Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, and alliums may feel like fall gardening projects, but waiting until planting season to shop can limit your choices. If you’re wondering when to order spring …
Why Firefly Season Is Already Fading (And What’s Happening Underground) On warm early-summer evenings, a backyard can seem filled with tiny blinking lights. A few weeks later, the display may …
At first glance, a scorpionfly looks slightly alarming. Its elongated face, patterned wings, and—in males of many species—a bulbous, upturned genital structure can create the impression of an insect armed …
A small tropical lizard dives beneath the surface of a stream. Instead of immediately swimming back toward air, it settles underwater. Then something unusual appears around its snout: a silvery …
Learning how to propagate a Christmas cactus is surprisingly simple once you understand how this tropical plant grows. A few healthy stem segments, a small container, and a well-draining potting …
A pepper plant can look perfectly healthy in midsummer—deep green leaves, vigorous stems, and plenty of flowers—yet produce almost no peppers. When gardeners see pepper plants flowering no fruit heat …
The trash can that went untouched in June suddenly tips over twice in one week. Something empties the bird feeder after dark, grapes disappear from the garden, and the security …
By August, many flower beds look noticeably different from the lush displays of early summer. Petunias may be stretched and uneven, marigolds are carrying brown flower heads, and zinnias are …
Walk outside after dark and you may notice a squat, brown toad sitting beneath your porch light. Come back tomorrow night, and it may be there again. After several evenings, …
The first cold nights of fall can bring an herb garden to an abrupt end. Basil may turn dark after exposure to chilly temperatures, while tougher herbs such as parsley, …