Planning For A New Shade Tree
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener When a family member decides it’s time for a new yard shade tree, the next step usually involves a trip to local stores, whose employees may or not know much about what’s available and is best for your yard. The three items to consider are usually fast growth, quality, and durability. If possible, stay away from fast growth and look for quality and durability. Shumard Oak Chinquapin Oak...
Do Garden Vegetable Seeds Expire?
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener Seeds do expire (germination rate goes through the floor), but several factors influence “when,” and even then, that so-called expiration date is a guesstimate. Expiration date on a vegetable packet| Photo credit: Ferry Morse Many people mistakenly think a date written on the seed packet backside and is an expiration date. Seeds are alive and able to be stored for several years while...
Yellow Jackets Are More Aggressive This Time Of Year
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener I don’t know about you, but for my money, a yellow jacket (YJ) sting hurts more than any other wasp or bee. Worse, they often sting in force. Regrettably, I have often stuck my hand in a cucumber plant cage and got hit 4-5 times before I could get my hand back out. Honeybees and bumblebees are usually only defensively aggressive, but at this time of year, YJs are extremely aggressive and...
The Benefits Of Dandelions
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener Several years ago, I wrote an article on dandelions suggesting they probably weren’t anywhere near as bad as many would have us believe. Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) have been valued since ancient times for their healing properties. Although this plant has a high overall value, it still can be quite a troublesome aspect for the gardeners. Dandelions The dandelion botanical name...
Consider Motherland Okra in 2023
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Garden One of the more fun crops to raise is okra. Historically, Clemson spineless has been the variety to grow or purchase. Its main limitation has been it needs to be picked at a maximum of 4” in length. Recent years have seen new varieties such as Jambalaya that produces more pods per stalk. Burgundy that remains edible out to 8”; and a Louisiana variety that’s good out to 16”!!! Well, there’s a...
Getting Rid of Ground Moles
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener There are no guaranteed results when it comes to getting rid of moles. What works great in one location may not work at a different location. There are, however, two methods for me that seem to work time after time. The first is Talpirid, a worm lookalike product, usually purchased online. If a mole eats a Talpirid worm, they simply lay down, go to sleep, and die. Critical to success is...
French Marigolds in Your Vegetable Garden
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener French Marigolds (Tagetes patula) are an excellent plant to grow in your vegetable garden. They look good, smell nice, and make excellent companion plants for your vegetables. I understand they are ranked as the number one flower to plant in a vegetable garden. Many don’t even consider planting flowers in a vegetable garden, but French marigolds should be the first of several exceptions....
Don’t Throw Out Leftover Coffee — Diluted, It Can Serve As Organic Fertilizer For Some Houseplants
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener My houseplants love coffee, so pour your leftover coffee on them rather than down the sink! Dilute it first, and then pour the liquid mixture on your container’s soil. Both the water and coffee must be at room temperature. If either one is high or low, combine them and let the mixture sit until room temperature is reached. A leftover coffee liquid mixture can provide a valuable,...
Growing Onions
By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener Onions are a fun crop to grow, requiring some soil preparation, but very little maintenance. They tolerate most soils and transplanting extremely well. Onions have a history possibly exceeding 5,000 years, so they’ve been around awhile, and it’s hard to imagine many foods without them. I have no idea how many varieties there are but suffice it to say there’s a heap of...
Worm Castings Can Be A Game Changer For Indoor Plant Growth, Production
A bag of earthworm castings By David Wall, Mount Pleasant Master Gardener We’ve all heard about the benefits of using worm castings (much more refined than saying worm poop!) in our gardens. Well, that should go double for indoor plants. Actually, worm castings can be a game-changer for growth and production. Similar to animal manure, worm castings provide bacteria and nutrients (a lot of them!) to your indoor plants, they can...
