Summer Squash
Planting Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a warm-season crop that grows best at average temperatures between 65 and 75 °F. Squash seeds do not germinate well in cold soil. In the spring, do not...
Author: Robert F. Polomski
Pumpkins & Winter Squash
Pumpkins and squash have been grown in North America for thousands of years. Native Americans ate pumpkins roasted, boiled and stewed, and they roasted the seeds for food as well. Most pumpkins now...
Peanut
The peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a tropical plant that originated in South America. It is a self-pollinating plant that looks like a yellow-flowered, low sweet pea bush growing slightly higher than...
Lettuce
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) withstands light frosts and is one of the easiest cool-season vegetables to grow. High summer temperatures usually cause seed stalk formation (bolting) and bitter flavor....
Okra
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a warm-season crop grown throughout South Carolina. It is a tall, upright plant with a hibiscus-like flower that originated in Africa. The immature, young seed pods...
Sweet Corn
Planting Sweet corn (Zea mays var. rugosa) is a warm-season crop that grows best at temperatures between 60 and 80 °F. The optimum soil temperature for seed germination is 60 to 95 °F. Sweet corn...
Bush & Pole-Type Snap Beans
Snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are primarily warm-season crops that grow best at average temperatures between 60 and 75 ºF. Snap beans can be tall-growing pole-type beans, half-runners, or the...
Asparagus
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a hardy perennial that is native to the Mediterranean. Once the plants are established, they will provide delicious spears every spring. Although asparagus takes...
Onion, Leek, Shallot, & Garlic
Onions and the related shallots, leeks and garlic all grow best during cool weather and are usually planted in the fall in South Carolina for late spring harvest. Onion plants can also be planted in...
Poison Ivy
Eastern poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is a woody, perennial vine or small shrub that can be found in fields, pastures, woodlands, farms and home landscapes. As a vine, it attaches itself to...
Broadleaf Weeds
Most broadleaf weeds have netlike veins in their leaves and nodes containing one or more leaves. They may have showy flowers. Broadleaf weed seedlings emerge with two leaves. Because of differences...
Give Your Bearded Irises Some Space – Divide Them
Let’s talk about division. Not the division you learned in math class. The kind that involves separating or splitting herbaceous perennials to make more plants. Perennials, such as bearded...