Two Minutes in the Garden

Dec 09 2024 100 ep. 9 mins 47

Two Minutes in the Garden Podcast artwork

Bite-sized informative updates on gardening basics, solutions, myths, news and other subjects of interest to gardeners both new and experienced. From the popular Empress of Dirt website (empressofdirt.net), home of creative and frugal ideas for your backyard garden.

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Can Weeds Reveal Soil Secrets?

Dec 09 2024 12 mins

Are the weeds in our garden trying to tell us something about our soil? Is it reliable? And should we be taking action based on what they're saying? NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: How to Control Weeds Without Herbicides

Should You Water Plants with Ice Cubes?

Nov 11 2024 11 mins

It's been a controversial suggestion for orchids for many years. It also gets recommended for houseplants in general. But is watering plants with ice cubes a good idea? NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: How to Propagate Orchids at Home

Are High Brix Levels the Key to Pest-Free Plants?

Oct 17 2024 13 mins

Is it true that pests won't attack healthy plants? Can you really determine the health of your plant through one simple measurement? And where did these ideas come from? NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: DIY Bee House Using Scrap Lumber

Ants in the Garden: Harmful or Beneficial?

Aug 07 2024 15 mins

We don't want them in the house, but can we trust ants around our plants? Do we need to step in and do something, or might they be beneficial in the garden? NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: 2024 Fall Hummingbird Migration (Canada & United States)

Vermicomposting -- It's Different From Regular Composting

Jun 17 2024 12 mins

An overview of vermicomposting -- worm composting. It provides very similar benefits to the garden as composting, but can be done indoors and stay active year-round, even in colder areas. NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: How to Save Seeds: Collecting Seeds From Your Garden Plants

How Gardeners Came to Love Earthworms -- Soil's Tiny Engineers

May 29 2024 13 mins

Over the last 200 years, earthworms have gone from being despised by gardeners to being loved as signs of healthy soil. Many gardeners now even raise worms in their houses to create vermicompost. But it's not all rosy. NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: Simple Trick to Save the Best Seeds from Your Garden

Are Today's Fruits and Vegetables Less Nutritious?

May 09 2024 11 mins

Are today's fruits and vegetables -- the ones you buy at the store -- less nutritious than they used to be? You hear that a lot, but you'll also hear that it's a myth. NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: Outdoor Plant Tags & Markers that Last a Lifetime (Really)

The Purple Tomato: The First GMO Garden Seed

Mar 03 2024 13 mins

We always used to be able to say that there were no GMO garden seeds. That's still true in most of the world but, in the U.S., gardeners can now buy seeds for the genetically engineered, high-antioxidant Purple Tomato. NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: What to Know Before Reusing Old Potting Mix

Does Garden-Grown Produce Have A High Carbon Footprint?

Feb 11 2024 14 mins

A recent study claimed that urban-grown fruits and vegetables had a carbon footprint six times that of those from conventional farms. Rants ensued. NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: Monarch Butterflies: How Gardeners Can Truly Help

Does Touching Soil Make Us Happier?

Jan 22 2024 12 mins

For the last 15 years, gardeners have been told that soil acts like an antidepressant, thanks to a particular bacterium. Is there anything to it? NEW FROM Empress of Dirt: Winter Sowing: Two Reliable Methods for Outdoor Seed Starting