John Miller CA, Author at Complete Gardening

Plant Care

The California Kingsnake: A Native Predator That Sometimes Eats Rattlesnakes

A striped or banded snake slipping through your garden beds might look alarming, but that snake could be…

By John Miller CA · Aug 2

Plant Care

The California Toad Homeowners Might Accidentally Harm When It’s Quietly Helping With Snails and Slugs

A small, warty toad sitting still in your flower bed at dusk might not look like much, but…

By John Miller CA · Aug 2

Plant Care

The California Native Vine That Pulls Hummingbirds Off The Feeder And Onto Your Fence Instead

If you have a hummingbird feeder in your California yard, you already know the joy of watching those…

By John Miller CA · Aug 2

Plant Care

That Shiny Lizard in Your Yard May Be a Western Skink – a Native Generalist Predator Worth Getting to Know

A small, shiny lizard with a brilliant blue tail darting under your garden bed is enough to make…

By John Miller CA · Aug 2

Plant Care

The California Alligator Lizard Homeowners Chase Off Their Woodpile Is Quietly Thinning The Ticks Near The House

Many California homeowners spot a thick-bodied alligator lizard near the woodpile and assume it must be doing something…

By John Miller CA · Aug 2

Plant Care

The California Snake Homeowners Kill By Mistake, When It’s Actually Eating The Gophers Wrecking Your Beds

A large, patterned snake turning up near your raised beds is enough to make most California homeowners freeze,…

By John Miller CA · Aug 2

Plant Care

What It Really Means When Alligator Lizards Lay Eggs Under Your California Woodpile, and Why You Want Them to Stay

Moving a log in your California backyard and finding a cluster of small, oblong eggs underneath is one…

By John Miller CA · Aug 1

Plant Care

The Drought-Proof California Native Shrubs That Replace Crape Myrtle And Actually Feed The Birds

Crape myrtle looks pretty in summer, but it drinks up water and gives almost nothing back to California’s…

By John Miller CA · Aug 1

Plant Care

How To Keep California Alligator Lizards In Your Yard, Where They Quietly Hunt The Pests You Can’t See

Southern alligator lizards are some of the most useful native animals a California homeowner can have passing through…

By John Miller CA · Aug 1

Plant Care

California Alligator Lizards Eat Snails and Arthropods, but Their Role in Tick Control Is Unresolved

A long, keeled lizard slipping under your garden shed can stop a homeowner cold, especially when it moves…

By John Miller CA · Aug 1

Plant Care

What It Really Means When Bats Start Hunting Over Your California Yard at Dusk, and Why They’re Quietly Clearing the Mosquitoes Off Your Patio

Most California homeowners who spot bats swooping over their patio at dusk feel one of two things: relief…

By John Miller CA · Aug 1

Plant Care

What It Really Means When Cliff Swallows Build Mud Nests Under Your California Eaves, and Why They’re Quietly Clearing the Mosquitoes and Gnats Off Your Patio

Mud-plastered bumps appearing under your eaves one spring morning are not random – they are the work of…

By John Miller CA · Aug 1

Plant Care

The California Native Shrubs That Replace Thirsty Crape Myrtle Along Your Fence Line and Never Notice a Dry Summer

Crape myrtle looks pretty, but it drinks a lot of water during California’s long, dry summers, and that…

By John Miller CA · Jul 31

Plant Care

What It Really Means When a Gopher Snake Turns Up in Your California Yard, and Why It’s Quietly Thinning the Gophers Wrecking Your Roots

Most California homeowners who spot a large, patterned snake in the yard reach for a shovel before they…

By John Miller CA · Jul 31

Plant Care

What It Really Means When a Kingsnake Turns Up in Your California Yard, and Why It’s Quietly Eating the Rattlesnakes You Fear

Spotting a boldly banded snake gliding through your California yard can stop you cold, especially if rattlesnakes live…

By John Miller CA · Jul 31

Plant Care

What It Really Means When Bushtits Swarm Your California Yard, and Why They’re Quietly Stripping the Aphids Off Your Roses

A small, restless cloud of birds sweeps through your rose bushes, hangs upside down from the stems, and…

By John Miller CA · Jul 31

Plant Care

A Toad in Your California Yard at Night May Be Eating Some Garden Pests – Here Is What That Sighting Actually Tells You

Finding a warty, slow-moving toad in your California yard after dark is the kind of moment that makes…

By John Miller CA · Jul 31

Plant Care

What It Really Means When Alligator Lizards Show Up in Your California Yard and Why They May Be Quietly Eating the Black Widows You Fear

Spotting a scaly, thick-bodied lizard crawling through your garden can catch any California homeowner off guard, especially when…

By John Miller CA · Jul 31

Plant Care

The Ground Beetles Patrolling Your California Yard at Night Eat the Slugs and Cutworms Wrecking Your Seedlings, but Raking Away Their Cover Drives Them Off

Tiny black beetles are quietly hunting through your garden beds every night, and most California homeowners have never…

By John Miller CA · Jul 30

Plant Care

What a Gopher Snake in Your California Yard May Mean for Rodent Control, and Why You Should Think Twice Before Removing It

Finding a large, patterned snake coiled near your garden bed is enough to make anyone freeze. Most California…

By John Miller CA · Jul 30

Plant Care

The California native groundcovers that replace thirsty lawn on slopes and green up without a single summer watering

If your grassy slope drinks water like it is going out of style, there is a better way…

By John Miller CA · Jul 30

Plant Care

What It Really Means When Praying Mantises Show Up in Your California Yard and Why They’re Hunting the Pests You Hate

Spotting a praying mantis on your tomato cage or rose bush is one of those moments that makes…

By John Miller CA · Jul 30

Plant Care

The California native shrubs that replace crape myrtle along your walkways and feed pollinators through the dry summer

Crape myrtle looks pretty, but it drinks a lot of water and does almost nothing for California’s bees…

By John Miller CA · Jul 30

Plant Care

California barn owls hunt the rodents no trap or poison can reach, but homeowners keep removing what would make them stay

Barn owls have a reputation in California wine country as nature’s rodent patrol, and the research behind that…

By John Miller CA · Jul 30

Plant Care

What it means when California quail start visiting your yard in coveys, and why you want them scratching through the beds

A small group of California quail bobbing through your yard on a quiet morning is one of those…

By John Miller CA · Jul 29

Plant Care

The California garden spider quietly traps the aphids and mosquitoes ruining your yard, but homeowners keep sweeping its web away

Every fall, colorful orb-weaver spiders show up in California yards and start spinning large, circular webs across garden…

By John Miller CA · Jul 29

Plant Care

The California alligator lizard quietly eats the snails and slugs wrecking your garden, but homeowners keep clearing away its hiding spots

A scaly, slow-moving lizard that slips under your garden debris might be doing more for your yard than…

By John Miller CA · Jul 29

Plant Care

What it means when a hummingbird builds its walnut-sized nest in your California yard, and why you shouldn’t touch it

Spotting a tiny, cup-shaped nest tucked into a branch of your California yard is one of those surprises…

By John Miller CA · Jul 29

Plant Care

What it means when a praying mantis shows up in your California yard, and why you should let it stay

Spotting a praying mantis perched on your tomato cage or rosebush can stop you in your tracks. Most…

By John Miller CA · Jul 29

Plant Care

The California native milkweed you plant instead of tropical milkweed that keeps monarchs healthy through winter

Many California gardeners plant tropical milkweed with the best intentions, wanting to help monarch butterflies survive and thrive.…

By John Miller CA · Jul 29

Plant Care

How to support the California scrub-jay that quietly clears the caterpillars and grubs out of your garden

That loud, blue-and-gray bird raiding your tomatoes might actually be doing your garden a favor. The California Scrub-Jay…

By John Miller CA · Jul 28

Plant Care

How to support the California quail that quietly clears the snails and weed seeds out of your yard

California quail are one of the most recognizable birds in a suburban yard, with their bobbing topknot and…

By John Miller CA · Jul 28

Plant Care

What it means when California towhees start scratching around your yard, and why you shouldn’t chase them off

If you’ve noticed a plain brown bird hopping around under your shrubs and flicking leaf litter in every…

By John Miller CA · Jul 28

Plant Care

How to live with the California skunk that quietly digs up the grubs and snails wrecking your lawn

Most California homeowners see fresh holes in the lawn and immediately blame the skunk waddling through the yard…

By John Miller CA · Jul 28

Plant Care

The praying mantis eats the pests wrecking your California garden, but most homeowners clear away the exact spot it overwinters

Praying mantises are one of those backyard creatures that California homeowners genuinely root for, partly because they look…

By John Miller CA · Jul 28

Plant Care

How to support the alligator lizard in your California yard that quietly eats the snails and slugs wrecking your seedlings

Most California homeowners who spot a scaly, strong-jawed lizard darting under a pot or log have no idea…

By John Miller CA · Jul 28

Plant Care

The 10 Nectar Plants That Pull Orioles Into California Gardens and Keep Them Coming Back Every Season

Orioles are some of the flashiest visitors you can invite into a California yard, with their bright orange…

By John Miller CA · Jul 27

Plant Care

California’s Proposed Restrictions on Combustible Fencing Near Homes: What the July 2026 Draft Zone 0 Rule Actually Says

A headline making the rounds says California has banned wood panel fences, and homeowners across the state are…

By John Miller CA · Jul 27

Plant Care

The Drought-Proof California Native Shrubs That Replace Boxwood Along Driveways and Never Notice a Dry Summer

If your boxwood hedge is turning brown and begging for water every dry California summer, you are not…

By John Miller CA · Jul 27

Plant Care

The Fire-Resistant California Groundcovers Homeowners Are Laying Down Instead of Bark Mulch

If you live in a fire-prone part of California, that ring of bark mulch around your house might…

By John Miller CA · Jul 26

Plant Care

The California Native Groundcovers That Choke Out Weeds All Summer Without a Drop of Herbicide

Pulling weeds all summer gets old fast, especially when California’s dry heat makes bending over the garden feel…

By John Miller CA · Jul 26

Plant Care

The Wildfire-Resistant Plants California Counties Now Want You to Put Back Into Defensible Space

For years, a lot of Californians heard “defensible space” and figured it meant ripping out every plant near…

By John Miller CA · Jul 26

Plant Care

California Fuchsia: The Late-Season Native That Makes Hummingbirds Forget About Your Feeder

If you have ever watched a hummingbird zip right past a full feeder to land on a single…

By John Miller CA · Jul 26

Plant Care

California Ground-Nesting Native Bees Need Bare Soil, Not Just Flowers

Most California gardeners plant flowers to help bees, and that instinct is exactly right. But a whole group…

By John Miller CA · Jul 26

Plant Care

The Fragrant California Flowers That Drive Rats Out of the Yard Naturally, No Traps Needed

Rats can turn a peaceful California backyard into a stressful mess, chewing through irrigation lines, raiding fruit trees,…

By John Miller CA · Jul 26

Plant Care

The California Seed Libraries Handing Out Free Native Plant Seeds to Anyone Who Asks

Imagine walking into your local library and checking out packets of seeds instead of books. Across California, seed…

By John Miller CA · Jul 25

Plant Care

A Familiar Pest Is Moving Between California Tomatoes and Pomegranates – Here’s What to Do

Something is chewing its way through California backyard gardens this summer, and if you grow both tomatoes and…

By John Miller CA · Jul 25

Plant Care

The Best California Native Plants for Pulling Quail Into Your Yard and Keeping Them Safe

California quail are one of the most charming birds you can host in your yard, with their little…

By John Miller CA · Jul 25

Plant Care

The Dwarf Fruit Trees California Gardeners Are Quietly Growing in Pots on Tiny Patios

You do not need a big backyard to grow real fruit in California. All over the state, homeowners…

By John Miller CA · Jul 25

John Miller CA

The California Alligator Lizard Quietly Eats Black Widows and Snails, But Homeowners Keep Chasing It Off

The California Kingsnake: A Native Predator That Sometimes Eats Rattlesnakes

The California Toad Homeowners Might Accidentally Harm When It’s Quietly Helping With Snails and Slugs

The California Native Vine That Pulls Hummingbirds Off The Feeder And Onto Your Fence Instead

That Shiny Lizard in Your Yard May Be a Western Skink – a Native Generalist Predator Worth Getting to Know

The California Alligator Lizard Homeowners Chase Off Their Woodpile Is Quietly Thinning The Ticks Near The House

The California Snake Homeowners Kill By Mistake, When It’s Actually Eating The Gophers Wrecking Your Beds

What It Really Means When Alligator Lizards Lay Eggs Under Your California Woodpile, and Why You Want Them to Stay

The Drought-Proof California Native Shrubs That Replace Crape Myrtle And Actually Feed The Birds

How To Keep California Alligator Lizards In Your Yard, Where They Quietly Hunt The Pests You Can’t See

California Alligator Lizards Eat Snails and Arthropods, but Their Role in Tick Control Is Unresolved

What It Really Means When Bats Start Hunting Over Your California Yard at Dusk, and Why They’re Quietly Clearing the Mosquitoes Off Your Patio

What It Really Means When Cliff Swallows Build Mud Nests Under Your California Eaves, and Why They’re Quietly Clearing the Mosquitoes and Gnats Off Your Patio

The California Native Shrubs That Replace Thirsty Crape Myrtle Along Your Fence Line and Never Notice a Dry Summer

What It Really Means When a Gopher Snake Turns Up in Your California Yard, and Why It’s Quietly Thinning the Gophers Wrecking Your Roots

What It Really Means When a Kingsnake Turns Up in Your California Yard, and Why It’s Quietly Eating the Rattlesnakes You Fear

What It Really Means When Bushtits Swarm Your California Yard, and Why They’re Quietly Stripping the Aphids Off Your Roses

A Toad in Your California Yard at Night May Be Eating Some Garden Pests – Here Is What That Sighting Actually Tells You

What It Really Means When Alligator Lizards Show Up in Your California Yard and Why They May Be Quietly Eating the Black Widows You Fear

The Ground Beetles Patrolling Your California Yard at Night Eat the Slugs and Cutworms Wrecking Your Seedlings, but Raking Away Their Cover Drives Them Off

What a Gopher Snake in Your California Yard May Mean for Rodent Control, and Why You Should Think Twice Before Removing It

The California native groundcovers that replace thirsty lawn on slopes and green up without a single summer watering

What It Really Means When Praying Mantises Show Up in Your California Yard and Why They’re Hunting the Pests You Hate

The California native shrubs that replace crape myrtle along your walkways and feed pollinators through the dry summer

California barn owls hunt the rodents no trap or poison can reach, but homeowners keep removing what would make them stay

What it means when California quail start visiting your yard in coveys, and why you want them scratching through the beds

The California garden spider quietly traps the aphids and mosquitoes ruining your yard, but homeowners keep sweeping its web away

The California alligator lizard quietly eats the snails and slugs wrecking your garden, but homeowners keep clearing away its hiding spots

What it means when a hummingbird builds its walnut-sized nest in your California yard, and why you shouldn’t touch it

What it means when a praying mantis shows up in your California yard, and why you should let it stay

The California native milkweed you plant instead of tropical milkweed that keeps monarchs healthy through winter

How to support the California scrub-jay that quietly clears the caterpillars and grubs out of your garden

How to support the California quail that quietly clears the snails and weed seeds out of your yard

What it means when California towhees start scratching around your yard, and why you shouldn’t chase them off

How to live with the California skunk that quietly digs up the grubs and snails wrecking your lawn

The praying mantis eats the pests wrecking your California garden, but most homeowners clear away the exact spot it overwinters

How to support the alligator lizard in your California yard that quietly eats the snails and slugs wrecking your seedlings

The 10 Nectar Plants That Pull Orioles Into California Gardens and Keep Them Coming Back Every Season

California’s Proposed Restrictions on Combustible Fencing Near Homes: What the July 2026 Draft Zone 0 Rule Actually Says

The Drought-Proof California Native Shrubs That Replace Boxwood Along Driveways and Never Notice a Dry Summer

The Fire-Resistant California Groundcovers Homeowners Are Laying Down Instead of Bark Mulch

The California Native Groundcovers That Choke Out Weeds All Summer Without a Drop of Herbicide

The Wildfire-Resistant Plants California Counties Now Want You to Put Back Into Defensible Space

California Fuchsia: The Late-Season Native That Makes Hummingbirds Forget About Your Feeder

California Ground-Nesting Native Bees Need Bare Soil, Not Just Flowers

The Fragrant California Flowers That Drive Rats Out of the Yard Naturally, No Traps Needed

The California Seed Libraries Handing Out Free Native Plant Seeds to Anyone Who Asks

A Familiar Pest Is Moving Between California Tomatoes and Pomegranates – Here’s What to Do

The Best California Native Plants for Pulling Quail Into Your Yard and Keeping Them Safe

The Dwarf Fruit Trees California Gardeners Are Quietly Growing in Pots on Tiny Patios