Tips and Tricks for Growing Lily of the Nile

As the year passes, and as each new season settles upon us, we are blessed with abundant and various seasonal crops and produce. While in most mainstream grocery stores, we can now find our favorite foods all year round; however, many prefer to eat what is being grown specifically in that season. Here in South Carolina, entities such as Certified SC Grown is just one example of an organization that is working to bridge the gap between field and plate, making finding local, seasonal fruits and vegetables more attainable.

Everyone loves falafel—it’s a year-round staple, and the frozen options at Trader Joe’s make it incredibly easy to prepare. But today, you should probably rid your freezer shelves of any Trader Joe’s falafel: In the company’s third food recall this week, on July 28 Trader Joe’s recalled its fan-favorite Fully Cooked Falafel after being informed by the supplier that rocks were found in the food.

No other plant native to South Carolina has such fragrant and beautiful spring blooms and stunning fall color as the witch-alders. Fothergilla was named after Dr. John Fothergill, an English physician and gardener who funded the travels of John Bartram through the Carolinas in the 1700’s. These beautiful shrubs have been planted in both American and English gardens for over 200 years, including gardens of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Convincing children to eat their veggies may sound like an impossible task, but a research study conducted by Parmer, et al. found that “second graders who participated in school gardening as part of a nutrition education class increased their selection and consumption of vegetables at school, compared to second graders who did not participate in gardening”.[1]

I recently had a call from a South Carolina resident who lost power for more than 24 hours and wanted to know whether the foods in her freezer would be safe to eat. This is a very common problem in South Carolina winters and could easily affect you in the coming months.

Summer at the South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG) that is a fun time filled with summer camps and children laughing and learning. Below are some of the simple, low cost ideas we used in our Creativity Camp to get children outside, where they enjoyed nature, and tapped into their creativity.

Want to brighten up a shady spot in your summer annual containers? Caladiums are an excellent choice. Due to their insignificant flowers, caladiums are grown for their colorful foliage. The leaf colors range in a wide variety of red, pink, white, and green combinations with contrasting leaf margins.

Nothing says Christmas more than a poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Did you know that December 12th is known as National Poinsettia Day? Plant breeders have developed a wide range of colors in hues of white, purple, orange, and pink, but red poinsettias continue to be the most traditional color of the holiday season.

There are two approaches to fertilization. First, have the soil analyzed by a reputable lab and follow the scientifically based recommendations. The second often referred to as “a general approach,” is to buy a bag of fertilizer and follow the instructions noted. The recommended method is to have the soil tested and analyzed. This informs us which nutrients are required and the specific amounts. This method is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to approach fertilization. Soil test results provide us information on which nutrients are deficient and the quantity to add to help improve the tree’s health and production.

Warm summer temperatures are here, and sweet South Carolina watermelons will be ripe for harvest soon. If you are looking for a refreshing summer dessert that’s easy to make and full of flavor, then lime and mint infused watermelon sorbet is the recipe for you. Enjoy!

Toad lilies (Tricyrtis hirta) bloom from September to October and have small, lily-like white to pale lilac flowers with heavy purple to maroon spots. They prefer evenly moist, well-drained, organically rich soils and grow best in part shade to shade. Toad lilies reach heights of 2 to 2½ feet tall by 1½ to 2 feet wide and have few disease and insect issues. However, do watch for slug damage, as this may be a problem. These natives from Japan are great additions to South Carolina woodland or naturalized gardens.

Winter is commonly thought of as a time of rest for many plants. Deciduous plants lose their leaves, and blades of certain turfgrass lawns experience die-back as the turfgrass goes dormant. Whether or not a turfgrass experiences dormancy depends on the species and where in the state they are grown.