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2 weeks ago | 
scliving.coop | L.A. Jackson
I enjoy writing about plants with strange names—they make me seem smart, bordering on erudite, both of which I aspire to be someday. Crocosmia is just such an example of a garden pretty with a strange name, and I do like to dote on it. So, first, pronounce it correctly: “crow-KOS-me-ah.” Now, let’s grow it.
Crocosmia (Crocosmia sp.), a South African native related to irises and gladioli, is a deer- and rabbit-resistant perennial hardy for all gardens across our state.
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1 month ago | 
carolinacountry.com | L.A. Jackson
Regular sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a common, easy-to-grow annual herb that I usually tuck away in a tiny corner of my herb patch. I do like this basil, but skimping on its space leaves more room for other basils with way more different twists in flavor, fragrance and looks. Here are three of my current favorites.
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1 month ago | 
scliving.coop | L.A. Jackson
While spring is a season of giddy optimism for gardeners planting warm-season vegetables, summertime reality lurks in the form of meager harvests due to poor fruit set. This occurs for several reasons, but many can be cut off at the pass with proper gardening techniques. Below are four of the more common causes:
Shady situation. Sun-loving summer vegetables will not properly produce in areas that receive less than six hours of Ol’ Sol a day. Why?
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1 month ago | 
carolinacountry.com | L.A. Jackson
Looking for instant results from your new spring garden? Ginger lilies (Hedychium sp.) are not for you. These handsome herbaceous, deer-resistant perennials grown from rhizomes will wait … and wait … until the soil embracing them underground is warm enough before sprouting, meaning late spring. Then, their flower show won’t even start until midsummer, so you have to wait … and wait … even more.
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2 months ago | 
scliving.coop | L.A. Jackson
Gloriosa superba “Rothschildiana”—when it comes to botanical names, that’s about as pompous as it gets. But this beauty has the visual goods to back up such an ostentatious tag.
Commonly called gloriosa lily, flame lily or (my preference) glory lily, this dazzler is an herbaceous perennial vine grown from tubers planted in the spring.
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Feb 14, 2025 | 
carolinacountry.com | L.A. Jackson
Night-blooming daylilies? You bet. They even have their own special codes! NOC is for Nocturnal daylilies, a delightfully strange group that blooms late in the day and persists through the night. Some Nocturnal daylilies flaunt their flowers well into the new dawn, meaning they remain enjoyable sights to see as you stroll in the garden with your morning coffee.
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Feb 1, 2025 | 
scliving.coop | L.A. Jackson
Kalanchoe is a succulent plant that hails from the subtropics of Madagascar, which suggests it could be a popular showoff outdoors in the steamy heat of our South Carolina summers. Instead, it is usually found full of blooms in the winter at local nurseries, waiting to be taken home as a houseplant to sustain gardeners visually while they wait for the glory that will be yet another spring.
What gives?
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
carolinacountry.com | L.A. Jackson
African violets are just the right perky houseplants to comfort avid gardeners through the dead-of-winter blues. But while these potted pretties are dependable performers, they can have problems. Here are some of the more common African violet ailments and what to do about them.
Bloomless beauties: They are starving for nutrients! Regular waterings that include diluted doses (usually about one-quarter strength) of an African violet-formulated fertilizer will help sustain a bloom party.
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Jan 1, 2025 | 
scliving.coop | L.A. Jackson
The beginning of the year is when most gardeners’ green thumbs start to itch. Come on, spring! But while planting activities will have to wait, now, at least, is a good time to plan and prepare for the warm weather to come.
So, what will you grow this year? If you are ornamentally inclined, extend your pleasure with sassy plants flaunting flashy foliage that will last through the whole, long growing season. Here are some of my favorites:
Croton.
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Nov 30, 2024 | 
scliving.coop | L.A. Jackson
“Aglaonema” is the alt-name for a common, easy-to-find houseplant called “Chinese evergreen.” But even though the five syllables can be a tongue-twisting mouthful, I still prefer to use “aglaonema” because, to be honest, it ain’t easy to find a green Chinese evergreen.
Let me explain. Aglaonema is the genus name of Chinese evergreen, but it has more than 20 species, which, along with their numerous cultivars, offer a ton of visual variations.
