Author: Alma Weatherford

One ordinary-looking shrub can quietly take over the edges of a yard while blending in with everything growing around it. By fall, its presence may become harder to ignore. What looks like harmless greenery can gradually claim space that native plants could otherwise use. That matters beyond one crowded corner because the shrub can spread…

You look across the street in July and the neighbor’s crape myrtle is already covered in color. Yours has buds. Maybe. Same street, same weather, same summer. Something is clearly wrong with your tree. Except probably nothing is. Here’s what most Georgia gardeners don’t know about these plants. Crape myrtles bloom on new growth, which…

September does not have to signal the end of an exciting garden season. It can be your chance to give the yard fresh energy while cooler weeks are approaching. That opportunity becomes even better when you choose plants already suited to local conditions. Georgia natives can settle into the landscape while adding character that feels…

A dark line of clouds is stacking up west of Atlanta right now. Out in the bed, five feet of dahlia stem is swaying, holding a flower head the size of a dinner plate. Those stems are hollow. That detail matters more than almost anything else about this plant. Fifteen minutes of the right wind…

Small cone-shaped holes scattered across your lawn can look like damage at first, especially when they seem to appear overnight. Take a closer look before assuming something is tearing up the grass. Their unusual shape can offer an important clue about what has been moving through the soil. In Georgia, these openings may come from…

Somebody in Georgia is picking muscadines a week too early right now. They looked ready. Deep purple, or that warm bronze glow, hanging heavy on the vine after a long summer of waiting. Then comes the first bite, and the whole basket turns out sharp and thin. Here’s the frustrating part. These grapes do not…

Early fall does not mean herb planting has to stop, especially while warm soil still gives new roots time to settle. The key is choosing herbs that can handle the seasonal shift without struggling once cooler nights become more frequent. That choice matters because Georgia gardens can stay productive well beyond the end of summer….

The secret to fewer mosquitoes might not be sitting in a spray bottle. It may be waiting beside the water. Late summer in Georgia creates the perfect storm for mosquitoes. Warm evenings, humid air, and standing water can turn a peaceful backyard into an insect hotspot. Many gardeners search for flowers that attract helpful predators,…

Your September garden does not have to fade quietly into fall. Tall ironweed can bring bold height and rich purple color to the right spot. Now is a smart time to think beyond the usual seasonal flowers. This native perennial offers something different without feeling out of place. Give it room to stand tall rather…

Next spring’s dogwood flowers begin their story long before your yard starts waking up from winter. By September, those familiar trees are already carrying flower buds that deserve careful treatment. What you avoid doing now can matter just as much as any care you provide. Georgia dogwoods have spent months handling summer heat, and early…

Mums covered in buds can promise weeks of color, but one September habit can interfere with that display. This is when restraint matters more than many gardeners realize. Georgia gardeners may see fresh growth and assume their plants could use a quick trim. By this point, however, those stems are already preparing for the fall…

That tapping sound outside may seem louder and more frequent once September arrives. Woodpeckers can become especially noticeable around yards as seasonal activity begins to shift. Georgia is home to several woodpecker species, and your trees can offer exactly what these active birds are searching for. Watch closely before assuming something unusual is happening. September…

Storm clouds move on, the sun returns, and that overgrown lawn suddenly looks ready for the mower. Give the grass time to dry before trying to catch up on yard work. Wet grass behaves very differently under mower blades. Summer storms in Georgia can leave the ground soaked even when the lawn surface starts looking…

September does not mean your herb garden has finished producing fresh flavors for the year. This month can actually open another growing opportunity if you choose seeds that prefer milder conditions. Georgia gardeners can take advantage of the shift toward cooler weather by starting herbs suited to the coming season. Some choices germinate readily while…

Some yard spots seem determined to make every tree choice harder than it should be. American hornbeam can offer an option where familiar flowering favorites may struggle. Georgia gardeners often turn to dogwoods for their beauty, but every location does not provide ideal conditions. Tougher sites call for a tree matched carefully to the ground…

Finding a colorful tree for a shady yard can feel harder than choosing one for a bright, open space. Many familiar favorites simply need more sunlight than those darker corners can provide. That does not mean you have to settle for a dull patch beneath taller trees. The right small tree can bring seasonal interest…

Once Confederate jasmine finishes flowering, it can quickly turn into a mass of long, wandering vines. That change is your signal to give the plant some well-timed attention. In Georgia, this vigorous climber has plenty of growing time left after its fragrant display fades. What you do next can influence how tidy and manageable it…

Fall migration can turn an ordinary backyard feeder into a much busier stop for hungry birds. Getting it ready now can make your yard more useful as seasonal visitors begin moving through. Fresh food matters, but preparation goes beyond simply filling an empty feeder. Summer weather can leave behind moisture, debris, and buildup that deserve…

Georgia heat can change an herb garden faster than most gardeners expect. One morning, the leaves still look soft and full. A few days later, stems stretch upward, flower stalks appear, and the flavor you were waiting for starts slipping away. That shift does not happen at the same moment for every herb. Some plants…

Virginia buttonweed can make a maintained lawn look frustratingly untidy. If you spot it spreading through your grass, resist the urge to start pulling. This stubborn weed has a growth habit that makes quick hand removal tricky. In Georgia lawns, one hasty move can leave behind material capable of growing again. That is why grabbing…

Georgia still feels like midsummer on an August weekend, but the vegetable garden already has one foot in fall. Tomatoes may steam in the sun. Raised beds feel hot enough to cook on. Nothing about the afternoon suggests cool-season crops belong anywhere near that soil. Yet the calendar says otherwise. Beets, carrots, collards, kale, mustard,…

You may be leaving ripe persimmons on the tree longer than necessary because of one stubborn gardening myth. Waiting for frost sounds sensible, but the fruit itself gives you better clues. Many Georgia homeowners have heard that persimmons need cold weather before they become sweet enough to enjoy. That advice can make harvest timing far…

A Georgia storm can expose every weak decision in the yard within an hour. Rain pounds the beds. Wind bends branches. Water gathers in low spots that looked perfectly harmless yesterday. Then the clouds move on, and suddenly some shrubs look completely unfazed while others seem personally offended by the weather. That difference is not…

Dusk can suddenly feel much busier when dark shapes begin sweeping above your yard just as daylight starts fading. Those quick turns overhead are easy to miss until several bats appear together. This month can make their evening activity especially noticeable around Georgia homes. Look toward open areas near trees when the sky begins growing…

A green pecan on the lawn in mid-August can look like bad news before you pick it up. Then another drops. And another. In Georgia, that timing matters. Pecan trees naturally shed some nuts each year, and August can bring a fourth physiological drop tied to embryo development. At the same time, susceptible cultivars reach…

Brown patches that seem to appear out of nowhere can make a healthy lawn look completely different within days. When the change happens fast, something beneath the grass may deserve your attention. One small lawn pest can feed so aggressively that damaged areas become noticeable surprisingly quickly. The grass may first look thirsty, making the…

Georgia can rearrange a yard in twenty noisy minutes. One thunderstorm rolls through. The porch pots fill to the rim. Tomato vines sag under split fruit. A young tree that stood straight at lunch suddenly leans toward the driveway. Then the clouds move on, and everything looks calm again. That quiet is when the useful…

Seeing a gopher tortoise making its way through your yard can stop you in your tracks. If you have never spotted one there before, the sudden visit naturally raises questions. Do not assume it simply took a wrong turn. Gopher tortoises move through their surroundings for several reasons, and your property may have caught its…

If mosquitoes are making your August evenings less enjoyable, your garden may have room for a fascinating natural predator. Dragonflies can make those warm outdoor hours much more interesting. These fast-flying hunters feed on mosquitoes and other small insects throughout their adult lives. In Georgia, the right garden conditions can make your yard more welcoming…