nutrient deficiencies

Soil Test Warning: What North Carolina Gardeners Are Finding in Their Yards This January

January 15, 2026 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

January is not just a month for cozy sweaters and hot cocoa—it’s turning into a revelation for North Carolina gardeners. Across the state, backyard enthusiasts are rolling up their sleeves and digging into something a little less glamorous than snowdrifts: their soil. Soil tests done this month are yielding results that are both surprising and…

6 Reasons Your Winter Plants Are Dying and What to Do About It

December 9, 2025 by Brandon Marcus Leave a Comment

Winter can be brutal—not just for humans, but for the plants you’ve nurtured all year. One day, your leafy friend looks vibrant and lively, and the next, it’s drooping, yellowing, or losing leaves faster than you can say “frostbite.” It’s frustrating, heartbreaking, and honestly, a little mysterious. How can plants that thrived in summer suddenly…

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…

How to Save Marigold Seeds for Next Year

Before you pull those fading marigolds out of your garden this fall, take a closer look at their dried flower heads. Hidden inside those shriveled blooms could be dozens of seeds capable of producing another colorful display next spring, without spending another dollar at the garden center. Marigolds are among the easiest annual flowers for…

Which Annuals Can Reseed If Left Alone

What if some of the flowers you planted this year could come back next spring without spending another dollar at the garden center? While most gardeners treat annual flowers as one-season investments, certain varieties have a surprising ability to return year after year. The secret is allowing them to complete their natural life cycle instead…

How to Cut Back Leggy Annuals Before Composting Them

Those scraggly petunias, stretched-out marigolds, and tired zinnias might not look like much by the end of fall. After months of flowering, many annuals become woody, overgrown, or covered in dying leaves, making them tempting candidates for the trash. But before you pull everything out and toss it away, there’s a better way to handle…

How to Dry Sunflower Heads for Seeds and Wildlife

Before you toss those drooping sunflower heads into the compost pile this fall, consider what you’re throwing away. Those faded blooms could provide free seeds for next year’s garden, nutritious food for backyard birds, or even a natural alternative to expensive store-bought bird feeders. Sunflowers are one of the few garden plants that continue providing…