Question of the Week – Armyworms
What is causing this lawn to turn brown even though it has received over 5 inches of rain so far this month? This lawn is infested with fall armyworms (Spodotera frugiperda). In just a few days, the...
Category: In the Garden
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – August 26, 2024
Strawberry growers are scrambling to find disease-free plants. Late-season disease and insect pressure is picking up, and muscadines and other fall crops are nearing harvest. See details below. Keep...
Wishbone Flower
Add more color to your shade garden and containers with the wishbone flower (Torenia). The unique flowers resemble a single snapdragon bloom and have stamens that meet in the center, resembling a...
Cranefly Orchid
When walking through my woods this time of year, I’m looking for cranefly orchids (Tipularia discolor) in bloom. It is a delicate perennial, terrestrial orchid that grows in deciduous woods....
What is it? Wednesday – IO moth caterpillars
This time of year, many caterpillars are actively feeding on trees throughout the state. These spikey little caterpillars will turn into the Io moth, a species common throughout South Carolina....
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – August 19, 2024
The Coastal and Pee Dee regions have been drying out from Tropical Storm Debby. Fall crops are being planted in many areas. Peach harvest is coming to a close and muscadine harvest will begin soon....
Great Golden Sand Digger Wasp
Many people respond negatively to wasps, but not every wasp is to be feared or eliminated. As a gardener, the presence of the great golden sand digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) should be celebrated....
Be On the Lookout for Armyworms
Fall armyworms are being reported in lawns and pastures across South Carolina. If you notice caterpillars feeding or moving in large numbers during the early morning or late evening hours, you may...
Question of the Week – Wood Boring Beetle
What caused the oval-shaped holes in this young pecan tree? These oval-shaped holes were created by a wood boring beetle from either the Buprestidae or Cerambycidae families. Without seeing the...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- August 12, 2024
The coastal region and Pee Dee saw lots of rain and flooding in places from Tropical Storm Debby last week. As field conditions improve this week, please document any crop or infrastructure impacts...
Saltwater Remediation And Storm Damage Repair After A Storm
Fortunately, Hurricane Debby blew through South Carolina, but she left behind standing water, damaged trees, and other landscape issues. After the storm, homeowners can be left with a real mess to...
Question of the Week – Kiwi
What kind of fruit is this? These little fuzzy fruit are kiwis of the genus Actinidia, and were found growing on a hobby farm on Johns Island, SC. Kiwi hails from the grasslands of China and...