Rusty Spider Wasp
Summer is a time of a lot of insect activity. Some of the best insect theater is fireflies at night and wasps during the day. For example, like an ant dragging another creature three times bigger...
Category: In the Garden
Dirt Roads, Crinums, and Plant Friends, Oh My!
I had heard of crinum lilies (Crinum species) but had never planted one or thought much about them, honestly. Did you know they were an old Southern plant? I have been working in the horticulture...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report June 21, 2021
Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Given the rainfall and humidity levels, we are seeing increases in foliar and fruit diseases on a range of crops. This includes cottony leak in cucumbers,...
Weed of the Month
Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) Horsenettle is a Southeastern native, perennial weed and a member of the nightshade or Solanaceae family. The nightshade family also includes tomatoes, peppers,...
Native Grasses
Native grasses are an excellent choice for low-maintenance, attractive, and wildlife-friendly plants to add to your landscape. Their beauty is often more subtle than the color splashes of perennials...
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – June 14, 2021
Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “We received some welcomed rain, but 5+ inches in a day or so was a bit much. Conditions this week will dry things out. I cannot stress enough how important...
Tool Hygiene
A gardener’s tools can make or break even the most mundane tasks. If tools are kept in good condition, they will make tasks easier and not cause other trouble down the road. Most people realize that...
What is it? Wednesday
Dark-winged fungus gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae) maggots Dark-winged fungus gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae) maggots (fly larvae) are about 3/8 inch long, slender, legless, and have transparent bodies with...
Let’s Grow Sunflowers
Nothing brings on the brightness of mid-summer to early fall like the colors provided by sunflowers. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) have a wide skill set. They are grown for beauty, for pollination...
Pineapple Guavas
One of the lesser known fruits that grow well here in South Carolina, the Pineapple Guava, Acca sellowiana, is a large, evergreen shrub in the Myrtle Family, Myrtaceae. Native to South America, it...
Be On the Lookout for the Box Tree Moth
The box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, is a non-native moth that has recently been found in a nursery in South Carolina. Native to eastern Asia, the box tree moth has been present in Canada since...
Keep Trees Healthy To Stave Off Ambrosia Beetles
A few years ago, my husband and I added two Eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) to our front yard. Each spring, I look forward to their tiny magenta flowers followed by the emergence of heart-shaped...