May is one of my favorite months in the garden. Temperatures are warm enough for quick growth, but cool enough to limit plant stress. (Also, the weather is bearable for yard work!) Typically May in Columbia, SC is quite hot, but the first half of May 2021 has been much cooler than average. The average afternoon high through May 15 was only 79F this year (the climatological average is about 82F), and morning temperatures were about 4 degrees cooler than the climatological average. The “Famously Hot” city will live up to its name for the last week of May, but here’s a look at how the garden is r ..read more

Fruit trees are an investment. Plant them once, and enjoy them year after year. They don’t require annual planting like tomatoes and eggplant, but that doesn’t make these trees full proof. Actually, some of the fruit trees I’m trying in Gandy’s Garden at WLTX are proving to be more trouble than they might be worth! In Late 2019/Early 2020, I selected fruits to test their limits in South Carolina’s climate, but I learned the weather isn’t the only hurdle that could keep fruit from reaching the table. Here’s a look at what I’m growing and a few problems I’ve encountered so far. Watch my story t ..read more

It’s no secret, I love palm trees! My passion for all things palmy started at a very young age. In the 7th grade I bought my first Trachycarpus fortunei (windmill palm) off eBay, and in the 8th grade, I did an entire project on growing palm trees in New York City. It gave me the confidence to plant two palm trees outside in New York when I was in high school. It was an experiment on climate change, and an exciting opportunity to make my yard look a little more like the tropical climates I love to forecast in. It turns out, the experiment has been a success because, 12 years later, those same p ..read more

Today I made a very exciting plant purchase. If you’re like me and follow a lot of “plant people” on social media, you’ve seen gorgeous rare houseplants on so many people’s wishlist. Gone are the days where anthuriums are just for beautiful flowers – now people know about the incredible foliage on the rarer species in the genus! I was looking to dabble into the world of trendy houseplants without buying something really high maintenance. Philodendron is a great plant genus that’s usually a winner for indoor growing. Anthuriums can be tricky, but there are a few species that make good indoor ho ..read more

I opened up my car window the other day and was cradled by the beautiful smells of early April in South Carolina, courtesy of the forest of purple wisteria blooms. These plants light up the forest each spring as they reach into the tops of even the tallest trees. That’s part of the problem. The most common wisteria species in the southeast actually don’t even belong here and are choking off our beautiful native plants in the process. Non-Native Wisteria Japanese and Chinese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda & Wisteria sinensis) aren’t native to the southern states, but they’re iconic and a ..read more

South Carolina experiences 4 seasons of weather – sometimes all in one day! Here’s a sample of my weather shows from the mornings this past year. Thanks so much for watching! MARCH 26, 2021 Full Forecast A warm and humid weekend ahead, with a few storms. MARCH 18, 2021 Explainer A severe weather threat didn’t pan out. The morning after, I explained why. February 12, 2021 Full Forecast Alex delivers the morning forecast on a cold and rainy weekend for South Carolina. December 18, 2020 Full Forecast from Home Meteorologist Alex Calamia explains why pockets of cold are lingering in parts of th ..read more

If there was a synonym for the month of March, it’d have something to do with see-saws and rollercoasters. Winter starts to lose its grip across the country, and at times it may seem spring has arrived for good, but freezing temperatures almost always make a comeback after these warm spells. Most spring blooming shrubs and trees can handle brief drops below freezing and sail through light freezes, but tender summer crops like tomatoes, squash, basil, and so many others will wilt and die at the first signs of frost. The magic number is 32F and a single degree could make the difference between l ..read more

February is a cold and gloomy month for many across the country, even in South Carolina. That’s why spring flowers are on my mind, and I’m sure I’m not the only gardener! Luckily, we don’t have to wait until the weather warms up to enjoy one of the best blooms of the year – Camellias! Whether you’re looking for flowers in late Fall or late winter, there’s a camellia that will brighten your garden. Even when these plants aren’t in bloom they bring a beautiful dense screen of glossy leaves. It’s no secret that southern gardeners love Camellias. Most of the year, you wouldn’t know they’re there ..read more

Do you believe a full moon can bring out the worst in people? Well there are some gardeners that think the moon can affect plants too. The idea is called moon phase gardening and the belief is the moon’s gravity can affect the way plants process water and nutrients. A little research and you might find yourself believing the practice is based on some solid science, but it’s not! Here are a few of the rules behind moon phase gardening and the science that says to avoid taking this gardening trend too seriously. Meteorologist Alex Calamia debunks some of the claims behind “moon phase gardening ..read more

I’ve been so busy in the garden the past few months, and I think I earned a little break. I still want to see plants though – that’s where the winter garden comes in! Unlike the summertime, there’s no need to worry about watering, bugs, weeding or fertilizing this time of the year. Talk about a relief! The only variable in the winter garden is extreme cold, and that affects some plants more than others. So I decided this year I’m not going to cover my beautiful greens with a frost cloth so I can see which plants are the most cold tolerant and ultimately the lowest maintenance. I’ve made some ..read more