Author: Justin Ballew
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Question of the Week – Stinkhorns
This week, the question was: What are these weird-looking things coming out of the leaf litter in a wooded area? These are stinkhorn mushrooms, not aliens. Stinkhorns are different from other mushrooms which disperse their spores by releasing them into the air. Instead, they produce their spores in a sticky substance known as the gleba.…
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Weekly Field Update – 5/2/22
Don’t forget about the Brassica Field Day coming up next Monday morning (8:30-1:00) at the Coastal REC in Charleston, SC. Please be sure to register ahead of time, so they will have enough food on hand for lunch. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the…
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Question of the Week – Mantid Ootheca
This week, the question was: What is this on the underside of this crepe myrtle limb? This is a praying mantid ootheca. An ootheca is a protective structure in which the adult female lays her eggs. It is constructed out of a frothy secretion from her ovipositor that dries into a hard, foam-like material. The…
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Weekly Field Update – 4/25/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Some welcome rainfall last week will help establish cucumbers and watermelon. Cucumber beetles are present in a large number of fields at present. While…
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Question of the Week – Genetic Mutation
This week, the question was: What is going on with this squash plant? The yellow venation in this plant was caused by some sort of genetic mutation. While attractive, mutations like this may affect the performance (yield) or marketability of a plant. Sometimes new cultivars are developed from genetic mutations that are viewed as desirable,…
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Weekly Field Update – 4/18/22
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “It has been a very windy spring. The winds are drying out our soils and beating up plants. I have looked at some tomatoes…
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Question of the Week – Boron or Pollination
This week, the question was: What is wrong with this strawberry? This funky shape is the result of either poor pollination or a boron deficiency. The easiest way to distinguish the cause is by taking a tissue sample to look at nutrient levels in the plants. If misshaped berries are common across the whole field,…
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Weekly Field Update – 4/11/22
Coming up tonight is the Upstate Vegetable Grower Meeting. Click here to view more details. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Question of the Week and check back on Thursday for the answer! Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Crops are generally looking good In the area. Strawberries…
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Question of the Week – Virus
This week, the question was: What’s going on with this tie-dyed-looking wild mustard? This wild mustard is suffering from a virus. Numerous viruses affect plants in the brassica family and may be transmitted by aphids, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, or by seed. Viruses may cause a variety of symptoms including stunting, leaf distortion, mosaic patterns,…
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Longtime Extension Agent Tony Melton Passes
After a hard-fought battle with illness, beloved, former Clemson Extension agent, Tony Melton, passed away Saturday (4/2/22). Though saddened by this great loss, those of us that had the privilege of working with “Uncle Tony” will always be comforted by stories and memories of his servant’s heart, infectious laugh, and hollow leg (“I eat one…
The South Carolina Grower 