Coastal Region – Brad Fowler The time to fertilize warm-season turfgrass has finally arrived. Be sure to fertilize based on soil test results and the specific needs of the turf. Check out the yearly maintenance calendars for each type of turfgrass for more information. Centipedegrass Bermudagrass Augustinegrass Zoysiagrass As daytime temperatures start to rise, monitor […] The post This Month in Your Garden- May 2024 appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

What is this critter that was found resting on the wall inside of a garage? This is another beneficial insect: a brown lacewing. Brown lacewings are smaller than the more common green lacewings, though both are voracious predators of soft-bodied insects, particularly aphids, mealybugs, small caterpillars, and mites. Whereas green lacewings lay their eggs at […] The post Question of the Week – Brown Lacewing appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

Many of you may be familiar with our native fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus, often called Grancy graybeard, granddaddy graybeard or old man’s beard. It is a wonderful small tree that grows throughout the state but is certainly not a common site. It begins blooming in late March with airy, off-white flowers. There is a related tree, […] The post Chinese Fringetree Puts on a Show in the Spring appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

Cicada Brood XIX has arrived in Greenwood County. Enjoy the amazing photos taken by HGIC Agent, Ginger Long. Brood XIX is one of the largest broods in the country, covering the greatest geographic area. In South Carolina, the emergence is projected to be in many upstate counties and counties along the Savannah River basin down […] The post April 29 Week 5 Garden Photos appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

Boxwood has long been a cornerstone of southern gardens, especially on historic estates in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. They are ideal for formal gardens with their dense growth habit that allows them to be pruned into hedges, rounded shrubs, and topiaries. Today, more than 90 species and 260 cultivars of boxwood are available. Littleleaf, […] The post Boxwood appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

We are all familiar with stress coping mechanisms like deep breathing, exercise, and quality sleep. But did you know that eating habits can have an impact on stress and anxiety as well? Research shows that there are some foods that can help lower cortisol levels, which is the hormone in our bodies that is predominantly […] The post National Stress Awareness Month: Foods to Reduce Stress and Anxiety appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

Bluestars are in the genus Amsonia. There are at least twenty-two known species, and most are native to the Eastern United States. All are in the Apocynaceae (Dogbane) family, so named because the milky sap is slightly toxic to dogs. Due to the unpleasant taste of the sap, Bluestars are deer- and rabbit-resistant. There are […] The post Bluestar appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

Check out the latest episode of the SC Grower Exchange Podcast below. Statewide Jhessye Moore-Thomas As the end of the first year of the Climate-Smart Grown in SC program is approaching, leafy greens growers are preparing for verification visits. Here is a field that is enrolled in all three program practices, which include using cover […] The post SC Fruit and Vegetable Field Report – April 22, 2024 appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

Anybody who has spent time in the woods or other wild surroundings is familiar with ticks, those blood-sucking arachnids that seek out creatures, including we humans, on which to feed. Most of us also know that ticks are carriers of numerous diseases, the most known being Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. However, many […] The post Tick Talk appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more

“April is the Kindest Month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden.” ~Marty Rubin~ The post April 22 Week 4 Garden Photos appeared first on Home & Garden Information Center ..read more