Savannah Valley District

Help your Yard Beat the Heat by Watering Wisely

Ellen Sturup Comeau, Water Resources Agent, Beaufort County Sunny weather, hot temperatures, and high humidity are here! Staying hydrated is critical to staying healthy in the intense weather, and the same is true for the plants in your yard. However, did you know that overwatering your plants can lead to more issues than underwatering them? […]

Hope in the Rain

Beatriss Calhoun, Water Resources Extension Agent  Rain in the Lowcountry often feels more like a threat than a benefit. Flooded roads, soggy yard spaces, and overflowing ditches all have a way of making a good storm challenging. However, what if we looked at the rain differently? What if each storm offered not just a challenge […]

Are Minerals Really That Important?

Hillary P. Carnley, Area Livestock & Forages Agent You find yourself back at the feed store, comparing prices on mineral supplements. You glance at the options and think, “Are minerals really that important? Surely there’s not much difference between blocks and loose minerals.” It’s a common thought—but the truth is, minerals play a much bigger […]

Peach Production: A Peachy Keen Cultivation Story  

Anna Sara Hill, Horticulture Extension Agent A tasty fruit synonymous with summertime in the Southeastern United States, is the peach. In fact, August is National Peach Month. Whether eaten fresh, or in a dessert such as a cobbler or ice cream the delicious flavor of South Carolina’s state fruit is as “peachy keen” as the […]

Summer Thirst

Patti Chapman, EFNEP Nutrition Educator, Beaufort County Would you quench your thirst in this summer heat by drinking a big, tall glass of SUGAR?!?!  At a recent “Child Abuse Prevention Festival,” Nutrition Educator, Patti Chapman, encouraged attendees to guess and measure out how much sugar is in a 20-oz. bottle of Coca-Cola.  The answer is […]

Around the Countryside Red Bugs: The Itching Begins

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent, Clemson University It’s official: summer has arrived with the heat, humidity, and red bugs. Many Lowcountry residents are just “itching” for some relief from these pests so common to our area of the state. Red bugs, also called chiggers, among other names that may not be appropriate to repeat, […]

Residential Drinking Well Testing and Water Quality

Molly Jones, Clemson Extension Area Water Resources Agent Residential wells are prevalent in the rural areas of South Carolina. Proper maintenance of well systems is crucial to ensuring safe drinking water. Being aware of recommendations for maintaining a residential well will assist well owners in avoiding possible illness from drinking contaminated water. Maintaining a clean […]

Are You Ready for Summer?

Janet Steele, Area Forestry & Natural Resources Agent The extra daylight hours during the summer are great for doing yard projects, such as mowing the grass and working in the garden. One landscape component that is often not considered until there is a problem is our yard trees. Trees can provide multiple benefits around our […]

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent Clemson University May is Skin Cancer Awareness month, a time to educate people about skin cancer, share the facts and save lives. The month of May is devoted to shining the spotlight in skin cancer and ways to prevent this disease. Currently, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer […]

Regional Production Meetings

Rogan Gibson, Agronomy Agent Clemson Extension agents Joe Varn and Rogan Gibson conducted their annual Regional Peanut and Cotton Production Meetings on February 20th and 27th. With commodity prices like they are going into the 2025 growing season, producers need to be up to date on research conducted by Clemson University staff to maximize yield […]