Getting to the Root of Plant Problems
When plant problems occur in the landscape, gardeners often blame insects or diseases. While some plants are more susceptible to pest problems than others, many issues arise when plants are planted...
Category: In the Garden
Foraging for Winter Decorations
Fresh foraged material adds a special touch to any entry, table-scape, or staircase during the holidays. Greenery Backyard greenery like boxwood, holly, juniper, cypress, magnolia, nandina,...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – November 8, 2021
Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It feels like winter showed up this past week with cold, windy, gloomy days. Most, if not all of our strawberries have been planted. With the cool weather...
The Lovely Loquat
I have always been enamored with shrubs and trees that bloom during the fall months. Partly for the pollinators in search of sustenance during this season, but mostly for me who can’t accept the...
Storing Apples
Autumn has descended on us, and with that, brings pumpkins, leaves, sweaters, and best of all, apples! While not the easiest to grow in our heat and humidity, the Carolinas do produce a significant...
Staying Safe and Social this Holiday Season
The past two years have been far from ordinary. We have all had to learn how to navigate a world with new safety standards and health precautions. From mask-wearing to social distancing and new...
The Fall Color of River Oats
River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) One of my favorite native plants in South Carolina isn’t a typical spring emergent full of bright colors; it’s a species that starts to turn heads as we head...
Leave the Leaves for the Fireflies
In the hot summer months, do you love sitting outside watching the fireflies (or lightning bugs) flash in the landscape? If you do, then there is something important you need to know related to fall...
Native Trees for Fall Color
Some of my favorite natives for fall leaf color grow in abundance in the Piedmont, and when the weather cooperates, we are in for a spectacular show. Sugar maples occur naturally further north of...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report October 25, 2021
Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “We had a nice week of weather last week and are getting some rain this morning (10/25). Strawberry plants are arriving, and growers will be busy putting in...
Persimmons
When it comes to choosing landscape trees, I look for trees that have multi-season interest. I’ve seen too many fleeting beauties that bear a fireworks display of flowers in the spring that lasts...
Cotton Rose Mallow
Cotton rose mallow (Hibiscus mutabilis), a member of the Malvaceae family, is one of the latest blooming hibiscuses and a popular plant found in many South Carolina gardens. When in bloom, the 4- to...