Growing Health
Gardening and health are intrinsically linked. In order to eat healthy, we must first grow healthy foods. Working in the yard or the garden can provide us with physical activity. And, of course, the...
Category: In the Garden
My Neighbor’s Grass is Greener
It’s seemed like ages since it’s actually been acceptable to recommend fertilizer on a homeowner’s lawn, but the month of May is upon us, meaning our warm-season grasses should be...
Annual Vines for the Mailbox or Trellis
The pioneering American landscape architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said: “A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his client to plant vines.” Aside from hiding things,...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – May 9, 2022
Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Spider mites are increasing in number on a variety of crops including strawberries and watermelons. Fruit crops in the area are producing well, with botrytis and...
Blue Carbon
If your summer vacation plans include a trip to the beach, you’ll have the chance to see our coastal blue carbon resources up close and personal. What is blue carbon, you may wonder? It’s the carbon...
Weed of the Month – Blue-eyed grass
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) is a beautiful native plant in the iris family. This perennial plant looks very similar to thicker bladed turfgrasses and can survive in the lawn without...
Lyreleaf Sage
It’s now late April, and I am enjoying these breath-taking vistas of Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrate) in the Arboretum of the South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG). This native perennial has put on an...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – May 02, 2022
Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It seems like everything happened all of a sudden this week. We are flushed with strawberries right now. I am seeing some anthracnose on berries and lots of...
Burweed: A Pain in the Foot
It’s a beautiful spring day, and you’re tempted to walk barefoot across your lawn. It can be a painful experience if you have a nasty cool-season weed called burweed (Soliva sessilis) growing in...
This Month In Your Garden – May
Coastal – Christopher Burtt Begin fertilizing lawns based on soil test results. With mower blades sharpened, mow the lawn at the appropriate height for the turf species. Look for thin areas in the...
Small But Mighty Golden Alexanders
Several years ago, upon taking a deeper dive into native plants, I kept hearing about a plant named Zizia. Everyone raved about its prowess as a pollinator workhorse in the garden. I decided I must...
Leaf Drop in Evergreens
You may have noticed your evergreen shrubs and trees shedding yellow and brown leaves this spring. It seems unusual, but it could be a normal leaf and needle drop. While some may believe that...