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...
Category: Vegetables
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...
Cucumber, Squash, Melon & Other Cucurbit Diseases
Many diseases of cucurbits can be prevented or minimized in the home vegetable garden by using the following simple cultural controls: Plant certified disease-free seeds. Select varieties...
Irish & Sweet Potato Diseases
Many diseases of Irish and sweet potatoes can be prevented in the home vegetable garden by using the following cultural controls: Always purchase certified disease-free potato tubers. Saving your...
Tomato Diseases & Disorders
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) can be grown on almost any moderately well-drained soil type. A good supply of organic matter can increase yield and reduce production problems. Tomatoes and related...
Tomato Insect Pests
The tomato fruitworm (Helicoverpa zea) is the most damaging tomato insect pest in South Carolina. Fruitworms occur throughout the Western Hemisphere extending as far north as Canada and as far south...
Cucumber, Squash, Melon & Other Cucurbit Insect Pests
Cucumber Beetles The spotted, striped, and banded cucumber beetles are very harmful to cucurbits (members of the gourd family, including cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and squashes), particularly...
Cabbage, Broccoli & Other Cole Crop Diseases
Cole crops, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower, are easily grown in South Carolina. Tips for growing healthy cole crops in the garden are available in HGIC 1301, Broccoli,...