Indoor Plants – Waxflowers (Hoya)
Hoyas, or waxflowers, are low-maintenance, versatile indoor plants.
Archives: Factsheets
How to Grow Zinnias: The Best Varieties & Care Tips
Zinnias are easy-to-grow, sun-loving annuals perfect for any garden. Learn about the best varieties, planting methods, watering tips, and care essentials.
Livestakes: Easy Propagation for Streambank Plants
Livestakes are an effective, low-cost method for propagating riparian plants to stabilize streambanks and improve ecosystem health. This guide covers everything from choosing the right species to harvesting, installing, and maintaining livestakes. Enhance your streamside with native vegetation to reduce erosion, filter pollutants, and support wildlife.
Sweetshrub
Sweetshrub, or Carolina allspice, is a versatile native shrub valued for its sweet, fruity-scented flowers and low-maintenance needs. Learn how to grow and care for this adaptable plant, including ideal planting conditions, pruning tips, and popular cultivars like ‘Athens’ and ‘Burgundy Spice.’
BITES BURNS BLOOD: First Aid for Skin Issues Resulting from Being Outdoors
BITES BURNS BLOOD: First Aid for Skin Issues Resulting from Being Outdoors offers essential first aid guidance for managing bites, burns, and bleeding injuries encountered during outdoor activities. Whether you’re working, exploring, or relaxing in nature, this guide provides simple home remedies and advice on when to seek professional medical care to ensure quick and effective treatment.
Alcohol Use and Diabetes
For people with diabetes, alcohol consumption can impact blood sugar levels, leading to risks like hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and other complications. This article covers how alcohol interacts with diabetes, its effects on the body, and how to manage consumption safely, including tips for moderation and recognizing low blood sugar symptoms.
How to Thaw Food Safely
Thawing food properly is crucial to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. This guide covers both unsafe thawing methods, like room temperature and hot water, and safe methods such as refrigerator, cold water, microwave, and cooking thawing techniques. Follow these USDA-approved methods to keep your food safe and avoid the “danger zone” where bacteria multiply rapidly.
Chinese Vegetables
Chinese vegetables are gaining popularity in home gardens, offering diverse flavors and textures. This guide covers how to grow a variety of cool-season and warm-season Chinese vegetables, including bok choy, Chinese cabbage, yard-long beans, and bitter melon. Learn essential tips on planting, watering, fertilizing, and managing pests and diseases to ensure a healthy, productive garden.
Forest Tent Caterpillar
The forest tent caterpillar is a native defoliating insect present throughout the eastern U.S. This insect is typically not a problem but can occasionally reach outbreak populations that are capable of wide-scale defoliation in hardwood forests.
The Jorō Spider
The Jorō spider, an orbweaver native to Asia, is now common in the southeastern U.S. Despite sensationalized headlines, these large spiders are docile and pose little threat to humans or pets. Learn about their lifecycle, distinctive features, and tips for managing their presence on your property.
Big Yellow Spiders in South Carolina
In South Carolina, four large yellow and black orbweaver spiders are commonly found: the yellow garden spider, banded garden spider, golden silk orbweaver, and the invasive Jorō spider. These spiders are known for their impressive webs and docile nature. All spiders play a role in controlling pest populations, making them valuable to both humans and the environment. Discover their fascinating behaviors, reproductive habits, and how they contribute to the ecosystem.
Centipedes
Centipedes are fast-moving creatures that can be a nuisance indoors. This guide covers some of the different types of centipedes, their behavior, how to identify them, and effective strategies for controlling them, both naturally and with pesticides.