Lawn Establishment
There are four aspects of turfgrass establishment: selecting a turfgrass that is adapted for that particular area; preparing the soil for planting; planting, which may include seeding, sodding,...
Category: Landscape
Oak
Oaks (Quercus species) are important trees in South Carolina. The deciduous species are generally more common from the Midlands north, while the evergreens favor conditions in the Coastal Plains....
Annual Vinca
With heat, drought, and poor soil tolerance, annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus), sometimes called periwinkle, is popular for summer flower beds in South Carolina. Height/Spread The plants grow 1 or...
Incorporating Beneficials Into the Gardener’s Toolkit
Many insect species are present in home gardens and landscapes. Groups like butterflies and moths catch the eye on a regular basis and tend to dazzle us with beauty and grace. Bees, native and...
Attracting & Feeding Songbirds
A Primer in Backyard Songbird Conservation Birding has become one of the most popular pastimes in North America. Annually, millions of Americans travel thousands of miles in search of rare and...
Soil Conditioning – Establishing a Successful Gardening Foundation
The soil is often referred to as the “foundation of life.” Foundations must be strong before great things can be developed. One of gardeners’ simplest tasks is to improve their...
Soil Texture Analysis “The Jar Test”
Soil is a medium comprised of soil particles, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms, all of which are important to the soil’s overall health and the plants that grow in it. There...
Living Christmas Trees
Living Christmas trees are container-grown or balled and burlapped Christmas trees that can be planted as landscape trees after the holiday season. This way of enjoying a Christmas tree is practical...
Spring-Flowering Bulbs
Flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and crocus are some of the earliest flowers to appear in gardens each year, some starting to bloom as early as January. Many will bloom and...
Fertilizing Trees & Shrubs
Trees and shrubs are living investments that grow in value each year. The foundation of their longevity starts with selecting and siting adapted plants and proper planting. After the plants become...
Perennial Leadwort
Perennial leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides), also known as hardy plumbago, is a long-blooming, semi-woody perennial from western China that will grow throughout South Carolina. This relatively...
Virginia Sweetspire
This colorful deciduous shrub, Virginia sweetspire or Virginia-willow (Itea virginica), combines beauty with functionality and durability. Fragrant, white flowers adorn this shrub in late spring,...