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Plant of the Week

Florida yards that keep monarchs and zebra longwings around all winter usually have these 7 plants

A butterfly garden can look busy in October and empty by January. In Florida, keeping butterflies nearby means offering both food for caterpillars and flowers...

By Aria Moore F · Oct 4, 2026

Field Notes

Corkystem Passionflower: The Understated Florida Native Vine That Hosts Butterfly Caterpillars

Your Florida plumeria needs this before its winter rest, or spring blooms come back thin

Plant These California Groundcovers Instead of a Thirsty Lawn That Looks Lush in Spring but Browns by August

Foxgloves Grow Big Leafy Rosettes Without Flower Spikes: What to Check Before You Worry

From the Garden

How To Support Anna’s Hummingbird Visits in California Yards All Winter With Flowers and Habitat

Why Do Christmas Cactus Buds Drop After a Move? Light May Be Only Part of the Story

If You Want Spring Harvests Without the Rush, These Vegetables Need Planting in October

Why Chickweed Can Take Over Your Lawn After Quietly Sprouting in Fall

A North Carolina Native Tree for Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillars and Fall Color

In Bloom

What It Really Means When Garden Spiders Build Webs All Over Your California Yard in Fall

Why Fall Radishes Turn Hollow or Pithy, and How That Differs From Splitting

Gulf Muhly: A Texas-Native Ornamental Grass With Pink Fall Color and Possible Dragonfly Perches

Gardener's Selection

Can Crape Myrtle Roots Lift a North Carolina Driveway? What to Check Before You Blame the Tree

How California Yards Can Become More Inviting to Birds Without Relying on Feeders

Where Central Texas Gardeners Actually Find Native Seed for Fall Wildflower Planting Before the Window Closes

Hummingbird Feeder Quiet? Start With the Commonly Recommended Nectar Mix

Florida yards that keep monarchs and zebra longwings around all winter usually have these 7 plants

The Potting Shed

Why California Scrub-Jays Keep Visiting One Corner of Your Yard, and What Cached Acorns Can Become

Quiet Hummingbird Feeder? Check the Ports and Clean It Right

Bees and Wasps Crowding Your Hummingbird Feeder? A Saucer-Style Swap May Reduce Their Access

Opossums May Eat Slugs in North Carolina Gardens, but a Night Visit Won’t Tell You Much

The California Groundcovers That Fill the Gaps Between Your Stepping Stones and Handle Foot Traffic All Year

What That Mourning Dove Cooing in Your Central Texas Yard Every Fall Morning Is Really Telling You

Is Your Raised Bed Soil Really Tired by Fall? Why Settled Soil Isn’t Always Depleted Soil

Leyland Cypress Fails North Carolina Yards Within Years, and These Native Shrubs Make a Better Privacy Screen

How Much Water Texas Trees Need Going Into Winter to Reduce Freeze Stress

Why a Potted Pansy May Wilt: Dry Mix Is One Possibility, So Check the Root Zone

Got Bitten by a Black Widow While Weeding Your North Carolina Garden? Here’s Exactly What to Do First

What a Yard Full of Gulf Coast Toads Is Really Telling You About Your Texas Garden This Fall

Fallen Leaves May Help Build Better Pepper Beds, But They Are Not a Magic Fix

Butterflies Keep Floating Past Your Yard to the Neighbor’s, and Their Fall Flowers Are the Reason

Fall Yard Safety in North Carolina: Why You Shouldn’t Touch Unknown Fuzzy Caterpillars Bare-Handed

The Garden Almanac

Field Notes

Why Carolina Jessamine Along Your Central Texas Fence Turns Gold Before Spring Even Arrives

Boxelder Bugs May Gather on Your Sunny Walls This Fall, and Here’s How to Reduce Indoor Entry

7 Florida-Friendly Yard Changes Your HOA Legally Cannot Stop You From Making

7 Florida Yard Changes That Bring Purple Martins In to Eat Mosquitoes All Spring

Your Hummingbirds Vanish Every Fall Because Your Garden Runs Out of Late Blooms, and These Plants Fix It

Some California Garter Snakes Eat Slugs, but Don’t Count on Them to Protect Your Beds