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I know there is a Garden thread on the General Forum but I wanted to start one that is more local to the Upstate SC/WNC area. I am interested in what folks are planting, are they planting yet and any tips and help that folks may need. Many folks have just moved to the area and might need some guidance on when to plant and what to plant, what folks might have had good luck with or no luck at all!
I am starting seeds indoors this week for a few things (feel I am already late on this). I have started inside seeds for tomatoes and some hot peppers and plan on planting outside some potatoes that I let sprout. I plant mainly in pots/raised beds since I can't dig up too much ground due to HOA but I do have pretty good luck with my plants in the past, some plants not so much luck.
Please share your tips and planting ideas and maybe you can ask questions of the more seasoned gardeners (which I am not one!).
Great idea! Our yard was severely overgrown with brush and wild everything. For the last year, we’ve been pulling out stuff and we’re amazed at what’s underneath. A beautiful magnolia now has sun and air and has rebounded nicely. We also found wonderful Lenten Roses!
This morning we pulled dead stuff and planted some Encore Azaleas and a Gardenia!
Hopefully people will post pictures (if I can figure out how). It keeps telling me the photo is too big. I’ve tried cropping it . . .
Last edited by LynchburgLover; 04-06-2019 at 01:44 PM..
It keeps telling me the photo is too big. I’ve tried cropping it . . .
Cropping may not have reduced the size of the image file enough to allow it to be uploaded here -- . changing the size of the image and reducing its quality a bit can drastically reduce the file size. I think the default max file upload size is set to 2Mb in vBulletin (the software used by City-Data forums). See:
I'm no expert on vegetable gardening, but as far as decorative trees and shrubs I can help. One odd thing people mostly haven't realized in Greenville is that you can plant Windmill palms (Trachycarpus Fortunei) and they love the cooler springs and milder summers compared to their subtropical brothers and sisters.
I've noticed Italian Cypress trees are catching on big time and have a nice shape to them. Azaleas, gardenias of course will do well. The fertile piedmont soil is plenty nutrious, just doesn't drain as well.
Greenville is versatile since you can plant so many cooler climate plants but even push the limit with subtropical plants.
It's nearly time to set out summer veggies. Last frost is usually mid April, although it's looking pretty warm this spring. So far, I've planted peas and spinach, but they took forever to come up, so the heat will probably get them. We had fantastic luck with zucchini and okra last year. String beans were just so-so, and the lima beans flowered all summer, but didn't put on any beans until very late. We got a few before the frost got them. Basil and other herbs did very well also.
Now lets talk tomatoes. I've tried (and failed) for 7 years in a row! Most years, they get hit with blight, including one in a pot on our deck 10' off of the ground. Last year, it was wilt. I'm going to try yet again, with grow pots and expensive store-bought dirt. Assuming another fail, next year I'm going to a dutch bucket hydroponic system.
We're still learning. The only sunny area we have has severely depleted soil. It doesn't drain well. I think many of our first attempts at shrubs simply drowned in their own holes. I'm learning to break up the soil better, and plant things 'high' in the ground. We have a few blueberries. Blackberries are looking good. A camellia I planted last year grew and flowered! It seems like shrubs and trees suffer for a couple seasons until they get used to the native soil. We bought a live Norway Spruce for our first Christmas here (2013), and it took a couple years to get going. It's growing fast now.
We came from FL, with alkaline sand, to SC, with acid clay, so everything is the opposite. As for the depleted soil, I'm working on a half acre field I added to our place. I'm trying to restore the soil to make a picturesque meadow. I cleared the small trees and brush off of it, and am plowing it and planting cover crops over and over to try to build the soil. I was told a pallet (2800 lbs.!) of lime wouldn't be too much, and that it might take years of heavy liming to get the pH within reason. I'm sure glad I don't rely on gardening for my income or sustenance!
I'm no expert on vegetable gardening, but as far as decorative trees and shrubs I can help. One odd thing people mostly haven't realized in Greenville is that you can plant Windmill palms (Trachycarpus Fortunei) and they love the cooler springs and milder summers compared to their subtropical brothers and sisters.
I've noticed Italian Cypress trees are catching on big time and have a nice shape to them. Azaleas, gardenias of course will do well. The fertile piedmont soil is plenty nutrious, just doesn't drain as well.
Greenville is versatile since you can plant so many cooler climate plants but even push the limit with subtropical plants.
The windmill palm is cool looking but it doesn’t “fit” my landscape. But we’ve planted a couple tulip magnolias which are plentiful in our neighborhood and add such a pretty burst of color in early spring!
I’ve used a large bag of Soil3 for the last two years for planting and leveling. It’s beautiful soil to mix in with our clay. Plus, it’s much cheaper than buying those little bags of what is termed as soil. Mostly, the stuff in the stores is mostly ground up mulch. https://soil3.com
I’ve used a large bag of Soil3 for the last two years for planting and leveling. It’s beautiful soil to mix in with our clay. Plus, it’s much cheaper than buying those little bags of what is termed as soil. Mostly, the stuff in the stores is mostly ground up mulch. https://soil3.com
Also those close to Spartanburg, there are gardening talks at the downtown library. A few weeks ago, a well-know author, Betty Montgomery, spoke about hydrangeas and tomorrow, April 8, will be a presentation on planting pollinator-friendly gardens
We always do well with tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, squash and corn. We start these from seed inside around February. The only way we can get lettuce or kale to grow is to buy it already grown. We never have luck with rooted plants. We always put a fresh base of soil/fertilizer and til the area well before planting. Another trick, if a plant looks like it's going the wrong direction, use Miracle grow for a few days. One year, horn worms got our tomatoes. We do get insects sometimes so we make up a spray for the leaves. (dish soap, water and oil) When you water, it's good to get a good soaking about every 3 days. Avoid light soaking daily because it's not enough to penetrate the roots.
HAPPY GARDENING!
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