Category: Question of the Week
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February Grower Spotlight – Hickory Bluff Berry Farm
Where is Zack visiting this week? Zack is visiting Hickory Bluff Berry Farm located just outside of Holly Hill, SC, in Berkeley County. Hickory Bluff is owned and operated by Michael and Karen Parker. The farm offers a wide range of produce throughout the growing season, though as you might guess, their specialty is berries. They…
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Question of the Week – Parasitism
What is happening to this polyphemus moth cocoon? Unfortunately, I’ll not be rewarded with a large, beautiful Polyphemus moth this spring, as this caterpillar was parasitized by a Tachinid fly. Most of the time, when you hear about caterpillars being parasitized it is by small parasitoid wasps. Tachinidae is a diverse family of parasitic flies that…
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Question of the Week – Goumi Berry
What kind of fruit is this? This unusual fruit is a goumi berry (Elaeagnus multiflora). Goumi berries are native to Asia and have a sweet and somewhat tart flavor that has been compared to rhubarb. The berries are harvested in the summer and are best used fresh, as they are fairly soft and do not…
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Question of the Week – Spanish Moss
What year did the Spanish introduce Spanish moss to North America? This week’s question was a trick, as Spanish moss is neither Spanish nor a moss. Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a flowering epiphyte (a plant that grows on another plant, but is not parasitic) that is native to the Southeastern US and parts of…
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Question of the Week – Yellowmargined Leaf Beetle
What is this critter hanging out on sweet alyssum? This is an adult yellowmargined leaf beetle (YMLB), which is well-known (notorious?) to many of our smaller and low-input brassica farmers, as it is very difficult to manage without conventional insecticides. It is a specialist herbivore of plants in the Brassicacea family and is a key…
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Question of the Week – Scurf
What is going on with the skin of this sweetpotato? This sweetpotato has a superficial disease known as scurf (Monilochaetes infuscans). Scurf develops on the skin of the sweetpotato and is not visible on the flesh after peeling the skin. Though infected sweetpotatoes are still perfectly edible, this cosmetic defect renders them unmarketable. Scurf development…
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Question of the Week – Kohlrabi
Does this collard plant have a massive tumor? This is neither a tumor nor a collard plant. This is kohlrabi. Kohlrabi is a close relative of collards and cabbage. In SC, it is best grown in the spring or fall, just as you would grow broccoli or cabbage. The enlarged bulb-like stem has a taste…
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Question of the Week – Banded Sphinx Moth
What is this large, colorful caterpillar? This is the caterpillar of the banded sphinx moth, Eumorpha fasciatus. The banded sphinx moth is a close relative (in the same family, Sphingidae) as the tomato and tobacco hornworms and catalpa worms. The earlier larval stages have a prominent horn, like other hornworms, but the horn is greatly…
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Question of the Week – Rice
What is this crop growing in the coastal region? Rice was once a cornerstone of South Carolina’s economy, shaping the Lowcountry’s culture and landscape. In recent years, renewed interest in specialty rice varieties has sparked a revival of this historic crop. However, the availability of quality seed has declined to near-scarcity levels due to multiple,…
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Question of the Week – Dandelion
What is this uncommon crop growing in the Midlands? These are a type of dandelion. Dandelions are gown as a leafy green for bunching. Dandelions are a rich source of vitamin A, C and K as well as minerals including iron and calcium. The flavor profile of the young leaves is similar to arugula and…
The South Carolina Grower 