Crimson Clover as a Winter Cover Crop for Southern Vegetable Beds
An empty garden bed in winter can turn into a patch of weeds before you know it. Crimson clover is one cover crop that Southern…
By Ethan Brooks · Nov 2, 2026
In the Garden
Forsythia Suits Dormant Hardwood Cuttings in North Carolina, but Timing and Care Shape Success
Jasmine Hughes · Nov 2
This Texas Border Plant Keeps Squirrels Out of Your Central Texas Beds All Fall and Winter
Ella Brown T · Nov 2
Leaving your tomato cages and stakes out all winter carries blight spores straight into next year’s plants, so scrub them now
Ethan Brooks · Nov 2
From the Garden
Butterflies Keep Flying Through Florida Winters, and These 7 Native Plants Keep Them Fed
A sunny January afternoon can bring butterflies back into a Florida yard, even when the calendar says winter. Those flying visitors need nectar, but a…
By Aria Moore F · Nov 2
Cold Snaps Are Coming, and These 7 Florida Natives Shrug Off Frost While Tropicals Turn to Mush
By Aria Moore F · Nov 1
Check the Soil First: How Smart Watering Helps Protect Your Christmas Cactus Buds
By Ethan Brooks · Nov 1
Firespike in Florida Gardens: Red Flowers and a Possible Nectar Source for Hummingbirds
By Aria Moore F · Nov 1
Swap Your Florida Pampas Grass for These 7 Native Grasses That Never Turn Invasive
By Aria Moore F · Nov 1
In Bloom
What's thriving right now.
Some California Dragonflies Show Up in Fall, but They Are Not a Mosquito-Control Plan
Cutting healthy green asparagus ferns too early this fall can reduce stored reserves and may weaken next spring’s crop
By Ethan Brooks
Fig leaves turning yellow and dropping in November is normal, but leftover fruit left hanging spreads rot next year
By Ethan Brooks
Thin, Yellow Garlic Shoots in November? Check Planting Depth Before You Change Anything
By Ethan Brooks
Plant of the Week
What North Carolina Gardenias Need Before Winter: A Practical Pre-Freeze Plan
Gardenias are the heart of many North Carolina yards, and fall is when a few simple choices decide how they look next season. A yellow...
By Jasmine Hughes · Nov 1, 2026
Read MoreThe Potting Shed
Field Notes
These 7 Flowers Keep Blooming in North Carolina Backyards for 20 Years Without Replanting
Some flowers fade after a season or two, but a few tough plants come back every spring for decades. In...
By Jasmine Hughes on Nov 1
The Smells Quietly Pulling Coyotes Into Your Central Texas Yard Once Fall Arrives
When the first cool front rolls through Central Texas, coyotes start moving more, and their noses lead the way. Young...
By Ella Brown T on Nov 1
Cold Exposure Can Stress Poinsettias on the Ride Home, So Sleeve Yours Before You Leave the Store
You pick out a poinsettia with deep red bracts, load it in the car, and hope it looks great all...
By Ethan Brooks on Nov 1
Why Compost May Not Fix Soggy Clay in Some North Carolina Yards, and How to Assess the Site
You have mixed in compost for years, yet that corner of the yard still squishes underfoot after every rain. Many...
By Jasmine Hughes on Nov 1
Where Central Texas Gardeners Load Up on Free Mulch Before the First Freeze Hits
When the first blue norther rolls across Central Texas, bare garden beds take the hit first. A thick layer of...
By Ella Brown T on Nov 1
Hard frost turns your fall spinach to mush overnight unless you throw a sheet over the bed before dark
Cold-night forecasts can make a fall spinach bed feel like a ticking clock. The good news is that spinach is...
By Ethan Brooks on Nov 1