Author: Justin Ballew

What Is It? Wednesday – Cabbage Webworm

Oct 19, 2022 | In the Garden

There are diamondback moth caterpillars on the right. The caterpillar on the left is a cabbage webworm. Cabbage webworms feed near the growing points of brassica plants, often damaging the growing...

What Is It? Wednesday – Eastern Garter Snake

Oct 12, 2022 | In the Garden

This is an Eastern garter snake. These nonvenomous snakes are pretty common in South Carolina and are active most of the year. They feed primarily on frogs, toads, worms, slugs, and even fish and...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – October 10, 2022

Oct 11, 2022 | In the Garden

A big congratulations to Kerrie Roach as she is transitioning to a new role as a Nursery Inspector with the Clemson Department of Plant Industry (DPI). Kerrie has served Extension and the great...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- October 3, 2022

Oct 4, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “What a wild week we had with the hurricane, rain, and storm prep. Overall, the Lowcountry dodged most of the wind and water.  While we still had wind gusts...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – September 26, 2022

Sep 27, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Sweet potatoes in the area are coming to harvest along with fall watermelons, squash, and zucchini. Diseases are present in the cucurbits, particularly downy mildew...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- September 19, 2022

Sep 22, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “We finally got some relief from all the rain. Fields were allowed to dry out a bit, and we should be able to get into the fields to plant brassica and work...

What Is It? Wednesday – Bee Fly

Sep 21, 2022 | In the Garden

This little critter looks a lot like a bee (it’s yellow, fuzzy, and foraging flowers), but if you look closely, you’ll see it has only one pair of wings (bees have two). This feature distinguishes...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – September 12, 2022

Sep 14, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Fall watermelons are looking good. There is some disease around, so fungicide applications remain crucial. I am finding whiteflies in a few crops too. As we move...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – September 6, 2022

Sep 7, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It rained every day last week, and we ended up with over 8 inches. Field conditions are really soupy right now, and growers have had problems getting into some...

What Is It? Wednesday – Hickory Horned Devil Caterpillar

Aug 31, 2022 | In the Garden

This is a caterpillar known as the hickory horned devil. The adult is a beautiful moth known as the regal moth (Citheronia regalis), but it is rarely seen due to its nocturnal habit. The hickory...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- August 22, 2022

Aug 26, 2022 | In the Garden

Midlands Region Justin Ballew reports, “We had a few rain events last week, and temperatures were a little cooler. Fall planted crops are growing really well right now, but due to the recent...

What is It? Wednesday – Glyphosate Damage

Aug 24, 2022 | In the Garden

This young tomato plant is suffering from glyphosate damage that occurred when row middles were being sprayed. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide, so damage shows up at the growing point. At this...