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Cartby Kathy Torres
April is the official start time for planting many summer vegetable plants in the midlands of South Carolina, even though we may have to cover and protect tender new plants when a late frost or freeze occurs. For first-time vegetable gardeners, it’s a good idea to start with those veggies that are EASIEST and give a BOUNTIFUL HARVEST. It is so easy to go crazy and purchase an enormous selection of plants with a vision of a regular farmer’s market flowing from your garden, but, our recommendation is that you start slow and easy to afford yourself the best chance of success. Then, next year, you can go crazy!
So…we came up with a short list of five, along with recommended cultivars, that are great for starter vegetable gardeners:
SNAP BEANS: Rapid growing, early maturing and productive, bush and pole (vine) form snap beans are a popular choice for the home garden.
Blue Lake 274 (bush) – A string-less, bush variety, there is no need for staking. The beans are long and straight, with superior flavor, color and texture. They can produce large yields within a few weeks, leaving time for a second crop, and are typically low maintenance (resistant to bean mosaic virus). To harvest beans, break off the stem above the cap. Quality is best if beans are harvested in early morning hours. Bush Blue Lake is an heirloom variety and has been around since the early 1900s.Kentucky Wonder (pole) – Because they grow upward, pole beans are a great space saver in the garden. A sturdy trellis is required for support, at least 6-8 feet tall. Kentucky Wonder is a green pole bean with seven to nine inch long, fleshy pods that can be slightly stringy. They are curved with seeds filling to the tip and edge but not crowded, very reliable and rust resistant. Harvest beans every three to five days once they start producing, removing all bean pods when they are plump and you can see the beans in the pods. (For less stringy beans, harvest before they mature). Also an heirloom variety, Kentucky Wonder was first sold commercially in 1877.
TOMATOES: Hundreds of tomato cultivars are available, so make it easy on yourself and start with these, which are all fairly disease resistant. Staking, caging, and trellising are good ways to keep the plants and fruit up and off the ground, providing easier access for picking and spraying, and allows airflow to prevent disease. Pinch off suckers growing between the main stalk and branches.
Determinate tomato plants grow to a certain size, set fruit, and then decline. Most early-ripening tomato cultivars are determinate and won’t produce tomatoes throughout a South Carolina summer. Indeterminate tomato plants continue to grow and produce for an extended season. Fruit production may continue until the first frost.Better Boy is indeterminate and one of the most popular tomatoes grown in the US. It’s actually in the Guinness Book of World Records for the amount of fruit produced from a single plant. Superior flavor, large size, disease resistance, and high yields make this cultivar one of the easiest slicing tomatoes to grow. Not suitable for containers, Better Boy must be caged or staked.
Better Bush is a semi-determinate tomato plant growing to 4 ft. This is a great choice that bears sizeable fruits on a very compact plant that works well in containers and small gardens. Strong, bushy plants produce tasty, medium-sized tomatoes great for sandwiches and slicing. The heavy foliage of this hybrid helps protect tomatoes from sunburn.
Sweet 100’s are vining cherry tomatoes and do best growing on a trellis. Early maturing, these sweet gems are great for snacking (right off the vine) and salads, and will produce large clusters of tomatoes all summer long up until frost. What do you think…indeterminate? Yep!
TIP: Add Stout Ollie compost and Calcium Nitrate to the soil when planting tomatoes to enrich the soil and reduce the risk of Blossom End Rot, a nasty disease that ruins the fruit. Also, be sure to water consistently, not allowing the soil to totally dry out between waterings.
CUCUMBERS: Cucumber plants grow in two forms: vining and bush. Vines need a trellis to keep them off the ground, and produce more fruit the more you harvest. To remove the fruit, use a knife or clippers, cutting the stem above the fruit. Pulling them may damage the vine. Don’t let the cucumbers get oversized or yellow on the end or they will be bitter.
Burpless Bush Hybrid is excellent in small gardens and containers. A space-saving form with short vines growing about 2 ft. long. Fruit is smooth-skinned, dark green, straight and approximately 10-12 inches long. Enjoy high yields, great for pickling or slicing.Boston Pickling is a popular American heirloom cucumber first marketed in 1877 by the pioneering Detroit-based seed company, D.M. Ferry & Co. A favorite of gardeners for high yields of short, straight “cukes” with thin, green skin. Vines bear continuously and should be trellised. Flesh is crisp and very receptive to pickling spices. May be harvested at sizes from 3 to 7 inches, depending on your pickling needs. Plants resist scab and are tolerant to cucumber mosaic.
YELLOW SUMMER SQUASH are harvested when immature, while the rind is still tender and edible.
Crookneck squash are named for the slight curves in their narrow necks. These fast-growing plants can spread 3 to 4 feet across with leaves that are 1 to 2 feet wide, so leave plenty of space for them to spread. Their yellow fruits, which form underneath the leaves, can have smooth or bumpy skins. Because they’re bushy plants, crookneck squash don’t have to be staked and can grow in large containers or in the ground. Use a knife or garden shears to cut the fruits off the plant when they are 5 to 6 inches long. If you harvest fruits regularly, the plants will bear until frost.Straightneck squash have a tapered, straight neck with creamy yellow, mildly sweet, tender fruit of excellent quality early in the season. This squash grows on vined plants that thrive in mild weather. The straight shape makes it perfect to slice into lengths for grilling.
BELL PEPPERS are a warm-weather fruit, appreciated for cooking and eating raw. Crunchy, sweet bell pepper plants lack capsaicin, the active component in hot peppers that gives them their heat. The fruits can be harvested when they are green, to increase the yields. Alternatively, the fruits can be allowed to ripen to red, leaving them time to develop flavor with smaller yields. Provide support for the limbs, to hold the weight of the peppers by caging or staking.
Big Bertha is the largest elongated bell pepper available! Thick-walled, 7-inch long fruit, plants are disease resistant and ideal for giant stuffed peppers.
ALL OF THE ABOVE need the following to flourish and produce high yields:
- Good, fertile, well-drained soil. Add compost when preparing the soil and fertilize regularly after planting.
- Sun, a minimum of 6 hours, but all day is even better.
- Regular, consistent watering, sometimes twice a day when temperatures get above 80 degrees. Avoid overhead irrigation; use soaker hose to decrease chances of fungus.
- Insect and disease control. Be on the lookout for leaves/fruit with spots or holes and contact Wingard’s to get advice on the best solution. There are many products available for edibles.
For more information on vegetable gardening, visit our Blog: “Vegetable Gardening”
There’s Always Something Blooming at Wingard’s!
As we survey our landscape in anticipation of the upcoming spring season, and notice that the weathered blooms remain on our hydrangeas, the question arises… Was I supposed to cut those off in the fall? Before you grab your pruning shears, there are a few things you need to know about caring for this beautiful southern shrub. There is not one rule for all hydrangeas, and if you prune at the wrong time, you will ruin your chance to enjoy the gorgeous blooms.
Hydrangea macrophylla – Bigleaf or French Hydrangeas bloom in mophead or lace cap form. Bloom color is determined by the soil pH (relative to aluminum in the soil) and is typically blue or pink, however, there are some cultivars with white blooms. A few popular cultivars are Endless Summer, Big Daddy, Mini Penny, Twist-n-Shout, and Fuji Waterfall. Buds are set on old wood from last year’s growth and should be pruned soon after flowering. Waiting until the following spring to prune or dead head will eliminate the new buds. The EXCEPTION to this rule is the Endless Summer® Collection. These macrophyllas bloom from old and new wood. The first blooms develop from old wood and should be pruned after flowering. New stems will produce another round of buds and blooms and should be pruned after flowering. Endless Summer® hydrangeas will repeat bloom throughout the summer.
Hydrangea quercifolia – Oakleaf Hydrangeas are native and produce conical white blooms next to large leaves similar to those of an Oak tree. The foliage becomes the star of the show in fall as it morphs from green to bronze, orange and red as temperatures cool down. Flowers develop on old wood from last year’s growth and should be pruned or deadheaded soon after flowering to allow time to develop flower buds for the following year.
Hydrangea anomala – Climbing hydrangea is a woody vine that produces a multitude of white lacecap blooms in early to midsummer. The vine establishes itself slowly, but once the roots are established, the vines can climb quickly. Climbing hydrangea requires only minimal pruning to keep the vines under control and remove dead wood. Buds are set on old wood. Pruning or dead heading can be done after blooming occurs.
Hydrangea paniculata – While most hydrangeas prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, these can hold their own in full sun. Limelight, Little Lime, Little Lamb, Quick Fire and Pinky Winky boast striking cone-shaped blooms. Limelight is known for long-lasting blooms changing from chartreuse in summer to shades of rose in fall. Panicle hydrangeas develop flowers on new wood during the growing season. Prune while dormant in late winter or early spring before new growth appears. 
Hydrangea arborescens – Commonly known as Smooth or Wild Hydrangea, arborescens are loosely and widely branched, often with large, heavy, round blooms. Annabelle is a noteworthy cultivar, with clusters of white blooms up to 12 inches wide. Collections of arborescens offering white, cream and pink blooms include Incrediball and Invincibelle. Like paniculata, this hydrangea group sets buds on new wood and can also be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth appears. 
Chances are you have probably received a Christmas card illustrating a snowy white landscape as the backdrop for a barren tree or fence post holding a bright red cardinal. The Northern Cardinal, AKA Red Bird, is common throughout the eastern United States from Maine to Florida, continuing north into Canada, and west to southern Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, and the eastern half of Mexico. It’s hard to take your eyes off the male Northern Cardinal, with its brilliant red feathers, black mask, and orange/red beak. The female is a buff golden-tan with a red tinge to the wings and tail, with a smaller, less distinct mask. Both genders have a prominent head crest that can be raised and lowered to indicate the bird’s mood. 
Poinsettias, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis, Paper Whites and Cyclamen add a special touch to your home during the holidays, however, keeping them looking Merry and Bright can be challenging. Here are a few tips:
Are you awed by Japanese Maple trees? Have you come into the garden center to pick one? Did the varieties overwhelm you? Let us make it easier for you by explaining Japanese maple differences. Then, when you come in, you’ll know exactly what you want.
Benefits of Wild Birds 
All birdseed is not equal. Cole’s seed mixes are based on solid research of the dietary needs of birds and formulated to attract the most birds to the feeder with less waste. Give Cole’s seed blends a try today and see the difference for yourself. 
Improve your backyard bird habitat by adding water. Birds require a constant supply of clean water for drinking and bathing. This is especially important in late summer, when water is generally scarce, and in the winter, when it is frequently frozen.
It is important to offer safe and comfortable shelter for your wild birds to nurture their young, protect them from predators, and shield them from the elements. Planting trees and shrubs and providing bird houses, along with roosting boxes and pockets, are all beneficial additions to your birdscape.
Lime Light Hydrangea: This is simply a gorgeous hydrangea that can take the sun! Large, cone-shaped blooms beginning green, changing to white, then to rose color in the fall. Drops its leaves in late fall/winter, 6-8 ft. tall, and fast-growing. 
Fragrant Tea Olive: Every home should have at least one of these evergreen shrubs. Small, fragrant, white blooms appear in spring and fall, and sometimes in-between. Plant it near an outside living space, or somewhere you are going to walk by, so that you can enjoy the fragrance. Growth can be 10-12 ft. and it can handle full or part sun. In natural form, Fragrant Tea Olive is a dense, large shrub, however, feel free to prune out the bottom branches to create a small evergreen tree. 
Autumn Fern: For contrast in form in a shady area, try Autumn Fern. This evergreen fern provides interest year-round, but especially in spring when the brown fern stalks reach out and open. Very drought tolerant, growing 3-4 ft. tall and wide. Plant individually or in a group.
October Glory Red Maple: One of the most striking of the Red Maples, October Glory lights up the landscape in fall with bright orange/red foliage. Fairly fast growing, drops leave in winter, reaches 30-40 ft. in height. Thrives in full sun.
Natchez Crape Myrtle: This lovely southern tree accents the landscape with a weeping growth habit, full of elongated white blooms in summer. Deciduous (drops leaves in winter), sun-loving and fast-growing, it will reach 20 ft. in height. Don’t prune, unless you need to shape it a bit; let it grow naturally to its mature size. 
Mediterranean Fan Palm: Any palm makes a great focal point, especially near a pool or the lake. One of the most interesting is Mediterranean or European Fan Palm, due to its multiple trunks. Palms love sun and humidity, but many are susceptible to freezing temperatures. This variety is one of the MOST cold-hardy and can hold its own around here in the winter. Slow-growing, it can eventually reach 10-15 ft. 
Mahonia: For a striking show in the middle of winter, check out Mahonia. Great for a shady spot, however, a few hours of morning sun encourages the bright yellow blooms. Soft Caress is a low-growing variety (2-3 ft.) that creates a show when grouped together.
The word “design” can be a bit daunting to most of us. We immediately think of complex rules and requirements, scientific and/or architectural aspects, and then there’s the artistic element, which can be most intimidating. There is certainly much to learn in the area of landscape design, and if you are in the mood to do some research, we will provide a few resources at the end of this blog just for that purpose. But, before you jump in the deep end, let’s start with a few simple, basic principles.
The word succulent comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning juice or sap. By definition, succulents are plants with leaves, stems or roots that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in dry soil conditions. Water-storing… what a fantastic characteristic for plants in summer in the south! Minimal watering… Oh yeah! There are over 10,000 plants that fall into the succulent category, from many different plant species, and they provide some of the most diverse forms, colors, and blooms for inside and outside use. These unique plants provide an interesting, low-maintenance pop of plant life inside in a small space, like your desk or kitchen table, as well as outside areas like a patio or rock garden. Combine several in a decorative planter or be extra creative and plant in a terrarium or maybe even an old pair of shoes! Anything goes with these garden gems, just poke holes for drainage.
JAPANESE BEETLES – Thankfully, this little pest is creating havoc in the garden for only a few weeks, usually beginning mid-June, however, they can do quite a lot of damage in a short time, so it’s best to be on the lookout for them. They especially love roses, crape myrtles, hydrangeas, and hostas. The most effective approach to eliminate the Japanese Beetles is to use systemic pesticides and as the beetles feed, they ingest the poison in the leaves. There will be some leaf damage, but not nearly as much as with no treatment. Apply Ferti-Lome Tree & Shrub Drench in spring, or Bioadvanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control in May before the beetles appear, and again in 30 days, if they are still hanging around. If you prefer the organic approach, use Spinosad Soap at the first sign of Japanese Beetles. DON’T use the traps/bags – they will attract beetles from your yard, as well as your neighbors’ yards, actually increasing the population. 
BLACK SPOT – If you have Hybrid Tea roses, you are familiar with this fungus. Because of the humidity in this neck of the woods, as well as overhead watering by sprinklers, Black Spot really gets going in the summer months. Other plants such as fruit trees, annuals, and perennials are susceptible, too, however, roses are typically hit hard. 
BLOSSOM END ROT – The cause of this disorder is a calcium deficiency in the developing fruit. Extreme fluctuations in moisture, rainy or cloudy weather with high humidity, cool temperatures, insufficient soil calcium, root pruning from nearby cultivation, and excessive ammoniacal nitrogen, potassium, or magnesium fertilization can also increase the chances of blossom end rot, especially early in the season. A soil test in January is advised for in-ground gardening to address the deficiencies; follow the recommendations for soil additives if needed and the soil will be ready for planting in spring. For most container gardens, adding Calcium Nitrate at time of planting and 2 weeks after will prevent Blossom End Rot. If no pre-treatment is done, and Blossom End Rot shows up on your first harvest of tomatoes, spray foliage with Ferti-lome Yield Booster, a liquid calcium treatment and the next round of tomatoes should be OK. For more information on this and other tomato diseases, click here 
If you haven’t seen them already, it’s definitely time for hummingbirds to appear in South Carolina. Thousands migrate north from Florida, Mexico, Texas, and South America, some tracking as far as Ontario. According to Clemson University, mid-March was the arrival time for the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, the most prominent species that we see in the Midlands. Watching these beautiful, tiny creatures fly to and from feeders and plants is simply mesmerizing and most certainly a sign that spring has arrived! 
Plants used for the medicinal, savory, or aromatic quality of their roots, leaves, green stems and flowers are considered to be herbs. Practically every culture around the world has a history of some type of herb use. Chinese herb books date from about 2700 B.C. and include extensive lists of medicinal plants. Italy, India, and Thailand are well known for using herbs in cooking. The Greeks and Romans crowned their heroes with dill and laurel. Regardless of the desired usage, growing and harvesting herbs is easy and rewarding. They can be grown in small spaces or containers, intermingled among vegetables and/or flowers in the garden, or even indoors. Herbs are low maintenance plants, being naturally resistant to diseases and pests.
EarthBox Gardening Kit:
