Conway Area Master Gardeners Association - CAMGA

09/14/2024

It's also wise to rescue plants trapped at a plant sale. Ours starts in a little more than 7 hours under the Main Street, 501 Bridge, in Conway. Help support the Conway Area Master Gardeners Association who in turn supports the local 4-H Club. BE A HERO!

09/14/2024

Some information about winged sumac, used with permission from The South Carolina Forestry Commission.

09/13/2024

How to grow a plum tree from a plum pit (stone). Used with permission from
Homes & Gardens.

Discover the simple steps to growing and nurturing this sweet, juicy fruit tree

09/07/2024

Look at all the fresh produce available in September! Shared by permission by Certified South Carolina.

🍂Cooler temps and fall produce are on the horizon!🍂
Find a farmer in your neck of the woods at certifiedsc.com

09/07/2024

Here are some flowers that bloom late ino the fall to help the Monarch migration. Used with permission by the Butterfly Lady.

Migrating monarch butterflies are attracted to a variety of flowers, especially those that bloom late into the fall and have lots of pollen and nectar. Here are some fall flowers that are good for monarchs. Plant-Native-Flowers.com

09/07/2024

The big milkweed bug is a beneficial native insect. It is found across North America, as far north as southern Canada to as far south as Costa Rica. Article used with permission by Johnny Nativeseed.

You're probably seeing more Large Milkweed Bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus) as summer closes out. Don't worry, they are an expected part of the native ecosystem, and a sustainable, symbiotic benefit to Milkweed.

Just as Monarch and Tussock caterpillars eat the leaves, and the Red Milweed Beetles chew on the stems, Large Milkweed Bugs feed on the seeds of the plant.

They do not really harm the pod, or plant, but some seed can be rendered unviable.

But there's the rub. Humans see this as a net loss based on that singular aspect, but the plant sees it as an opportunity to adapt to the pressure it's feeling, and all species mentioned above provide the stimuli needed for the plant to adapt and constantly improve its defenses, while those new adaptations cause the symbiotes to adapt in turn.

This is how nature feeds, and stimulates intertwined species! And now that you know this happens for Milkweed and it's hosted species, apply this information to ALL interspecies relationships that have persisted for billions of years.


fellabees.com

09/07/2024

The Conway Area Master Gardeners Association - CAMGA plant sale is postponed until next Saturday, September 14 from 8 AM to 1 PM, due to rain. Keep dry & we'll see you then!

08/31/2024

Coneflowers/Echinacea are loved by pollinators & the seeds are easy to harvest. Did you know that they need cold stratification to germinate? If you want them to flower in the spring, it is best to plant in the fall. If this isn't possible store in the refrigerator, in a bag with some dirt and plant in the spring. This informative article is used with permission from Dickie Chick Gardening.

Seed Saving Tip #1 — Harvesting seeds from coneflowers/echinacea. Growing more coneflowers in different parts of your garden is as easy as cutting off the entire dried seed heads this time of year when the flowers have finished blooming and planting the entire head in the fall wherever you want more flowers to grow the following spring — wait until the petals are completely brown or have fallen off and the head is completely dry before harvesting. Be sure to lightly cover with 1/8 inch of soil after planting as the birds can eat the seeds if left uncovered. You can also break open the seed heads and sprinkle the seeds in the garden wherever you want and lightly cover with soil, but they can be hard to handle with their pointy tips so I just plant the entire seed head. Coneflower seeds need a period of cold stratification so planting in the fall/autumn allows this to happen over the winter for the flowers to germinate in the spring. Many people don’t realize they need cold stratification and try planting seeds in the spring, which means they likely won’t germinate because they didn’t have the exposure to the cold and wet conditions needed. These perennial plants are famous for dropping seeds on their own where they’re currently growing, which is why they can spread each year. Note I always leave some of the seed heads on each plant because they provide essential food for birds such as goldfinches, chickadees and cardinals from late summer into the winter. Echinacea flowers are long blooming throughout the entire growing season, available in different color varieties, and the pollinators love them. Photos by Dickie Chick Gardening

08/30/2024

This is South Carolina's native dayflower, Commelina erecta, and it belongs in the spiderwort family, Commelinaceae. Other common names are frog eyes, whitemouth dayflower, slender dayflower and widow’s tears. They only bloom for 24 hours. The dayflower doesn't produce nectar, only pollen. Read below for more information about this beautiful flower. Copied with permission by South Carolina Forestry Commission.

08/19/2024

Fall armyworms are here.

Fall armyworms reported in South Carolina

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Fall armyworms have been seen in lawns and pastures across South Carolina. The armyworm is about an inch in length, gray...