Savannah Valley District

Savannah River Valley

Glen Payne, Urban Horticulture Agent, Beaufort County Vines are twisting and turning this summer angling to find just the right amount of sunlight and companion plants to make reaching new heights possible to set aerial seedpods. There are several vines throughout the Savannah River Valley that can be seen while driving along roads, sitting on […]

Live Air Quality Data Now Available for the Savannah Valley District

Clemson University researchers installed air quality sensors in five locations in the Savannah Valley District: Allendale, Blackville, Hampton, Orangeburg, and Walterboro. The information from these sensors are now available online – with updated air quality readings every two minutes. The circles on the map are colored according to the current air quality (green = good, […]

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 […]

A Garden Ready for Summer

Glen Payne, Urban Horticulture Agent, Beaufort County The summer heat is upon us, and the dog days of summer have arrived. All the work put into the yard and garden should be paid in dividends now. Two things can be done to provide insurance that your yard and garden stay looking their best as the […]

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 […]

“All Smiles”

Akendra Garrett, EFNEP Agent – Berkeley and Charleston Counties Youth at Yes, I Can!  After-school program were all smiles as they received their certificate of completion from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.  Yes, I Can! empowers youth through learning.  This program is dedicated to fostering every student’s academic, social and emotional growth while […]

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 […]

Summertime Considerations for Rain Gardens

Samantha Porzelt, Water Resources Agent for Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester Counties Rain gardens are landscaped depressions strategically placed to capture stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces like rooftops, driveways, and compacted lawns. Designed to mimic natural water infiltration, they filter and absorb runoff, reducing erosion, flooding, and pollution while replenishing groundwater. Rain gardens help remove contaminants […]