Two Minutes in the Garden: Gardening Tips, Science, Myths

It's a question that's been asked for millennia. So you might reasonably think that we'd have a conclusive answer by now. READ THE LATEST at Empress of Dirt: Make a Bluebird Nesting Box (Free Plans)

Some fun facts about our little garden friends. For one, they're the only bird that can really hover ... but they can't walk. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: 2020 Hummingbird Migration Map (Find Out When to Expect Them)

In much of the U.S. and Canada, we will soon be welcoming hummingbirds back to our gardens. When will they arrive and how can we prepare? READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: 2020 Hummingbird Migration Map (Find Out When to Expect Them)

Spring is going to be different this year, but plants and birds will carry on as if nothing has happened and there's lots to keep you busy. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: Fling Into Spring With The Spring Gardening Checklist

It may be the only good news we're getting this week, but it's the beginning of spring and gardens will soon be blooming. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: Fling Into Spring With The Spring Gardening Checklist

Once you've tested your soil texture, you'll probably find out that it's less than ideal. What do you do next? READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: What's Your Soil Type? Try This Easy Test

Tiny bits of minerals in your soil are going to make a big difference in your garden -- and it's easy to find out your soil texture. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: What's Your Soil Type? Try This Easy Test

The size of tiny bits of minerals in your soil can make a big difference in your gardening. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: 6 Tips for Growing Hollyhocks and Dealing With Rust

So much of the success of our garden depends on our soil -- a very thin layer where rocks, the atmosphere, living things and water all come together. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: 10 Reasons Hardy Bulbs Like Tulips Will Not Bloom

We know that we plant bulbs in the ground to get new plants, but what are they, exactly? READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: The Beauty of the Fibonacci Sequence in the Garden

There have been seeds that remained viable after more than 1,000 years, but we're usually happy with 5 or 6. How can we extend the life of seeds? READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: Germination Trick for Stubborn Delphinium Seeds

The best ways to improve your chances of avoiding damping-off -- and how basic plant care and seed starting mix help. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: 40 Funny, Cute, Sarcastic and Sentimental Garden Signs

It's the biggest threat your seedlings may face -- diseases caused by fungi and other pathogens in the soil. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: How To Read Seed Packets (Tips for Beginners)

Seedlings need water, but you can give them too much of a good thing. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: Seed Starting for Beginners: Sow Inside Grow Outside

Even experienced gardeners can feel anxiety about all the choices for lighting, but it doesn't have to be that complicated.

Continuing our look at what you need to provide your seeds in the stages leading up to germination. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: Seed Starting for Beginners: Sow Inside Grow Outside

Part one of a series on starting seeds indoors. We start off start off with a look at when to start seeds and what they need to germinate. READ MORE at Empress of Dirt: Seed Starting for Beginners: Sow Inside Grow Outside

When we start plants from seeds, our first goal is germination. And it usually happens ... even though plants have developed a range of ways to block it. READ MORE from Empress of Dirt: Seed Starting for Beginners: Sow Inside Grow Outside

We know seeds are important for gardeners, but much of the world's nutrition also comes from seeds. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: Seed Starting for Beginners: Sow Inside Grow Outside

Some of our vegetables are fruits, most of the nuts we eat aren't nuts and our berries aren't berries -- but a tomato is. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: Starting a Garden From Scratch (Yearly Photos)

Starting off a look at seeds: why they're important and how they form in most of the plants in your garden. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: 40 Unique Container Gardening Ideas

What can you do in your garden to protect and encourage the mycorrhizal fungi in your soil? READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: How to Grow Citrus Trees from Seed (Easy Method)

They help most of the plants in your garden, but does that mean you should buy more mycorrhizal fungi to add to your soil? READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: The Beauty of the Fibonacci Sequence in the Garden

Improving your plants' access to phosphorus and other nutrients is just one of many ways mycorrhizal fungi help your garden. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: 25 Planter Ideas for Porches and Front Gardens

Most of the plants in your garden benefit from a partnership with fungi in the soil -- something we want to protect as gardeners. READ THE LATEST from Empress of Dirt: Starting a Garden From Scratch (Yearly Photos)