WPTF Weekend Gardener

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Dr. Patrick McMillan, Botanist, Conservation Biologist, Plantsman, and Horticulturist, to talk about the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Dr. Patrick McMillan, Botanist, Conservation Biologist, Plantsman, and Horticulturist, to talk about the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Dr. Patrick McMillan, Botanist, Conservation Biologist, Plantsman, and Horticulturist, to talk about the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Gerald Adams, retired head gardener of the Governor’s Mansion, to discuss a plethora of topics related to the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Gerald Adams, retired head gardener of the Governor’s Mansion, to discuss a plethora of topics related to the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Gerald Adams, retired head gardener of the Governor’s Mansion, to discuss a plethora of topics related to the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley, Nelsa Cox, and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest callers to talk about current winter precipitation and how it could affect the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley, Nelsa Cox, and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest callers to talk about current winter precipitation and how it could affect the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley, Nelsa Cox, and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest callers to talk about current winter precipitation and how it could affect the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley, Phil Campbell and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Mark Baumgartner to talk about winter weather affecting the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley, Phil Campbell and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Mark Baumgartner to talk about winter weather affecting the garden.

Today on Weekend Gardener, Mike Raley, Phil Campbell and Rufus Edmisten host the show with guest Mark Baumgartner to talk about winter weather affecting the garden.

In the final hour, Raley and Edmisten reunite with Adams and McMillan to share stories of family gardens and farming traditions. They provide tips on growing eggplant and managing pests, and reflect on the lessons learned from their upbringing surrounded by food and flowers, emphasizing the personal connections to gardening.

In this segment, Raley and Edmisten continue with Adams and McMillan, focusing on tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and culinary herbs. They discuss growing specialty herbs like culantro and Vietnamese coriander, heat-tolerant cilantro alternatives, mint varieties, and seed saving, while sharing practical gardening advice and insights from farmers' markets.

Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten end the show in the studio with special guests Paul McKenzie, retired extension agent, and Chad Tyson, Director of Operations at Mitogrow.

Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten continue the show in the studio with special guests Paul McKenzie, retired extension agent, and Chad Tyson, Director of Operations at Mitogrow.

Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten open the show in the studio with special guests Paul McKenzie, retired extension agent, and Chad Tyson, Director of Operations at Mitogrow.

The episode wraps up with reflections on plants, nature, and learning from the garden, as Mike, Rufus, and Johnny Coley close the show with perspective, humor, and encouragement for gardeners in winter.

Mike, Rufus, and Johnny Coley dive deeper into gardening science, winter landscapes, and practical advice, mixing personal stories with insight drawn from years of experience.

Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten are joined by Dr. Patrick McMillan, a retired Clemson University professor, and Gerald Adams, former Curator of the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion grounds. They discuss slug issues, mountain gardening, winter-blooming plants, wild gingers, and hellebores, covering topics from banana slugs and beer traps to native plants and why North Carolina is a hub of plant diversity.

The final hour wraps up with thoughtful gardening advice, plant recommendations, seasonal considerations, and personal reflections from the panel. The show closes with humor, wisdom, and encouragement for gardeners heading into winter.

The in-studio panel continues with a deeper discussion of native plants, edible gardening, family traditions, and how curiosity and observation shape sound gardening practices. Dr. McMillan and Andrea Lane share insights from the mountains, while Rufus and Dave Bolick provide perspective and narratives.

Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten open the show in the studio with Dr. Patrick McMillan, Andrea Lane of Mitchell County, and North Carolina State Auditor Dave Bolick. The conversation blends gardening science, winter landscapes, plant behavior, and reflections on stewardship, conservation, and learning from the natural world.

The final hour features additional guests from the market, including Dave Parker of Amedeo’s and Brian Christensen of Logan’s, who highlight poinsettias, Christmas trees, and long-running Raleigh food and market traditions. The show wraps with holiday gardening advice, market updates, and reflections on the community that makes the State Farmers Market a seasonal destination.

Mike and Rufus are broadcasting from within the market shops as they talk with Gary Stevenson and Amanda Bratcher. They share holiday stories, food discoveries, Christmas traditions, and reflections on previous shows and guests. The hour also features discussions about holiday plants, such as poinsettias, and emphasizes the importance of supporting farmers and growers during the Christmas season.

Mike Raley and Rufus Edmisten kick off the show from the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, joined by Spectrum News 1 chief meteorologist Gary Stevenson and Lee County Extension agent Amanda Bratcher. The hour will focus on December weather, seasonal gardening reflections, hellebores and Christmas roses, plant hardiness, and the importance of cold weather for plant health.

The crew wraps back at the greenhouse with more guest conversations, mountain region updates, local grower stories, and seasonal gardening and holiday plant advice as the show closes out.

Mike and Ann continue from the nursery before connecting with Billy Howell at the State Farmers Market for an update on Christmas trees, produce, specialty foods, gift items, and weekend crowds.

Mike Raley and Ann Clapp open the show from Campbell Road Nursery with a walk through the Christmas greenhouse featuring poinsettias, cyclamen, Christmas cactus, and conversations with Tom Campbell, Nelsa Cox, Dr. Patrick McMillan, and Rufus Edmisten.

Mike, Rufus, and Nelson welcome Monica Wood to discuss the State Farmers Market report, which includes Christmas trees, produce, wreaths, and holiday crowds. They then cover additional winter preparations and answer caller questions to conclude the show.

Mike, Rufus, and Nelson continue discussing holly problems, lily and crinum questions, pruning guidance, vines, lawns, and a steady stream of listener calls regarding winter garden issues.

Mike Raley, Rufus Edmiston, and Nelson Cox kick off the show in the studio by discussing plant IDs, camellias, bulbs, evergreens, soil questions, and sharing early seasonal garden advice from callers.

Mike, Nelsa, and Rufus take more horticulture questions, revisit garden memories, and play the J.C. Knowles clip requested by caller Larry as they wrap up the show with light weekend chatter.

Mike, Nelsa, and Rufus talk camellias, pruning, plant IDs, and fall garden performance before bringing in Billy Howell with a State Farmers Market update on Christmas trees, wreaths, holiday crafts, and seasonal produce.

Mike Raley, Nelsa Cox, and Rufus Edmisten open the show with parade-morning talk, drought updates, longleaf pine and cryptomeria discussion, and early caller questions about tomatoes, screening trees, and evergreen choices.

Mike, Rufus, Paul McKenzie, and Gary Stevenson finally deliver the long-promised kale taste test as Gary brings in his cooked kale; the hosts sample it live, react, joke, and wrap with State Farmers Market and craft-fair updates.

Mike, Rufus, Paul McKenzie, and Gary Stevenson dive into flying stories, hot-air balloons, peppers, camellias, and fall color, with more kale setups as Gary hints at what he’s cooking for the final hour.

Mike, Rufus, Paul McKenzie, and Gary Stevenson kick off the show with early veggie talk, kale arguments, fall gardening chatter, and in-studio banter that sets up the day’s kale showdown.

Garden Q&A with Johnny Coley and Andrea Lane—camellias in mountain zones, Fraser firs, and more—plus JC Raulston’s Moonlight in the Garden.