Cold Damage
Cold weather can cause all types of problems for plants in South Carolina. Freezing temperatures can damage plants by rupturing plant cells as ice crystals form and rapid changes in temperatures...
Category: Problems
Azalea & Rhododendron Diseases
Rhododendrons and azaleas are some of the most popular spring-flowering shrubs in the landscape, and healthy plants can give years of pleasure. Many diseases and other problems can be prevented by...
Crapemyrtle Bark Scale
The crapemyrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae) is a recently introduced pest from Asia that initially infested crapemyrtles (Lagerstroemia spp.) in Texas during 2004. Since then, it has...
Brown Patch & Large Patch Diseases of Lawns
Introduction The beauty of a lawn can be quickly destroyed by brown patch or large patch, which are serious fungal diseases (each caused by different strains of Rhizoctonia solani) that can affect...
White Grub Management in Turfgrass
White grubs are the larval (immature) stage of several different scarab beetles. In South Carolina, as well as the rest of the southeastern United States, turfgrass can be attacked by the grub stage...
Snails & Slugs in the Home Garden
Snails and slugs are small soft-bodied animals that can be troublesome pests in the garden. They are very similar to each other except snails have hard shells and slugs do not. They can cause...
Root-Knot Nematodes in the Vegetable Garden
Root-knot nematodes attack a wide variety of plants and can become serious pests in the home garden. They are microscopic roundworms that live in the soil and on plant roots. They injure plants by...
Rose Diseases
Roses are one of the most popular and versatile flowering shrubs grown throughout South Carolina. Most roses require a lot of care to grow and bloom properly. One of the most common causes of...
Gardenia Insects & Related Pests
With their wonderfully fragrant blossoms and lustrous, dark green leaves, gardenias (Gardenia angusta, previously known as G. jasminoides) are popular shrubs with many southern gardeners. Their...
Euonymus Diseases & Insect Pests
There are 60 different forms of euonymus available from American sources. They range from evergreen shrubs, such as Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonicus), to evergreen vines, such as wintercreeper...
Holly Diseases & Insect Pests
Diseases Black Root Rot: Black root rot is caused by the fungus Thielaviopsis basicola. This fungus primarily affects the root system and reduces plant vigor. Aboveground symptoms may include...
Viburnum Diseases & Insect Pests
In general, most viburnums are relatively pest-free. Occasionally disease or insect pest problems do occur, and usually it is during those times that the plants are under stress or growing in less...