This Month in Your Garden June 2023
Coastal Region – Brad Fowler Managing fire ants in the landscape can sometimes be difficult, but applying fire ant baits in early June, when ants are foraging, can help keep them under...
Category: In the Garden
What Is It? Wednesday – Parasitic Wasp Pupae
This is a cluster of parasitic wasp pupae. The adult wasp would have laid eggs into a caterpillar to provide food for the developing larvae. The larvae develop inside the caterpillar and then exit...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- May 30, 2023
Midlands Region Rob Last Following additional rainfall over the holiday weekend, sanitation will be critical in strawberries to remove water-soaked and diseased berries. Maintain fungicide...
Weed of the Month- American Burnweed
American burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius) is an annual summer weed. It is native to North America and is a member of the aster family. It is a fast-growing weed that can reach heights up to...
K.I.S.S. Landscape Irrigation: A Lazy Gardener’s Irrigation System
Unpopular opinion incoming… I don’t enjoy summer in South Carolina. I prefer cool, crisp fall or spring days or cold winter days to summer’s oppressive heat and humidity. But it’s...
What Is It? Wednesday – Lady Beetle Eggs
These orange-colored things stuck to the bottom of a collard leaf are a cluster of lady beetle eggs. Lady beetles are great insects to have around, especially if you have problems with aphids, their...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- May 22, 2023
Coastal Region Zack Snipes We got some much needed rain last week to settle the dust and push crops forward. Growers should be aware of the possibility of increased disease pressure this week with...
South Carolina Native Magnolias
At the beginning of the week, I noticed our native magnolias flowering profusely. First, the evergreen southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora), which line the entrance to the South Carolina...
Lizard’s Tail
Lizard’s tail (Saururus cernuus) is a perennial native to Eastern and Southeastern North America. Don’t you just love that common name, lizard’s tail? The scientific name, Saurus cernnus, is derived...
What Is It? Wednesday – Parasitic Wasp Cocoon
This is the cocoon of a parasitic wasp (Microplitis plutellae) that attacks and kills diamondback moth larvae. This wasp will lay an egg inside the caterpillar, where the wasp larva feeds before...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- May 15, 2023
Statewide Tony Keinath – Extension Vegetable Pathologist The Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group (EVCWG) is a national effort to improve the detection and management of virus diseases on all...
Got Unwanted Volunteer Trees Growing in The Landscape? Here Are Some Tips and Tools
For small seedlings that have stems too small to grab with your hand, try using a pair of channel-lock pliers. They are adjustable, so you can grab a long section of stem with the teeth. Use gentle...