Hornworms on the Tomatoes
A few years ago, I had planted a tomato in my small, raised bed garden at my home. By early July, the tomato hornworms started showing up. The first batch was about five worms I found over the...
Category: Vegetables
SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – June 6, 2022
Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Insect and disease activity is increasing in the area, across a broad range of crops. In cucurbits, we are seeing powdery mildew and gummy stem blight in...
Sweetpotato
Planting The sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a warm-season crop that is not planted until well after the last chance of frost in the spring. The soil temperature should be above 65 °F before...
Turnips & Rutabagas
Turnips (Brassica rapa) and rutabagas (Brassica napus) have edible leaves and roots, though turnip greens are more commonly eaten than rutabaga greens. Turnips have crisp, white flesh and a spicy,...
Tomato
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are a popular staple in Southern vegetable gardens. Tomatoes are warm-season plants that grow best at 70 to 80 °F during the day and 60 to 70 °F during the night...
Cabbage, Broccoli & Other Cole Crop Insect Pests
Introduction Each year numerous insect pests damage crops in home gardens and commercial fruit and vegetable fields. Caterpillars, the immature larval stage of butterflies and moths, are the most...
Managing Fire Ants in the Vegetable Garden
Fire ants are a common nuisance in home vegetable gardens. In addition to being a stinging pest, they can cause damage to vegetable crops, such as okra and Irish potatoes. In dry conditions, they...
Potato
Potatoes are a very easy and fun crop to grow in the home garden. White-skinned and red-skinned potatoes can be grown as an early crop for new potatoes and as a late crop for storage. Choose an...
Crop Rotation
Many home vegetable gardeners have limited garden space, resulting in the same plants being grown in the same places year after year. This common practice leads to the buildup of soil-borne...
Aquaponics – The Culture of Fish and Plants Together in One System
Aquaponics is becoming a popular hobby to produce fresh, natural food in the home. Aquaponic systems can occupy small spaces indoors or out and utilize less water than backyard gardening. It is...
Insecticidal Soaps for Garden Pest Control
If you are looking for a safe, effective, and low toxicity alternative to more toxic pesticides to control many undesirable insects in your garden, insecticidal soaps may fit the bill. Insecticidal...
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...