In the Garden

7 Toxic Florida Shrubs Planted Near Front Doors That Are More Dangerous Than They Look

Florida Gardening

7 Toxic Florida Shrubs Planted Near Front Doors That Are More Dangerous Than They Look

A front-door shrub can look harmless until a child picks a flower or a dog chews a leaf. In Florida, several popular entryway plants contain…

By Aria Moore F · Oct 6, 2026

Florida Gardening

7 Florida Native Shrubs That Fill In Fast and Screen Your Yard Without Turning Into a Pruning Chore

Aria Moore F · Oct 6

The Native California Hedges That Stay Thick and Green All Winter While Feeding Your Yard Birds

John Miller CA · Oct 6

Your Rosemary Keeps Growing All Winter When You Snip These Cuttings Before the First Frost

Ethan Brooks · Oct 6

From the Garden

Growing notes from every corner of the plot.

Late-Winter Blueberry Pruning in North Carolina: Timing, Cuts, and Realistic Expectations

Gardening Tips

Late-Winter Blueberry Pruning in North Carolina: Timing, Cuts, and Realistic Expectations

Blueberry bushes that go unpruned for years can fill up with thin, crowded shoots and small berries. A few well-placed cuts at the right time…

By Jasmine Hughes · Oct 6

Texas Gardening

Yaupon Holly: A Native Texas Evergreen to Consider Instead of Privet Hedges

By Ella Brown T · Oct 6

Gardening Tips

Weeds Keep Taking Over Your Bare Beds, and This Pretty Groundcover Smothers Them Before Spring

By Ethan Brooks · Oct 6

Gardening Tips

Why Potted Mums Wilt by Afternoon and How to Check Whether They Need Water

By Ethan Brooks · Oct 6

Plant Care

The California Trees That Shade Your Patio Fast Without Their Roots Cracking Your Slab or Pipes

By John Miller CA · Oct 6

In Bloom

What's thriving right now.

Never Plant These Next to Your Fall Cabbage and Broccoli or the Heads Stay Small

Gardening Tips

Never Plant These Next to Your Fall Cabbage and Broccoli or the Heads Stay Small

By Ethan Brooks

The One Thing North Carolina Oakleaf Hydrangeas Need Before Winter So Next Summer’s Blooms Come Back Huge

Gardening Tips

The One Thing North Carolina Oakleaf Hydrangeas Need Before Winter So Next Summer’s Blooms Come Back Huge

By Jasmine Hughes

Horseherb May Retain Winter Foliage Where Your St. Augustine Goes Brown in Texas

Texas Gardening

Horseherb May Retain Winter Foliage Where Your St. Augustine Goes Brown in Texas

By Ella Brown T

Gardener's Selection

The guides worth your time — handpicked by our gardeners.

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California Kingsnakes Eat Rattlesnakes and Rodents Near Your Home, but Homeowners Kill Them on Sight

Plant Care

California Kingsnakes Eat Rattlesnakes and Rodents Near Your Home, but Homeowners Kill Them on Sight

By John Miller CA

Clover Can Be a Clue to Low Nitrogen or Thin Turf in Your Lawn, and Here’s How to Respond

Gardening Tips

Clover Can Be a Clue to Low Nitrogen or Thin Turf in Your Lawn, and Here’s How to Respond

By Ethan Brooks

Your Hydrangea Blooms Turned Papery Brown This Fall, and Cutting Them Off Now Costs You Next Summer’s Flowers

Gardening Tips

Your Hydrangea Blooms Turned Papery Brown This Fall, and Cutting Them Off Now Costs You Next Summer’s Flowers

By Ethan Brooks

What It Really Means When Raccoons Start Raiding Your North Carolina Yard Every Night This Fall

Gardening Tips

What It Really Means When Raccoons Start Raiding Your North Carolina Yard Every Night This Fall

By Jasmine Hughes

Why Owls Use Trees in Florida Backyards

Plant of the Week

Florida Gardening

Why Owls Use Trees in Florida Backyards

Spotting an owl in a backyard tree can stop you in your tracks. It is natural to wonder why that bird picked your yard and...

By Aria Moore F · Oct 6, 2026

The Potting Shed

The Compact Berry Bushes California Gardeners Are Quietly Growing in Pots on Small Balconies

Plant Care

The Compact Berry Bushes California Gardeners Are Quietly Growing in Pots on Small Balconies

Texas Gardening

Why Blue Jays May Be More Noticeable in Central Texas Yards This Fall

Gardening Tips

Warmth and Direct Sun Can Make Hummingbird Feeder Nectar Lose Clarity Sooner

Trying to Root Climbing Rose Canes: A Southern Gardener’s Experiment

Gardening Tips

Trying to Root Climbing Rose Canes: A Southern Gardener’s Experiment

Plant Care

The Low-Litter California Shrubs That Screen a Small Yard Without Dropping a Mess on Your Patio

Gardening Tips

White Mushrooms Keep Popping Up in Your Lawn After Fall Rains, and Here’s What They Reveal About Your Soil

Shredded Leaves for North Carolina Vegetable Beds: A Winter Cover Option for Gradually Better Clay Soil

Gardening Tips

Shredded Leaves for North Carolina Vegetable Beds: A Winter Cover Option for Gradually Better Clay Soil

Texas Gardening

The Texas State Parks Where Fall Color Actually Rivals a New England Road Trip

Gardening Tips

Turn One Hydrangea Into a Whole Row of New Shrubs With This Simple Fall Branch Trick

Compost or Bagged Soil? Only One Breaks Up North Carolina Clay Fast Enough for Spring Beds

Gardening Tips

Compost or Bagged Soil? Only One Breaks Up North Carolina Clay Fast Enough for Spring Beds

Texas Gardening

Is Fall the Right Time to Prune Central Texas Salvia greggii? Optional Cuts and the Winter Shaping Plan

Gardening Tips

Onion Planting Timing in the South: Why Your Window Depends on Where You Garden and How You Plant

Your Fig Tree’s Harvest Is Over, but These Fall Steps Decide How Many Figs You Get Next Summer

Gardening Tips

Your Fig Tree’s Harvest Is Over, but These Fall Steps Decide How Many Figs You Get Next Summer

Gardening Tips

The Hard-to-Find Native North Carolina Trees That Outshine Every Bradford Pear Once You Track Them Down

Texas Gardening

Your Texas St. Augustine Greens Up Faster Next Spring When You Fix Fall Brown Patch Now

Field Notes

Milkweed and Nectar Plants: Building Monarch Habitat in Southern Yards

Gardening Tips

Milkweed and Nectar Plants: Building Monarch Habitat in Southern Yards

Most Southern gardeners have watched a monarch drift across the yard and keep going. Flowers feed adult butterflies, but caterpillars...

By Ethan Brooks on Oct 6

Your Florida patio gets fewer biting flies and gnats when these 7 plants line the edge

Florida Gardening

Your Florida patio gets fewer biting flies and gnats when these 7 plants line the edge

A few biting flies can chase everyone off a Florida patio before dinner even starts. Fragrant plants can make the...

By Aria Moore F on Oct 6

7 Florida Native Shrubs That Make a Better Privacy Hedge Than Ligustrum and Actually Belong Here

Florida Gardening

7 Florida Native Shrubs That Make a Better Privacy Hedge Than Ligustrum and Actually Belong Here

A privacy hedge should hide the view, not create a new yard problem. Some commonly planted ligustrums can spread beyond...

By Aria Moore F on Oct 5

Your Potted Snapdragons Look Thirsty but Persistently Wet, Poorly Drained Mix May Be the Real Problem

Gardening Tips

Your Potted Snapdragons Look Thirsty but Persistently Wet, Poorly Drained Mix May Be the Real Problem

A droopy snapdragon in a pot makes most of us grab the watering can right away. But a wilted plant...

By Ethan Brooks on Oct 5

Coast Live Oak: A Site-Dependent Native Shade Tree Worth Planting This Fall

Plant Care

Coast Live Oak: A Site-Dependent Native Shade Tree Worth Planting This Fall

A tree that may shade your yard for generations has to start somewhere, and for many California homes that start...

By John Miller CA on Oct 5

7 Florida Yard Habits That Quietly Draw Rats Toward Your House as Nights Cool Down

Florida Gardening

7 Florida Yard Habits That Quietly Draw Rats Toward Your House as Nights Cool Down

A Florida yard can look tidy in daylight and still offer rats a late-night meal. As nights cool down, food,...

By Aria Moore F on Oct 5