Chinch Bugs Treat Florida Turf Like a Buffet, but These 7 Native Groundcovers Never Make the Menu

A brown patch in a Florida lawn can spread faster than your patience runs out. Southern chinch bugs often target St. Augustinegrass, but replacing selected…

By Aria Moore F · Oct 24, 2026

Chinch Bugs Treat Florida Turf Like a Buffet, but These 7 Native Groundcovers Never Make the Menu

Leaving Some Fallen Leaves in Your Beds Can Help Your Garden Over Time

What Coyotes Are Really Sniffing Out When They Cut Through Your California Yard as Winter Nears

Florida Mango Trees Get Pruned at the Wrong Time in Most Yards, and Next Year’s Fruit Pays for It

From the Garden

Who Pays When Tree Roots Are Found in a California Driveway or Sewer Line?

The One Thing North Carolina Gardeners Must Do Before Bringing Potted Plants Inside or Pests Spread to Every Houseplant

Why You Might See Snakes After Heavy Rain in Florida

The Texas Native Plant Nurseries Worth a Weekend Drive for Trees Big-Box Stores Never Carry

A Florida Yard Cleanup That May Make the Area Around Your Home Less Attractive to Snakes

In Bloom

Your Potted Mums Wilt Every Afternoon Because the Root Ball Dries Out Faster Than You Water It

These Native North Carolina Plants Quietly Rebuild Your Clay Soil a Little More Every Year

Should You Prune California Plumeria Before Winter? What Wet Weather and Dormancy Mean

Gardener's Selection

What Roadrunners Eat in Central Texas Yards and What That Means for Your Pests

Hydrangeas in pots die over winter from frozen roots, so wrap or move them before the first hard freeze

Potted lemon and lime trees drop their leaves indoors this winter when you move them in too fast

Do First Big Rains Bring Snakes Into California Yards? What the Evidence Says

Snake clues hiding in your fall garden beds tell you one has moved in, even if you never see it

The Potting Shed

Carrots left in the ground under a thick straw blanket taste sweeter every week you wait to pull them

Rosemary in North Carolina: An Evergreen Herb Option Beside Garden Mums

These Tough Plants Actually Thrive in the Brutal Afternoon Sun of West-Facing Texas Yards

Cool weather may change how fall kale tastes, but frost does not reliably make it sweet

What Really Happens When You Mow Over Fallen Leaves Instead of Raking Your North Carolina Lawn

Your Florida Palms Need This in Late October, Before Winter Growth Stalls and Fronds Yellow

Training Star Jasmine on a Chain-Link Fence in Central Texas

Broccoli with yellow flowers this fall may still produce side shoots after you remove the head

Hellebores Can Brighten Shady Beds in Winter When Planted in Fall

These Common Yard Plants Are the First Thing California Fire Inspectors Flag Next to Your House

Thick Leaf Cover Can Stress Southern Lawns: How to Mulch, Rake, or Move Fallen Leaves

California Gardeners Are Swapping Out Lily of the Nile Cousins Like Lantana Hedges for Natives That Feed Bees All Fall

Deer Browsing Your Shrubs and Fall Greens as Forage Shifts? Here’s How to Protect Them Now

Brown, mushy spots on your stored winter squash start at one spot most gardeners never check

Stink Bugs Sneaking Indoors for Winter Hate These Natural Repellents You Already Have at Home

The Garden Almanac

Field Notes

Some Vegetables Struggle in Raised Beds While Others Thrive, Here’s Which to Plant Next Spring

These DIY Bird Baths Outlast Store-Bought Ones in North Carolina Yards and Draw More Winter Birds

Why Central Texas Gardeners Plant Fall Salvia Along the Fence for Late-Season Pollinators

Moss and Green Algae on Patio Pavement: Try Vinegar on Pavement Only, and Get Separate Guidance for Porch Roofs

Green-and-Gold Under North Carolina Shade Trees: A Native Alternative to Ajuga to Consider

Florida Strawberry Planting Timing Varies by Region This Fall