Lowcountry gardening challenges: How to prep for spring
Are you dreaming of a beautifully landscaped entrance to welcome others to your home or a tranquil, lush oasis in your backyard to relax in solitude, but your reality is a damp, squishy yard with a few withering shrubs?
Gardening in low-lying areas can be frustrating, particularly in residential developments. Christopher Burtt — the Clemson University horticulture agent serving Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties — agrees.
“There are always challenges when gardening in the Lowcountry. Drainage and soil quality are a concern in areas with less than adequate top soil,” he said. Flooding, lack of drainage, salt intrusion and salt intolerance are added factors in coastal areas that can make good gardening tricky.
Starting with a soil test can lead to gardening success. According to the Tri-County Master Gardeners Association, a soil analysis can determine soil pH and nutrient levels. Ideally, the test should be done before you fertilize existing plants and turf grass, or a few months before you plan on starting your garden. Soil testing allows you to make adjustments by customizing your fertilizer and lime needs based on the type of plants and nutritional deficiencies. Knowing your soil can also protect the environment by eliminating over-fertilization, run-off, and can help the consumer make cost-efficient choices.
The Master Gardeners group recommends collecting 12 or more core samples and mixing them into one composite sample. For garden soil, the samples should include soil taken from the surface to a depth of 6 to 8 inches down. For lawns, samples should be taken from a depth of only 3 to 6 inches. Bring a minimum of two cups of soil per sample to the Berkeley County Extension office at 1003 Highway 52 in Moncks Corner. A report will be returned in approximately two weeks.
For added convenience, the association has volunteers available at the Daniel Island Library every first Monday at 4 p.m. to collect soil samples and answer questions. The fee is $6 to have the soil sent to the Clemson Extension Office for analysis. Check with the library for future schedules.
Healthy lawns that are already established simply need a layer of compost to start the spring season. “For vegetable gardens, adding compost and turning the soil are excellent right now as it is almost time to start planting,” Burtt suggested.
There are a number of ways to address poor drainage. One idea is creating rain gardens that naturally improve drainage as well as water quality, explained Burtt.
Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center describes rain gardens as purposefully landscaped depressions that receive excess stormwater and allow it to infiltrate into the soil gradually.
“Rain garden plants tend to include many but not exclusively Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), swamp mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium), Sedges (Carex), Bluestar (Amsonia),” Burtt said.
Other water-loving suggestions from Abide A While Garden Center in Mount Pleasant include the Canna lily — which adds brilliant color and is available in striped orange, pink, and yellow — and Creeping Jenny, variegated sweet flag grass, ferns, and rush.
“Shrubs that are encouraged due to salt tolerance include, but not exclusively, Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), Rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei), red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), false indigo (Baptisia spp.),” added Burtt.
Waxed myrtles also are excellent as they are native South Carolina plants, good pollinators that grow quickly, and can be shaped into shrubs or trees.