Complete Gardening

Plant of the Week

The California Native Plants To Put In The Ground Now So They Root In Before Summer

California yards do better when new plants get a head start before the long dry stretch of summer. Putting native plants in the ground now...

By John Miller CA · Sep 25, 2026

Field Notes

Your Fig Tree Still Sets More Fruit When You Fix This One Late-Season Miss

Florida gardeners keep regretting Mexican petunia once these 7 native alternatives fill in

Brush Piles and Lizards in California: A Conditional Habitat Option, Not a Snail-Control Fix

Florida palms suffer long-term storm damage when they’re hurricane-pruned before landfall

From the Garden

Bamboo creates quick privacy in Florida yards and a removal nightmare not long after

Dragonflies slash mosquito pressure in California yards when you give them this breeding setup

Your Tomato Leaves Curl While Staying Green for One Heat-Stress Reason

Save Your North Carolina Lettuce From Aphids by Leaving Green Anoles on the Beds

Texas hornworms strip fall tomato leaves fast, and their black droppings give them away

In Bloom

Your Tomato Harvest Gets Smaller When Daily Watering Trains the Roots to Stay Shallow

Your Hostas Head Into Cold Weather Stronger When You Cut Them Back at the Right Time

Keep old flower stalks in your California yard and native bees keep using them as spring nurseries

Gardener's Selection

These 20 strong scents help keep squirrels, chipmunks, and other garden raiders away

Keep Yellowjackets From Nesting in Your North Carolina Lawn by Checking This One Dry Spot Now

Why Your California Plumeria Suddenly Starts Drooping in Fall, and What It Needs Before Cool Nights Hit

Your Central Texas lettuce turns bitter fast when warm nights keep the leaves stressed

The California Native Plants To Put In The Ground Now So They Root In Before Summer

The Potting Shed

Prune Your Fig Tree at the Wrong Time and Next Year’s Crop Pays for It

Your Christmas Cactus Looks Wrinkled by Fall Because Watering and Drainage Mistakes Drain It Fast

The North Carolina Bulbs to Plant Now for a Fuller Show of Spring Color

Your Florida mandevilla gets thin and tangled fast now — do this before it decides the shape for you

These California shrubs pull hummingbirds to your yard while shutting down thirsty bare spots

Texas gulf muhly turns your yard into a better firefly habitat with almost no upkeep

Your Lawn Turns Brown While the Weeds Stay Green for One Reason Homeowners Miss

Your Hydrangeas Finish Blooming With Next Year Already Decided — Do This Before Cold Sets In

The Blue Flowers North Carolina Hummingbirds Keep Coming Back to All Season

How Central Texas Gardeners Set Up Lantana Now for Bigger Bloom Flushes Next Summer

Your Canna Lilies Stay Strong Through Winter When You Handle These Fall Jobs Now

What It Really Means When Deer Start Raiding North Carolina Gardens in Early Fall

Your Central Texas Fig Tree Holds More Fruit Through Heat When You Do This First

Before You Bring Houseplants Inside This Fall, Check These 8 Troublemakers First

The North Carolina Perennials That Keep Looking Better As August Wears On

The Garden Almanac

Field Notes

Why More Great Horned Owls Around Your Texas Yard Usually Means Rodents Moved In

Grass Seed Fails on Bare Soil for One Simple Reason Most Lawns Start With

Weeds Keep Coming Back in Your Gravel Because One Cleanup Step Gets Missed

Your Tomatoes Keep Struggling Because Nearby Plants Are Stealing What They Need

These 7 hydrangeas are the only ones that still look right in a Florida summer

Florida HOAs Keep Fighting This Protected Native Lawn Plant, and Homeowners Keep It Anyway