Category Archives: Featured
Find zen in your garden with zinnias
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener My mother-in-law, Jean Reeves, was smart, hard-working, industrious, caring and pretty. She loved gardening, and taught her equally pretty daughters about vegetable...
Aug 24, 2025
Moonflowers offer nighttime beauty in North Carolina gardens
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener I 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. ...
Aug 19, 2025
'Naked lady' spider lilies bring surprise blooms
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener Every 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 rad...
Aug 17, 2025
Lantana: The sun-loving, pollinator-friendly powerhouse
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener I have grown to love lantana. I never really had anything against it. It's just the fact I haven't had a lot of sun areas in my landscape and lantana can take up a ...
Jul 30, 2025
Crocosmia: From Sweet Melissa’s grandparents to your garden
MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerWe have enjoyed growing the very colorful Crocosmia-"montbretia" or "Coppertips"- a summer-blooming flower that reminds me of a miniature gladiola. Crocosmia grows from...
Jul 26, 2025
Crocosmia: From Sweet Melissa's grandparents to your garden
MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener We have enjoyed growing the very colorful Crocosmia-"montbretia" or "Coppertips"- a summer-blooming flower that reminds me of a miniature gladiola. Crocosmia grows fro...
Jul 26, 2025
Black-Eyed Susan: A Cheerful Bloom From North Carolina to Norway
MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerMelissa and I just returned from a trip to Norway where we traveled as far north as Myrdal, which is 3,000 feet above sea level and about 350 miles south of the Arctic ...
Jul 16, 2025
Shack Interviews Lawrence Gowan of Styx
Shack caught up with Styx keyboardist and vocalist Lawrence Gowan prior to their show at Coastal Credit Union Music Park July 9th. It'll be Styx, The Kevin Cronin Band (former lead vocalist of REO Spe...
Jul 03, 2025
Serviceberry: A little-known native tree that birds (and gardeners) love
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerRALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Many years ago, my family and I were visiting relatives in Ohio in early April. On the way back home it snowed, although it did not stic...
Jul 01, 2025
UNC 2025 Football Schedule
WPTF proudly offers season-long coverage of all UNC Tar Heel football games. Tune into WPTF for play-by-play coverage from WPTF and the Tar Heel Sports Network. DateTimeAtOpponentLocationSep. 1 (Mon.)...
Jun 10, 2025