Category Archives: Weekend Gardener
Witchy native shrub brings spring bottlebrush blooms and fiery fall color
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerIf you have ever wanted to grow your own bottle brushes, then you have come to the right place. The Fothergilla latifolia or F. major or the Dwarf Fothergilla (garde...
Oct 05, 2025
Russian sage: Not from Russia, but perfect for NC gardens
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerI planted some Russian Sage (Salvia yangii) decades ago. Alas, I can't remember when it faded into oblivion. It is really not native to Russia and hails from Central...
Sep 24, 2025
Sweet autumn clematis charms, but NC experts say avoid it
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerI must say that I have rarely written an article about a plant I like but I don’t recommend for WPTF Weekend Gardener listeners. Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clemati...
Sep 21, 2025
Red and black chokeberries thrive in North Carolina landscapes
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerRed Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are versatile shrubs native to North Carolina. I have seen many of the red varieties, w...
Sep 14, 2025
Bottlebrush blooms, fall color make Clethra a versatile shrub
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerI have many different species of plants in my landscape. However, I do not own a "Clethra alnifolia" or "sweet pepper bush" or "summersweet". I bet if I were to ask ...
Sep 07, 2025
Find zen in your garden with zinnias
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerMy mother-in-law, Jean Reeves, was smart, hard-working, industrious, caring and pretty. She loved gardening, and taught her equally pretty daughters about vegetables...
Aug 24, 2025
Moonflowers offer nighttime beauty in North Carolina gardens
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerI must say from the outset that Melissa and I have never gotten around to planting a night-blooming anything. I have had to do some research on this little number. M...
Aug 19, 2025
'Naked lady' spider lilies bring surprise blooms
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerEvery regular co-host on the WPTF Weekend Gardener has discussed with delight, at one time or another, the attributes of the "naked lady" spider lily or Lycoris radi...
Aug 17, 2025
Salvia: A colorful, hardy favorite for Carolina gardens
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerEveryone should have some type of salvia in their landscape. Sage advice, I must say, if you like puns that is! Salvia also is known for its medicinal qualities for ...
Aug 10, 2025
Managing Heat Stress in Your Vegetable and Fruit Garden
Backyard veggie and fruit growers worried about recently extreme heat and your garden crops, perhaps you are seeing signs of heat stress impacts on your produce. How to mitigate that? While most will ...
Jul 30, 2025