published on May 25, 2024 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Favorite poppy flower marked in the garden for future seed saving.

Use this tip while your flowers are blooming to guarantee you save top-quality seeds for next year’s planting. The healthiest flowers, fruits, and vegetables have superior genetics, so be sure to mark … [Read more...]

Outdoor Plant Tags & Markers that Last a Lifetime (Really)

Published on May 3, 2024 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

Long lasting plant labels and Brother label maker.

These DIY plant markers are the longest lasting option I have found. They are completely weather-resistant and will last year-round outdoors indefinitely. Also see Best (Cheap & Easy) DIY Tags … [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).
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