So far, 2025 has been the best year I’ve seen for crape myrtles in the past 15 or 20. Many of us feel they’re the best flowering shrubs and small trees for the South, and this year is certainly ...

Q: My hydrangeas have been beautiful this year. I did not cut them back last year. When, and by how much, can I cut them back this year? A: Well done! Those are lovely. Frankly, as beautiful as they ...

Dear Neil: I recently bought a house in rural East Texas. It’s on 2.5 acres of heavily forested land. I didn’t walk the entire area before the closing, and only recently have I discovered that I ...

Dear Editor: Well done! Those are lovely. Frankly, as beautiful as they are, I’m not sure I’d feel compelled to prune them much at all. I would trim off the brown heads after they have finished ...

Brazos has been the "Crape Myrtle Capital County of Texas" since 1991. If your crape myrtles aren't colorful right now, you should improve their environment for next year. Crape myrtles are the ...

The crape myrtles have been beautiful in this area during the last month. Crape myrtles provide color and texture to the landscape during summer, fall and winter. They are one of the most ...

This crape myrtle is suffering from long-term cold damage effects. Dear Neil: Something is eating the impatiens on one side of my planter, while the impatiens on the other side is doing fine. What can ...

Q: Why is my crape myrtle dead? The bark is splitting and peeling off. Inside, the trunk is black and the wood is moist. The plant beside it has leafed out normally. My grapefruit is another story. It ...

DEAR NEIL: I hope you can help me with weeds in my bermuda lawn. I have tried weedkillers, yet here we are in May and dandelions are still popping up. I’ve even used “vegetation killers.” Hand pulling ...