Savannah Valley District

Chainsaw Use Considerations Among South Carolina’s Female Forest Landowners and Managers

Janet W. Steele, Area Extension Agent – Forestry and Wildlife Female forest landowners are gradually increasing across the southeast as lands transition from one generation to the next or from husband to wife. As more female landowners become involved in the day-to-day operations of their property, the need for practical training on equipment such as […]

Downy Mildew in South Carolina

Rob Last, Horticultural Agent – Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton Calling all cucurbit growers in South Carolina. Downy Mildew has been confirmed in South Carolina this week. For more information, please use the QR Code. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, […]

Farm Safety & Health: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent May is Mental Health Month, which can be a difficult subject to talk about with agricultural community members. Farmers carry heavy loads that can become whelming at times. Being a farmer in today’s world means wearing many, many hats. They have to be meteorologists, accountants, business managers, mechanics, soil […]

Around the Countryside: Eastern Tent Caterpillars Invade the County

Tent Caterpillar Nest

Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent Spring has definitely arrived in the low country. Home gardeners are working in their gardens; azaleas and dogwoods have been blooming for several weeks. Tent caterpillars are making their appearance on the foliage of our trees and shrubs. The eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum is a native pest of […]

Center Pivot Irrigation System Efficiency

Center Pivot Irrigation System

Rebecca H. Davis, Area Water Resources Agent Center Pivot irrigation systems are the most used irrigation systems for row crop growers in South Carolina. Frank Zybach invented the center pivot in 1948 in Colorado. His design was to replace the use of labor-intensive irrigation pipes with a self-propelled system that rotates around a central tower […]

Around the Countryside Does My Garden Need Lime?

Marion Barnes – Senior County Extension Agent Does my garden need lime? If you live in the southern part of the state, the answer is most likely maybe! This is because our southern flat woods soils are characteristically acidic, low in organic matter, and have low nutrient-holding capacities. Over time our soils become acidic because […]

Soil Sampling: When, How, and Why

Rob Last Area Horticulture Agent.  When? Whether you are a homeowner or commercial farmer, winter is a great time to take soil samples. When the lab reports the results, winter allows applications such as lime to adjust soil pH in plenty of time for the spring growing season. How? Step one: Decide on the number […]

South Carolina to Issue Handy New Card for Ag Sales Tax Exemptions

South Carolina to Issue Handy New Card for Ag Sales Tax Exemptions SCATE Will Debut February 1, 2022 By Eva Moore, South Carolina Department of Agriculture In 2022, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture is rolling out a handy new card for farmers to use for agricultural sales tax exemptions. South Carolina state law offers […]

Understanding the Seed Catalog

Marion Barnes – Senior Clemson County Extension Agent It’s January, and the seed catalogs are arriving faster than the bills from Christmas shopping. As we feel the effects of winter, all those colorful photos and mouthwatering descriptions of vegetables make the average gardener want to start ordering seed for the spring. Before you tackle that […]

Home Invaders: Multicolored Asian Lady Bug Beetles

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle

Marion Barnes – Senior County Extension Agent Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles, aka “ladybugs” often invade our homes in search of a spot to ride out the winter months. In the fall these multicolored beetles may congregate on the sunny side of buildings, often by the thousands. These insects were first introduced by the U.S. Department […]