Ginger Lily
Want to add a bit of tropical pizazz to your late summer or early fall perennial border? Then ginger lilies (Hedychium species) are your answer. They are not true lilies but distant cousins of...
Category: In the Garden
Fall and Winter Vegetables
Gardening in the winter is somewhat challenging but doable. Many of the greens, some of the root vegetables, and herbs can be planted in the fall and will grow through the winter months. The saying...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Update September 7, 2021
Midlands Update Justin Ballew reports, “We’re getting a little dry here in the midlands, and folks have been running irrigation a lot. Last night (9/6), we got a shower at my house, but...
Ornamental grass lovers- your time is at hand!
The Perennial Plant of the Year® for 2022 is a lovely native grass, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). The Perennial Plant Association designates a plant of the year annually. They choose...
Plan Winter Weed Control Now
It still feels like summer, but it is already time to start thinking about winter weed control. Annual winter weeds germinate late summer through fall and slowly grow during the winter months. They...
Spider Lilies
One of my favorite childhood memories was watching the first spider lily (Lycoris radiata) bloom spikes magically appear in late August or early September in my parents’ garden. It was a sure sign...
Cover Crops in Raised Beds
Raised beds are a common way to grow edible and floral plants when either space is limited, bending down to the surface of the native soil is a challenge, when the present soil is not healthy/...
Make Dam Inspection and Maintenance Part of Your Pond Management Tasks
South Carolina’s thousands of dams are used to establish ponds, lakes, and reservoirs that provide flood management, hydropower, drinking or irrigation water, recreation, and wildlife habitat. For...
Weed of the Month – Wild Poinsettia / Desert Poinsettia
Wild Poinsettia / Desert Poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora) This North American native plant is a relative of the popular holiday poinsettia. Both plants are members of the...
Spiderwebs
At this time of year, I start seeing spiders and spider webs more frequently. I might leave my house and walk through a web or see a web glistening in the sunlight as I drive to work. Although they...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report August 16, 2021
Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It’s hot and humid in the Lowcountry. Fall tomato and watermelons are in the ground and enjoyed a week of mostly dry weather. Okra and sunchokes, aka...
Banana Spiders
It’s not a banana, but it is big and yellow…it’s a banana spider! These gentle arachnids are fairly common in South Carolina during mid to late summer, especially in the Lowcountry. These spiders...