Onion, Leek, Shallot, & Garlic
Onions and the related shallots, leeks and garlic all grow best during cool weather and are usually planted in the fall in South Carolina for late spring harvest. Onion plants can also be planted in...
Category: Vegetables
Tomato Basics
Getting Ready to Preserve Select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm tomatoes with a deep red color. For easy peeling, dip tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins...
Sweetpotato Basics
Selecting & Storing Look for firm, well-shaped sweetpotatoes with clean, smooth skins. Avoid any that have soft spots or bruises. Do not refrigerate sweetpotatoes. Refrigeration temperatures can...
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...
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
Protect cabbage, broccoli, and other cole crops from insect pests.
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...