Dragonflies
Did you know the beautiful dragonflies you see flying around rivers, ponds, and lakes spend most of their lives underwater?! Their lifecycle begins as adult females dip their abdomens onto the...
Category: In the Garden
Weeds for the Bees
Are you frustrated because there are dandelions and other weeds in your lawn? Did you know that dandelion flowers provide one of the first springtime sources of pollen for bees, butterflies, and...
A Few More Cool Tools to Add to Your Garden Toolbox
If you are anything like me, you are constantly adding to your gardening toolbox. Below are a few tools that I cannot live without in my gardening adventures. The best news is that for $40, you can...
Insects Feed Baby Birds
As a backyard bird enthusiast, I find watching the bluebird’s life cycle unfold in my yard to be fascinating. Each year, I anxiously await bluebird nesting season and feel a sense of accomplishment...
Asian Giant Hornets
For years, Clemson Extension personnel in South Carolina have received claims from many homeowners that they have Japanese or Asian giant hornets on their property or nesting in their homes. They...
Fun with Elephant Ears in the Garden
Want to add a tropical flair to your garden this spring? Elephant ears will add a bold statement to a filtered sun or high shade spot. These striking “drama queens” of the garden may be either in...
Attracting Beneficial Insects
The month of May brings many beautiful flowers and other delights in the garden. However, it also brings potential insect pests. Many gardeners are becoming more and more aware of the potential...
Crossvines
I always look forward to our crossvines (Bignonia capreolata) flowering every spring. Although most of the flowers may be produced high up in deciduous trees, after they bloom, the landscape becomes...
Invest in a “Transplant Producing Machine”
Far too many times, I see unused mini-greenhouses sitting in backyards and farms. These once-promising structures are now home to millions of red imported fire ants, rats, and even the occasional...
Herbicide Application: The Label Is the Law
Phone calls from landowners having problems with aquatic weeds are pretty common for Extension Agents every spring, and this year has been no exception. Due possibly to the mild winter from which we...
Indian Pink
Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica) has trumpet-shaped red flowers with a star-shaped yellow center and blooms in June. The oval-shaped leaves are bright green and are oppositely arranged on the...
Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Did you know that South Carolina has an official state grass? Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) was named the state grass in 2001. This native, warm-season, perennial grass originally grew in the...