Shorescaping Freshwater Shorelines
Shorescapes South Carolina is blessed to have an abundance of water resources in the form of rivers, lakes, ponds, and estuaries, and many residents own properties that adjoin these beautiful...
Category: Landscaping
Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla, also called bigleaf or French hydrangea, typically has either pink or blue flowers, although a few cultivars have white flowers. Flower color is determined indirectly by the...
Landscape Irrigation Management Part 5: Irrigation Time of Day
The best time of day to irrigate is the subject of some debate. One group suggests that early morning is the best time, while another group claims that afternoon is the best. Very few people...
Landscape Irrigation Management Part 4: Winter Irrigation & Winterizing
Winter Irrigation Winter landscape irrigation has long been considered an oxymoron in the Southeast. A good portion of South Carolina’s 48 to 52 inches of annual rainfall finds its way to Earth...
Landscape Irrigation Management Part 3: How Much Water?
Quite a bit of information about water use is known about agronomic crops such as tomatoes, cotton, and peaches. Most of this information was determined from research that compared crop yields (and...
Landscape Irrigation Management Part 2: Determining When to Irrigate
Irrigation mismanagement occurs simply because few people know when to begin irrigating. Some wait until plants begin to wilt before adding water, while others are convinced that watering frequently...
Landscape Irrigation Management Part 1: Water in the Landscape
Many in the Southeast view irrigation as a “quick fix” for problems encountered during a hot, dry summer. It is a simple way to get water to wilting plants and keep them alive until rainfall...
Composting
What Is Composting? Composting is a biological process that decomposes organic materials into a high-quality soil amendment. This process occurs in nature but can be accelerated and improved under...
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 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...
Choosing A Fertilizer
Fertilizers contain essential elements or nutrients required by plants. These nutrients are important in germination, growth, flowering, and fruiting. When the soil does not provide these nutrients...
Fertilizers and the Environment
When fertilizing plants, consider the 4Rs of nutrient management: the right kind of fertilizer applied in the right amount, at the right time of year, and in the right location where it can be taken...