Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener
One of the most economical and practical things you can do for the plants in your landscape and vegetable garden is to start a compost pile. We’ve discussed it fairly often on the “WPTF Weekend Gardener” over the last 40 years. The first step is to find a relatively shady well-drained location in your back yard. You don’t have to buy a container, just build your own or find a proper spot on the ground. A wire cylinder 3 to 4 feet in diameter will work or build a three-sided box that’s 4 to 5-feet high and wide. However, if you prefer, ready-made bins are easy to find.… Continue Reading
See Conan Gray at the Lenovo Center on March 4th!
Conan Gray’s Wishbone World Tour with special guest Esha Tewari is coming to Lenovo Center Raleigh on 3/4/26! Get tickets now OR win FREE tickets with MJ’s Question Of The Day, weekdays just after 3 p.m.… Continue Reading
Win a $50 Gift Card to Checkers & Rally’s!
The best meal deal in the game just leveled up at Checkers & Rally’s! GloRilla’s $4 Unbeatable Meal Deal now lets you choose a Cheese Double, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, or Glo’s BBQ Jacked Burger—plus fries, a drink, and a warm apple pie. All for just four bucks. Only at Checkers & Rally’s. Offer available at…… Continue Reading
Furry Friday: Meet Bashful!
Meet Bashful – the most ironically named dog at the shelter. At 3 years old, there’s nothing shy about this energetic, goofy, ready-for-action pup. From the moment you meet him, he’s full of enthusiasm-jumping up to say hello with pure joy and twirling on leash like he’s training for a doggie dance competition. Bashful has…… Continue Reading
Ironweed: The resilient perennial transforming North Carolina landscapes
We all want resilient plants for our landscape. Frankly we want something that is cost effective. A plant which fulfills that description and expectation is “Ironweed” (Vernonia noveboracensis). This seems to be the most common variety grown in North Carolina. Anne Clapp used to say: “A weed is a plant you don’t want in your yard,” but you definitely will want Ironweed! It is a popular and hardy herbaceous perennial that you’ll find in a lot of landscapes in North Carolina. Herbaceous means it does not have a woody stem and dies back to the ground after it flowers. By the way, “Ironweed” was named for the English botanist William Vernon who traveled extensively in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s.… Continue Reading
Furry Friday: Meet Sunflower!
Sunflower is a sweet and thoughtful girl who’s still finding her confidence in a big, busy world. She may be shy at first, preferring to quietly observe rather than dive into the spotlight. However, her gentle spirit shines through when she feels safe and cared for. In doggie playgroup, Sunflower tends to steer clear of rowdy…… Continue Reading
Furry Friday: Meet Lucy!
Lucy is a lovely female Lab mix who came into the shelter as a stray alongside her buddy Ricky, a 7-year-old Lab mix. Calm and easy to leash, Lucy walks right by the other dogs without reacting and has a gentle, low-energy nature that makes her a joy to be around. She is considered a…… Continue Reading
Furry Friday: Meet Marcy!
Meet Marcy, the dog who likes to play it cool, but also has a secret inner alpha ready to take charge! In her first doggie playgroup session, she was respectful and lowkey with her male play partner, primarily observing all the action. She was interested in playing, but definitely not into the rowdy antics. While…… Continue Reading
One year later, western North Carolina still recovers from Hurricane Helene
SPRUCE PINE, N.C. (NCN News) – One year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, recovery continues across the mountains. The storm killed 108 people, caused more than 2,000 landslides and left businesses, roads and communities in ruins. While many restaurants, farms and attractions are reopening, most small businesses still have not returned to pre-Helene revenues. State officials say bipartisan support has brought new funding and infrastructure repairs, but rebuilding remains a long-term effort.… Continue Reading
Russian sage: Not from Russia, but perfect for NC gardens
I 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 Asia, ie, Afghanistan, Tibet. The name derives from the genus of the plant which is “perovskia” and it was named for the Russian General V.A. Perovski in the 1800’s. I don’t know why, I suppose he was some sort of wise person or “sage”.… Continue Reading