Unlikely Garden Resources

I planned to write an update for the following article this spring, so I went to Wal-Mart and Lowe's earlier this year looking for cool-season vegetables and I never found the abundance that I did a few years ago.  With the bad economy, people had started vegetable gardens, and they were growing more than just tomatoes in the summer.  A few big box stores were capitalizing on this and sold a larger selection of vegetables.

I looked at Wal-Mart in February when I planted potatoes and onions and they didn't have any.  And while I didn't look specifically for them at Lowe's, I was in and out of there a number throughout the spring and I didn't see any.  I went back the other day and I found their display. They had a huge variety of onions, garlic, shallots, and potatoes.  It's the absolutely wrong time to plant now, but I was looking at them and wondering if I could store them until fall (or spring, in the case of potatoes) and plant them at that time.  Maybe they will be deeply discounted.  Maybe they just threw them away.  I'll have to find out.

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Red potato plant in bloom

Over the past couple of years, there has been a large increase in the amount of people trying to grow their own food.  It used to be people grew tomatoes or squash in the summer, but it has expanded to include other vegetables.  Excluding traditional feed and seed sources, Lowe's started selling onion sets in the spring a couple of years ago.  Last year they had these garden packs - asparagus, strawberries, potatoes, onions, leeks and shallots in small amounts, in various combinations, for the home gardener.

I made a discovery Wednesday at Wal-Mart.  I was leaving through the garden are and noticed a display that looked like it had a few winter vegetables.  I was expecting a few veggies mixed in with flower bulbs.  I was surprised to find that it was all vegetables.  They had asparagus crowns, strawberries, garlic, two types of shallots, two types of onions, and five types of potatoes.

Feed and seed stores are usually good for a couple of varieties of a couple of vegetables, in large quantities, at reasonable prices.  The vegetables at Wal-Mart are packaged in smaller quantities for the home gardener and they are more expensive.  Most home gardener don't have the need for five pounds of one variety of potato or two pounds of onion sets.  What Wal-Mart does right is it offers more specialty vegetables.

Asparagus is a perennial, which means that it lives for more than a year.  Most people probably don't have enough room in their garden to commit to asparagus for a number of years - I know I don't.

Most people grow strawberries here and there.  They can be perennials, but some experts suggest replanting fresh plants every year.  I've never grown them, but I know Robin would like me to.  I think I have issues with plants that need a certain amount of daylight to produce fruit or flowers, etc.  I think I will try growing them before long.

Any reader of this blog knows that I have had no real success with onions.  Wal-Mart offers two varieties in small quantities.  I may continue to try growing them, but I won't devote as much space to them as I have been.  And, on second thought, I may not buy them there either - a lot of them had already sprouted and had fairly long green shoots poking out of the bags.

I tried growing garlic almost a year and half ago.  The only place you can reliably find garlic is in a catalog or the grocery store.  The catalog can get expensive when you figure in shipping, so I decided to try planting garlic from the grocery store.  I wasn't expecting great results, but I thought I would give it a shot.  I waited a little late to pull them up - they had been sitting in soil that was a little waterlogged.  I put them on a shelf in the garage to dry and forgot about them.  They're still there and I noticed that started sprouting recently.   I suppose they would be fine plants, but they would not produce very good bulbs.  Wal-Mart is selling  garlic bulbs and I'm sure it's in small amounts and affordable.  I'd rather have found them in the fall, when you're supposed to plant them.  Maybe I can buy them and keep them around until October.  We'll see.

I've never grown shallots, but I'd like to.  If Robin will use them, I'll grow them.  I just don't think we've ever eaten them around here before.  I also think it's great that Wal-Mart has potatoes.  Although I'll buy the bulk of my seed potatoes, I may buy the blue potatoes that they are selling.  I like growing a few odd things.

That's it for vegetables at Wal-Mart.  I blogged about more traditional sources for some of these here.  Go out and try to grow some of these this spring!

Advice to a Transplanted Maine Gardener

Awhile ago I put a "Have Gardening Questions?" link on this blog, hoping someone would email me - I get a lot of practice answering random questions at the Master Gardener's office, and I always learn something when I do.  Despite doing this, no one has contacted me, until today. Out of the blue I received an email this morning, asking for loads of gardening advice:

I'm new to Park Circle, having moved here from Maine in September. We finally have our beds made and filled, and yesterday I did a little planting. I'm very excited to try my hand at veggies since there's such a long growing season (compared to Maine!). I do have a few questions, and thought maybe you could help me out.

I'm looking for a nice nursery that sells a variety of gardening supplies and plants. I've been to Abide A While and another place in Mt. Pleasant. They're both lovely but I found one a tad pricey and the other more gifty, if that makes sense. Do you have a favorite?

I have to say that I don't have a favorite garden center. I don't frequent them and most of them seem gifty and pricey to me too. Besides box stores, the other store that came to mind was Hyam's on Folly Road on James Island. You may find them similar to Abide-a-While, however, I got a pair of garden clogs from them that I love. I had to search the internet to find anything similar to those places in our area, and the only other place I found was Hidden Ponds Nursery in Awendaw, north of Mount Pleasant. Their website boasts of their "mile of grand pathways", and for us to "come take a walk in the woods". It sounds like it would be worth the drive just to look around.

 I'm looking to grow potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and asparagus - all things that should be grown from starts or seedlings. Where can I get these?

Oh, if only you had emailed me a month ago!  Around here Clemson Extension recommends planting potatoes in early February, onions in during February as well and asparagus crowns during January and February.  You'll have another chance to grow onions in the fall and it may not be too late to plant asparagus.  It is a perennial so it will grow and produce spears for more than a single year. Because of this, you'll have to devote permanent space in your garden to it.  It is also recommended to let them become established for 2-3 years before beginning to harvest.  Not all is lost - you have until mid-April before planting sweet potatoes.  I've never grown these before, but it looks as if you can buy transplants from a garden center - you may have to call around to see who offers them.  For planting times, see HGIC 1256 Planning a Garden.  That site is my go-to place for information on all things gardening.

As far as where to get these. I have a few suggestions.  For potatoes and onions, I tend to go to feed and seed stores.  They are nearly the only places that carry a large quantity and variety of these.  Other places have had these in the past, like local hardware stores, but I would stick with the feed and seeds.  For my recommendations, click here.  I have talked about other sources in the past.  If you search for "feed and seed" on this blog, you will find those as well.  I used to drool over the seed catalogs every winter, but I've decided that it may be too much choice.  My two favorite feed and seeds have a good selection of seeds that I will continue to buy, unless I need or want something special.

What "pests" am I going to run into? I can already guess squirrels. Anything else i should be looking out for? And do you have recommendations for eradicating them?

My experience has taught me that pests vary greatly by yard.  I had minor problems with leaf-footed squash bugs the last few years, but a friend who lives south of Charleston had tomato hornworm invasion.  A woman called the Master Gardener's office about the "kudzu bug" or bean platispid ravaging a tree of hers.  There is something called "Integrated Pest Management" that some of us try to practice.  It's about preventing problems before they happen.  Chose disease resistant varieties of plants.  Rotate crops to prevent pests and diseases from reaching a critical level.  Cleaning up dead plant material to limit the spread of disease.  Heat and humidity are also problems to be dealt with.  As questions or problems arise, I'll be happy to help.  In the meantime, feel free to check out HGIC 2755 Integrated Pest Management, or their IPM site that I just found.

How do you feel about the quality of the Bees Ferry compost? I filled my beds with this but I'm concerned - pulled out plastic fork tines and shredded plastic bags. It's what I got so I planted, mixing in a little lobster compost we brought with us from Maine.

If anything, I'm a frugal gardener.  I have always gotten compost from the landfill.  In the past it had a lot of plastic in it (see a photo here), but recently the county mandated that paper leaf bags be used instead of plastic and it has eliminated(?) that problem.  It was more of a business decision for them - they are now able to sell larger quantities because of its higher quality  According to extension agent Amy Dabbs, Clemson University "certified the compost from Bees Ferry for use in organic farming operations, a first in the state. (The compost itself cannot be 'certified organic.' That term is reserved for agricultural products consumed by humans.)"  You can read her article here.

Think of compost as a soil amendment, something you add to your soil.  If your beds are all compost, you will be missing key minerals and other nutrients that are in soil, but not available in organic materials.  You can take soil from your yard or buy bags of sterilized garden soil, or even get a truck load of topsoil from local businesses.  I had to explain this to someone at the MG office recently - there are thousands of weeds seeds in any soil, from your yard or brought in.  When you buy garden soil in bags from a garden center, it has probably been sterilized - cooked to kill all the weed seeds and potential pathogens.  The problem is that all the beneficial organisms in the soil were killed as well.  At your first opportunity, you should get a soil test to see what it needs.  It is likely similar to mine, but only after getting your results will you know for sure.  Here's how to do that: How To Get A Soil Test. Another option is to try sheet composting, also known as lasagna gardening.  It is especially good for starting raised beds.  Oregon State University has a good guide to doing it.

Any tips or tricks for having a successful growing season in the south?

I haven't taken a poll, but I know one other person who agrees with me - summer is my least favorite time to garden.  At my house the gardening year starts off in January when I plant peas.  I planted them in February last year and it was too late.  This year I planted them in mid January and I have a feeling it may get too warm for me to get many peas.  I may have to plant them right after Thanksgiving, like I heard another master gardener does.  In February I plant onions and potatoes.  I never know what to do in March.  According to some charts, our last expected frost date is around March 15th, but experience tells me that there is usually a frost the first week of April.  It's also the first best time to sow seeds, like beans, squash and corn, directly in the ground, but watch that frost! Serious gardeners are growing seedlings at this time, to transplant into their garden after the last frost, but since I'm not set up for that, I twiddle my thumbs a little bit right now.

April is when I transplant veggies like squash, tomatoes and peppers, and start a second crop of seeds.  May and June is when it really starts to heat up.  Potatoes are ready by that point and hopefully you've gotten the first fruits of some of your vegetables.  By July it's too hot to do anything - plants won't produce fruit when it's this hot, but you can always dream of cooler weather.  August is when they say to start your cool-season vegetables, but that's the last thing I'm thinking about then.

Once October gets here you can get serious about cool-season crops.  Onions get planted again.  Garlic, for harvest next fall, can be planted.  Broccoli and collards can be transplanted.  Despite a few frosts and freezes, winter is rapidly becoming the best gardening season here - if you like leafy greens and root vegetables, like lettuce, spinach, collards, broccoli, turnips, carrots, and radishes.

Good luck with your garden and, I hope this has given you a dose of what it's like to garden in our part of the world.  If I can help in nay way, please let me know.

Local Feed and Seed Sources - 2012

I've been going to the feed store a lot lately and I thought I would write an update to past posts on the subject of feed and seed sources.  Let me begin by saying that Red Top Feed & Farm Supply still is number one in my book, but, that being said, I have been to Dorchester Feed & Supply a number of times, mostly because it was convenient.  I took a gardening class at the Exchange Park, and just a few miles down the road is Dorchester Feed.  The first week, I stopped by there to get some starter feed for our baby chicks.  The next week, I bought a couple of bales of hay.  Each time I was there, I noticed that they had lots of seeds for sale.  I went back next week and bought a bunch of seeds and some broccoli plants.

I have to say that I really liked the fact that they had so many different seeds - four kinds of squash, two kinds of radishes, two kinds of lettuce, etc.  I was off the other day and had plans to go to Red Top Feed to get chicken supplies - layer feed, scratch feed, bedding - and while I was there I decided to ask about spinach seeds.  They don't have their seed inventory on display, so I never thought to buy it there.  They had it, and probably everything else that the other feed store had, but since it wasn't on display, I didn't think about it.

 I still like Red Top Feed and will continue to go there for my usual supplied, but I may call before making a seed-buying trip.  That goes for any of them.  Since buying seeds recently, it doesn't look like I will need to go for a long time.  If you have read previous posts I mentioned a couple of other places, one of them was Tractor Supply.  I have to say that I don't think I've been there since I bought the fencing I used to make my trellises.  Not to say anyone shouldn't shop there, but I think I prefer going to a locally-owned business, and I don't think TS has the hay and seeds that Red Top or Dorchester has.

Red Top Feed and Tackle Shop
3815 Highway 17, Charleston
(843) 763-6651

Dorchester Feed and Supply
10310 Highway 78, Summerville
(843) 875-9776

Local Feed and Seed Sources - Updated - Fall 2011

For those interested, I thought I would update my list of Feed and Seed sources.  I've gotten recommendations from friends and I have a few personal experiences to share.

First of all, this past spring and summer I spent a lot of time driving to Tractor Supply Co. in Summerville.  I know - they're sort of a big box version of a feed and seed, but they are really convenient.  When I was looking for fence panels to make trellises, I was able to go online and figure out which one I might need before going to the store.  Most other stores close around 5pm, which doesn't always work for me.  Tractor Supply is open until 8pm every day except Sunday, when they close at 6pm.

For spring and fall vegetables, I've been in the habit of going to one of the feed stores outside of Summerville, either 17-A Feed or Dorchester Feed.  My friend Gretchen pointed out to me that Red Top Feed on Savannah Highway is closer than those.  Being in North Charleston, Summerville seemed closer, until I went to Red Top recently.  It was a quick drive on I-526 and 17 South and I was there.

I've had friends that have been to Cordray's on Johns Island in the past, but recently I called them about fall vegetables, and they really didn't have any.  Either they had sold out of most of their plants, or they didn't have a lot to begin with.

I've contacted Cainhoy Feed in the past looking for veggies, and they have never had any.  I never bothered to ask why until recently.  I called them up and found out they specialize more in farm animal supplies rather than in vegetable and the like.  So, if you need chicken supplies, they might be a good source, but I would call first.

I saved the worst for last - 17-A Feed and Seed - I had been there in the past to buy onion or potatoes.  At the time I didn't have a real preference for any particular store.  I finished building our chicken coop on Memorial day and we couldn't wait to get chickens.  I called six stores and they were the only one open, but they were closing at 2pm so he could go fishing.  We got out there and on our way through the store to the outside to the chicken coop, we seed a brooder with baby chicks in it - one is dead.  While we're trying to grab some chicks out of the pen, we see a rooster in another pen that has something wrong with one of his legs.  While we were buying supplies, I felt like he gave us some bad advice as far as what to feed them.  Months later, the "hens" turned out to be roosters.  When we bought them, he said we could return them, if they were roosters, but when I called later, they asked if I had my receipt.  Then they said that I would be taking a chance on the replacements, because they didn't know if they were hens or roosters either.  Later, friends went there and told me how bad it was - I think they even filled up the chickens' water bowl.

So here are my recommendations:

Red Top Feed and Tackle Shop
3815 Highway 17, Charleston
(843) 763-6651
Friends like it and it's the closest.

Tractor Supply Co.
1672 North Main St Ste 5, Summerville
(843) 821-5386
Good selection of feed, bedding and other chicken supplies.  No plants or seeds, to my knowledge.

Dorchester Feed and Supply
10310 Highway 78, Summerville
(843) 875-9776
I've only been here for cool-season vegetables, but I'm sure they have everything Red Top has.

Cainhoy Feed and Seed
1925 Clements Ferry Rd # 3, Charleston
(843) 884-8787
As best as I can tell, they sell mainly horse and chicken supplies.

Cordray's Grocery and Feed
3455 Maybank Highway, Johns Island
(843) 559-0102
I'm sure they have what Red Top has, but it's farther and they were sold out of what I needed.

17-A Feed and Seed
2026 North Main Street, Summerville
(843) 832-0540
DON'T GO HERE!

Local Feed and Seed Sources

I meant to put this in the last post, but it might be better here, by itself:

17-A Feed and Seed
2026 North Main Street, Summerville
(843) 832-0540

Dorchester Feed and Supply
10310 Highway 78, Summerville
(843) 875-9776

Red Top Feed and Tackle Shop
3815 Highway 17, Charleston
(843) 763-6651

My current preference is Red Top Feed, but that may change in the fall, depending om whether they have what I need.