NCDA&CS

NC Agriculture Officials Warn: This Invasive Pest Is Now in Residential Gardens

February 10, 2026 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

North Carolina gardeners are used to dealing with the usual suspects—aphids, beetles, maybe the occasional slug with a personal vendetta—but this year brings a new and far more unwelcome guest. Agriculture officials have confirmed that a destructive invasive pest has made its way out of commercial areas and into residential gardens, and it’s causing quite…

NC State Agriculture Officials Issue New Alert About an Invasive Pest Moving Into Backyards

February 2, 2026 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

If you love your yard, your garden, or the peace of soaking up sunshine among your flowers and trees, it’s time for a quick reality check: something unwelcome might be creeping in right under your feet. North Carolina agriculture officials have just issued a fresh alert about an invasive pest that’s no longer lurking only…

How To Get Free Seeds From The Government by Amanda Blankenship Seeds might seem like a small expense, but any seasoned…
Should I Use Enviro Ice On My Plants? by Kathryn Vercillo Every week, I receive food from Hungryroot. It's a great…
From Trash to Treasure: Transform Shredded Paper Into Garden Gold by Amanda Blankenship Should you use shredded paper as garden mulch? It might…
What Happens to Plants If You Use Enviro Ice on Them? by Amanda Blankenship About a year ago, I wrote our first article about…

7 Herbs That Keep Producing After Summer Vegetables Slow Down

The tomatoes are slowing down, the pepper plants look increasingly tired, and the zucchini has finally stopped behaving like it owns the neighborhood. Herbs, meanwhile, often keep sending out fresh leaves long after the summer vegetable garden starts calling it a season. That makes herbs some of the most useful plants to keep around when…

His HOA Said “Flowers Only.” This Gardener Took the Rule Very Literally

An HOA said “flowers only,” and one gardener decided to treat those two words less like a suggestion and more like a gardening challenge. Instead of arguing over what belonged in the yard, the gardener leaned into the wording and turned the restriction itself into the punchline. That approach makes for a funny garden story,…

6 Pollinator Plants to Start Now for a Stronger Spring Garden

A pollinator garden does not begin when the first bees start buzzing around in spring. The smarter move happens months earlier, when gardeners choose plants that can settle in, develop roots, and prepare for another season of flowers. Starting perennial pollinator plants now can give the garden a head start while also creating a more…

Before You Let the Kids Pick Those Berries, Make Sure They Aren’t One of These Plants

A backyard full of colorful berries can look like nature’s candy aisle, especially to a child who spots a shiny red or purple cluster hanging at exactly eye level. That makes berry season a great time to teach children one simple rule: pretty does not mean edible, and nobody should pick a berry for a…