Category: In the Garden

An Ecology of Spring Wildflowers

Apr 7, 2022 | In the Garden

Spring wildflowers are garden stars in the wooded area of South Carolina Botanical Garden’s Natural Heritage Trail from February to May. The spring herbaceous layer is exceptionally diverse in...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – April 4, 20222

Apr 6, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It finally feels like spring in the fields. The strawberry crop is really behind schedule this year. Most farms have plants with 3-4 crowns on them.  In most...

Burgundy Spice Sweetshrub

Apr 5, 2022 | In the Garden

This year, the newest shrub addition to my garden is a Burgundy Spice sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus var purpureus ‘Burgundy Spice’). When I spotted it across the nursery, it was as if a big neon...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report March 28, 2022

Mar 31, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “The first of this season’s strawberries are coming to market with good quality. Growers still need to be very mindful of spider mites. Populations are around in the...

Let’s Go Wild!

Mar 29, 2022 | In the Garden

I read a recent article in Forbes magazine introducing a new book, Wild: The Naturalistic Garden by Noel Kingsbury. It nudged me to share a gardening concept that I have grown more passionate about...

To Shear or Not to Shear

Mar 28, 2022 | In the Garden

Shearing hedges into cubes, globes, and squares is a form of architectural pruning that balances appearance with shrub health. This balancing act is most evident in the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden in...

Farming Foundations Online Farming School

Mar 24, 2022 | In the Garden

Do you want to start farming but don’t know where to start? Would you like to grow vegetable crops to sell at a local farmer’s market? Would you like to develop a farming side hustle?...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – March 21, 2022

Mar 23, 2022 | In the Garden

Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Starting with strawberries, spider mites are increasing in the area with eggs and adults warranting treatment. Strawberry crops are very susceptible to mite damage...

Too Much Turf?  Think About A Meadow Garden

Mar 22, 2022 | In the Garden

Turfgrass is the largest or one of the largest crops in America, and you can’t eat it or wear it.  In addition, it requires water, fertilizer, and a tremendous amount of energy to maintain.  Given...

Spring Is Here, And So Are My Anemones

Mar 21, 2022 | In the Garden

Anemone coronaria is not your stereotypical spring-blooming face that you see around here. It originated in the Mediterranean regions, and its Greek-origin name is a reference to the wind – hence...

A Healthy Pond Starts in Your Landscape

Mar 17, 2022 | In the Garden

What leads to a healthy (or unhealthy) pond? Look upstream to find out. Many of the pollution sources that can lead to algae issues, low dissolved oxygen, muddy water, and poor fish habitat in ponds...

SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report- March 14, 2022

Mar 16, 2022 | In the Garden

Statewide Dr. Matt Cutulle reports, “I saw my first nutsedge plants this year pop up in the plastic mulch of a fellow researcher’s trial last week in Charleston. Soil temperatures in plastic mulch...