Plant Sale and Mosquitoes

 

Horticulture Hotline 07/26/26

By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

This Thursday (7/30) and Friday (7/31) you can get a great deal on some great plants at the ‘Summer Sizzler Native Plant Sale’ at Trident Technical College. See attached pictures of flyer for more information. The perfect place to buy plants and see all the different (cool – old man lingo or vibe – new lingo) displays around the building!

 

The dry and windy spring kept the mosquitoes at bay, but after that little bit of heavy rain that flooded low areas and ditches, regular rains, and high tides, they are out in full force. Last night I was talking to a neighbor while she was pushing her 18-month daughter around in a stroller, and the mosquitoes were attacking the young girl. The mother, with child again, had 5 mosquitoes on her immediately. We cut our conversation short and headed to our air-conditioned houses. B^ST#$%S!

 

Malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue (still in the tropics), Zika, West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis are transmitted by mosquitoes … now it is time to wage war against the mosquito! Worldwide mosquitoes are the number one killer of humans (including wars) – amazing! West Nile Virus was discovered in Beaufort County this year!

 

Scout around the yard for anything that holds water. Old tires, saucers under potted plants, rain gauge, bird baths, old flower containers or pots stacked in a corner, dog toys, kids’ toys, a container by the grill you use to soak wood chips in, a cooler, an old fountain, an upside down 5-gallon bucket that has a lip that holds water, a trash can lid with a dent, brick work that needs repointing, a hole in a tree and a dog’s water bowl all make great places for mosquitoes to breed. Empty the water out these areas (refill the dog bowl and the bird bath daily). A tarp covering a boat or wood pile can have many pockets that hold water. Sagging gutters hold water.  A few empty bottles or cans can end up breeding thousands of mosquitoes! A bottle cap can be a breeding area. Many mosquitoes can breed in just an ounce of water. I was at a seminar, and the speaker encouraged people to limb up Magnolias (every horticulturalist gasped) so you could easily rake up the leaves because the big leaves held water and therefore were a breeding spot for mosquitoes. Sorry, I am not limbing up my Magnolias!

 

If you have bigger areas of water like a ditch or a low area of the yard that holds water, apply the Mosquito Dunks or the Altosid Pro G. The Mosquito Dunks are an organic Bt product that kill larvae and the Altosid Pro G is a growth regulator product that contains the same active ingredient that is used in the Precor products for controlling fleas. Although Altosid is not organic, it is very safe and labeled to be used in very sensitive areas like marshes. Turn off your irrigation when you can and correct any drainage problems. Mosquito Denial is a great product if you have a fountain, decorative pond, or standing water. Mosquitoes rely on the surface tension of the water to land and lay eggs. Mosquito Denial takes away this water tension, so the mosquito cannot lay eggs on the surface of the water.

 

Any pruning you can do to increase air movement and sunlight penetration will also help. Mosquitoes like moist stagnant areas, so it is more important to treat bed areas than it is to treat lawn areas. Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of leaves on shrubs. Many mosquito products work on lawn pests also, so many folks treat their lawn too while they are spraying. Mosquitoes are very weak fliers, so they do not like wind or air movement (big fans for parties or by your grill – helps with flies too). Mosquitoes are a public health issue, so you might be able to get some help from a government agency if you have a big ditch or pond.

 

Mosquito Pro (connect to a hose and spray), DuraFlex, and ProFlex are very good control products for mosquitoes and many other pest because they contain growth regulators that break up the life cycle. EcoVia (organic) has many formulations and is a good option as well. Luckily, there are many products that control mosquitoes available!

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply (follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com. 

 

. 

 

 

Not So "Cute" Time Of Year

 

                                           "The Nasty Rascal" The Chinch Bug Damage

Horticulture Hotline 07/05/2026

By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

1. The nasty rascal, the chinch bug in St. Augustine grass has been killing large areas of turf in the Lowcountry. Remember the products that control chinch bugs generally have a short residual. If you are going out of town for any length of time, be sure you treat the lawn before you leave. Sod webworms and armyworms will be out soon as well – you have been warned.
2.  Fleas have been a close second to chinch bugs this year. The wet fall seemed to help increase the flea population. Fleas are hard to control. Plan to treat the animal, the house, and the yard. The use of growth regulators will make an impossible task much easier. Expect about two weeks to get this pest managed.
3. Wasps, flies, mosquitoes, fire ants, and ticks should be controlled. Prevent disease or allergic reactions by controlling these pests. Fresh fruit and vegetables bring drain flies and fruit flies.
4. Japanese beetles have been chowing down. Bifen or Mosquito Pro will take care of them.
5. Be sure to get your azaleas and camellias pruned as soon as you can. They will be making their flower buds that you see much later soon. Do you have azaleas and camellias on a good fertilization program as they have big appetites to perform their best?
6. Many of us have palm trees. I’m always talking / writing about preemergent products for lawns and beds to control weed seeds. Now is the time to preform palm seed control on your palm trees to prevent those hard to control palm seedlings from sprouting up everywhere you do not want them to sprout. Simply remove the stalks that will produce seeds from the palm now. Granted it is not an easy task, but it is easier than removing the volunteer palms later. Because it involves pole saws, or ladders, or lifts, this job might be best off left for a professional.
7. Moles seem to be particularly active this year.  They just had their young in April and now they are tunneling up a storm.  The young moles are hungry!  Manage the food source in your yard (grubs, crickets) with Above and Below and go after the mole with Mole Patrol. 
8. Be sure to change or sharpen that dull mower blade. A sharp blade will give your grass a cleaner cut and will allow less entry points for disease. Inspect your blade for nicks and damage if you are going to continue to use the same blade. Since a mower blade spin at very high speeds, any nicks or bends can lead to the blade being out of balance. When a blade is out of balance, the mower will vibrate (like your tire out of balance on your car) and you could damage the spindle and other parts of your mower that cost far more than a new blade.
9. Look up at your trees. If you have any tree work that needs to be done, I would get it done as soon as possible.  Look for trees that have cavities at the base of the tree and look at the tops for broken limbs, dying tips and weak crotch angles.  Have a tree care professional inspect your trees to be sure it is safe. Most tree care companies will inspect for free. Try to get this done before the Lowcountry is in that cone for a direct hit for a hurricane! The tree companies are usually very busy year-round in the Lowcountry. 

10.  As with all products, you should read and follow product labels.  More is not better when dealing with control products.  Measure your yard so you know your square footage and watch overlapping when applying your products.  Watch the weather forecast to ensure the products have a proper amount of time on your lawn prior to any rain.  If the product needs to be watered into the ground, slow watering by a sprinkler is better than a gully washer from the sky.  A very hard rain can wash products into the storm water drains which are bad for the environment and you have wasted a lot of money. Sweep or blow fertilizers or control products off hard surfaces when you are finished applying them. In the case of fertilizer this may prevent staining, and most importantly it will keep products from washing through storm drains to the marshes.

11. With the dry weather we had earlier this year, spider mites have come out in full force. Be sure to use a product labeled for mites when trying to control these plant juice suckers. Mites are not insects, so all insecticides do not control them.
12. Another plant juice sucker that is out in full force is lace bugs on azaleas and lantana. If the leaves look mottled, flip the leaf over and look very closely for the pest. The lace bug is small and well camouflaged so you might need a magnifying glass. Dominion Tree and Shrub will give you long term control of this pest.

                     

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is Federal Law.

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply (follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com. 

 

 

                                            Chinch Bug Damage

                                                     Dull Mower Blade

Do You Have Visitors? Or Travel?

 

                                                     Mole Cricket Adult 

Mosquitoes carry disease

   Great Product For Control of Many Pests

Get The Most Out of Your Water or Rain

Horticulture Hotline 06/14/2026

By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

Depending on where you live in the Lowcountry, you might have had some rain. Others like me, still dry as a bone. The high tides have provided a place for mosquitoes to bred, and they are out and hungry (Mosquito Pro)! Summer is here and that means the kids are out of school, maybe time to look at colleges and summer vacation. The talk of bedbugs is not in the news like it used to be, but if you saw our sales of bedbug control products at Possum’s, you would be amazed. Whether you live South of Broad or in “affordable” housing, we have helped you with your bedbug situation. We have learned that is not necessarily the homeowner that brings in the bedbugs, but often it is a guest that is travelling from place to place. We all know people like to visit Charleston!

 

When you are in a hotel, do you feel phantom insects crawling on you as you sleep? Does your work or sports with the kids require you to stay in hotels, when you would rather be at home in your cozy bed with the dog and his fleas? The worse thing about bed bugs is bringing them home to infest your house in your luggage or on you person. Bed bugs can be difficult to manage.

 

Here are some tips for the traveler:

 

Treat the outside of your luggage with a repellent material labeled for bed bugs on luggage. There are nice smelling organic products (EcoVia) and standard control products labelled for this application.

 

Put all your clothes and toiletry items in see-through plastic bags that you can seal tightly. Upon arriving at your room, put your luggage in the bath / shower area while you inspect the room.

 

Bring a flashlight. Before you unpack, inspect the mattress and box springs for blood stains, cast skins and live insects. The rope-like band around the mattress will usually have some signs of bugs if there is an issue.  Look around the headboard and any adjacent bedside tables especially in the crack and crevices.

 

When you check in ask if the hotel has had an outbreak of bed bugs in the last year in the room you are checking into. Also ask if any of the adjacent rooms above you, below you, or on either side have been treated for bed bugs. If they have, request another room far away from any outbreak hotspot. Many states have a bed bug registry you can check.

 

When you get home, leave your luggage outside and run your clothes through a hot dryer cycle. The dryer should dry out any unwanted hitchhikers. Check your toiletry items and re-treat your luggage.

 

These few simple steps can save you many sleepless nights and some dollars. Out of the hundreds of customers whose houses have become infested with bed bugs that I’ve talked to at Possum’s buying bedbug control products, I’m sure every one of the wishes they took these few precautions. Bed bugs bite children, babies and adults. They can be very difficult to control, and you might have to throw away your stuff. No one likes to throw away their stuff!

 

Mole crickets just have had their babies, and they are easy to control because they do not fly. Hydrate yourself and the landscape (Possum’s Wetting Agent). Nutsedge (nutgrass) is up – control it while it is young!

 

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is Federal Law.

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply (follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com. 

 

 

So, Your Friend Has Roaches and Drought Continues

 

                                            We Need One!

                                            Enough Said

                                            Great Growth Regulator - Bedbugs and Roaches

Horticulture Hotline 05/26/2026

 

I still hear that we are 6.5 to 8 inches in deficit for rain in the Lowcountry, depending on where you are located. Not good! Extreme Drought conditions! I’m seeing some trees that are weakened and being attacked by secondary invaders. Most plants and turfgrass like moist soil (not soaking wet) 6 inches deep. Roots do not grow in dusty dry soil and I think everyone likes deep roots for many reasons. I know we sell moisture meters (less than 10$) so you can check the moisture in your soil, rain gauges, wetting agents, biostimulants that encourage root growth, mulches, and Cotton Burr Compost that help manage water; however, you still need water!

 

This week I am going to try to cover the dreaded cockroach. The cockroach always wins the most called about / asked about insect award, and is second to the mole in the overall called about / asked about pest. The person asking about roaches is never the person with the issue. They are always asking for their brother, mother, cousin, friend, …

 

There are many different species of roaches (at least 69). I’m going to concentrate on the most common roaches that dwell in the Lowcountry. To most people the roach is like a snake – the only good one is a dead one. Roaches can cause disease (walk around in a trash can or dumpster and then on your food – nasty! Asthma trigger).

 

For controlling roaches, you want to think like a roach, monitor the situation, employ non-chemical strategies, and use control products (organic, Green, conventional) if needed.

 

The German cockroach is the small roach that likes kitchens and bathrooms. These roaches like to live inside and can be introduced to your house from boxes or containers that are carried into your house. Boxes are like a hotel for roaches, and more and more boxes are coming to our homes. German roaches multiply very quickly once inside.

 

The American cockroach AKA “water bug”, “Palmetto bug”, and “South Carolina state bird”, is the other main cockroach in this area. These roaches like to live on boats, in sewers as well as in your house. Yes, sewers!

 

Brownbanded cockroaches are also common to this area. These roaches like to live up high in cabinets, high shelves in closets, pantries, desks, bookshelves or other areas away from the kitchen. The Brownbanded cockroach can live in drier areas than the German roach and usually will inhabit these areas, so it does not have to compete with the German roach. The American and German cockroach will out compete the Brownbanded cockroach.

 

There are other species of cockroaches in this area, and if you control the above three species, you will most likely control the others as well. Asian cockroaches in mulched beds are becoming more of an issue. First, you will want to monitor and identify which species is bothering you. There are glue boards you can put out in areas you have seen them. You can look for fecal pellets and egg casings – “Honey, what are you doing?” – “I’m looking for roach fecal pellets and egg casings” - “No football on today?” ….  We also sell these aerosol “flushing agents” that you can spray in areas that you suspect activity, and the roaches will quickly come running out of hiding, giving you the opportunity to personally smack them.

 

If you have roaches, sanitation is important. Keeping dirty dishes, garbage and sources of water to a minimum will help limit the population of roaches. Even clutter in a house provides harborage sights for the roach. Caulking cracks, weatherproofing windows and doors, sealing pipes and eliminating other entry points will also help with roaches as well as other pests.

 

For control products the bait inside the house do a very good job. These baits exploit all the bad habits of roaches. Baby roaches eat the fecal pellets of adult roaches to develop into adult roaches themselves. Roaches also cannibalize their dead. So, if one roach eats the bait, poops, then dies. Another roach will eat this poop and eventually die. Another roach will see the dead roach and eat it and die as well. This transfer of active ingredient creates a great “domino effect” that has impressed many people. The specific nature of this application and the low amount of active ingredient used makes this control method a “green” application, depending on the product you use.

 

Using the growth regulators, either Gentrol or Nylar, will also help break up the roach’s life cycle. These growth regulators will extend the period of control.

 

Outside you will want to do a perimeter treatment. There are several products on the market that will nail these roaches (along with many other pests). Bifen, Viper, Cyonara Lawn and Garden, Intice Perimeter 10 (“green”) and EcoPCO WP X (“green”) are a small sample of many products that are available. Generally, treating the perimeter involves spraying or spreading 3 to 10 feet out from your house in the mulched areas. If you are spraying, apply plenty of water with the product to carry it down where the pests are hiding. Also spray about 3 feet up the side of your house, around windows, porches, garages, eaves, garbage areas and other areas where pests may be found. Read and follow label directions for the specifics of doing a perimeter treatment for the product you choose to use.

 

If searching for roach fecal pellets with a flashlight does not sound like fun to you, remember there are a bunch of Pest Management Professionals in the area that would love to do this inspection for you.

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply (follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com.    

Go Time Check List

 

                                            Great Product For Many Pest

                                            Bottlebrush Did Great This Year

                                             Leaf Gall

                                                       Mole Cricket
                                          

                                                      Pruning Time

                                                

Horticulture Hotline 05/10/26

By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

We finally got some rain! Last week after the air show was cancelled, I went to plant some native pollinator attracting plant seeds that I picked up from the Native Plant Society at MUSC’s Greenest Day celebration, and just below the mulch the ground was still bone dry! I love walking this time of year and getting to smell the wonderful magnolias. What a Lowcountry signature tree! Here is a quick list of questions about events in the yard.

 

Soil tested?  Custom Program written? Apply the products that your soil needs instead of guessing. Doing soil tests are cheaper and provide better results than random applications. With heavy rain events, many nutrients have been leached from the soil. Why do you think farmers with hundreds of acres and their income depend upon it take soil test?

“I started using Possum’s recipe for my lawn 3 years ago and I have never had a better lawn in the 35 years that I have been trying to grow the perfect lawn. Possum’s is awesome! I have the best lawn in the neighborhood.”  Greg Lienert

 

“The Best!  Cookbook program very user friendly—plus the support!!”

Bernard Arnold, O.D.

 

“Great products for my lawn.  15-00-15 Lawn Food!  My lawn never looked better!  Better than Scotts!  Great Products!”  George Bryant

 

Have you been watering? Most of the issues I have seen with grass this year are because a lack of water. Water, Water, Water. Low Humidity and high winds dry out the soil and the soil doesn’t remain warm through the cool nights without moisture. If the soil stays cool, the grass doesn’t green up uniformly.

 

Mosquitoes? Do you have a plan? Luckily the wind, cool temperatures, and lack of rain have kept them at bay for most of the spring. We had high tides before and during the full “Flower Moon”, some rain, and less wind now so get ready. Do the cultural things around your house by emptying anything that holds water. Remember to look up at your gutters as well. Mosquito Pro provides great control for mosquitoes and many, many other pest with its knockdown power and growth regulators. If you prefer natural products, try Inzecto Traps, Essentria, or EcoVia (or others).

 

Lawn Mower – sharp (new) blade, new ethanol free gas, new oil, new air filter, new spark plug for season? Is your self-propelled mechanism working?

 

Prune and fertilize azaleas, camellias and other spring flowering plants after they bloom? Wait on Gardenias for now.

 

Do trees need pruning? Are they growing strong out to the tips of the limbs? Plenty of new foliage? Has the bust of spring growth put limbs against your house?

 

Fertilized your trees and shrubs? 17-00-09, 08-02-04 (organic), Professional feeding?

 

Fertilize daffodils for bigger bulbs next year. Leave the leaves (foliage) to collect sunlight to refurbish bulb for next year.

 

Huge fleshy leaves on new growth of camellias and azaleas? Leaf gall? Remove infected leaves and destroy.

 

Is Powdery mildew attacking roses, crepe myrtles, or dogwood leaves?  Neem PY (organic), Systemic Fungicide II.

 

Large Patch Fungus in turf – get an early start – prevention is cheaper than curative. Strobe and T-Methyl are great systemic products. Crab Shell, Serenade, Cotton Burr Compost, SeaHume, and Natures Blend are organic products that many professionals and homeowners have reported seeing less fungus in their lawns. These cool nights is giving the fungus a chance to attack the grass!

 

Adult mole crickets are tunneling – manage them. Intice Bait (organic), Above/Below. Baby time is soon!

 

Fire ants are starting to forage – manage them. Come and Get It (organic), Baits (great), and many contact killers for instant results.

 

Grubs are near the surface – manage them. Some of these grubs will emerge into Japanese beetles that will shred your plant’s foliage in a month (especially roses and crepe myrtles). Kill them now!  Mallet, Grub X, or Milky Spore (organic).

 

Scale insects are bad because the dry spring. Crepe Myrtle bark scale is a new insect to the area, and it is terrible. What people notice is the trunk of the tree turning black from sooty mold. The bigger issue is the tree is getting it’s nutrients sucked out of it. It seems like they get worse every year. Safari Tree and Shrub for quick knockdown and Tree and Shrub Drench for long term control. For trees and shrubs with perennial insect problems consider Tree and Shrub Drench.

 

Get a “jump” on fleas this year. Bug Blaster outside. Pivot Ultra Plus kills adult and larval fleas, while the IGR affects hatching eggs and is labeled for indoor use. Prefurred Plus is great to apply to pet.

 

Plant a vegetable garden? Soil Test? Good soil? Amend soil?

 

Plant a flower garden? Soil Test? Good soil? Amend soil?

 

If you applied preemergent in February, it is time for your second application (depending on the rate and product you used the first time). Remember the ornamental beds!

 

The leaves have fallen – new mulch? New mulch really sets off the landscape.

 

Fertilized Palm Trees with 07-00-09 (the most awesome Palm Fertilizer)?

 

Are your Citrus Leafminer Traps out if you grow citrus?

 

Tested your well water?  Many are getting salty.

 

Pruned holly fern, cast iron plant, and monkey grass (Liriope)?

 

Moles? Mole Patrol, Traps, Repellex? Above and Below?

 

Checked your irrigation? Heads pointing in the right direction? Leaky valves? Pipes?

 

Well, over my column inches once again (newspaper lingo). There is a lot going on in the Lowcountry!

 

Always read, understand, and follow product label – it is a Federal Law.

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply (follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com. 

 

Dry Again!

 

Horticulture Hotline 04/13/26

 By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

Another dry Spring. Do you have mites trying to come into your house for some water? I did a little shopping on the broken bag pallet at Possum’s and have been putting out organics to bring my grass out of dormancy – Perk, SeaHume, Organic Dethatcher, 04-04-04, and dolomitic lime (based on soil test). I also used a broken bag of fungicide, insecticide, and pre-emergent. The one thing that probably saves me the most time is something I put on my shrubs called Cutless Growth Regulator – no pruning or picking up after pruning!

 

While working in the stores, a common concern I hear is that “I missed the time to preemerge”. Different weeds germinate at different soil temperatures if adequate moisture is available. Crabgrass is an early germinating weed. Later comes goosegrass. Then the dreaded Doveweed germinates. Not all the crabgrass seeds germinate at one time either. Keeping a protective barrier up according to the label is the most important strategy, and you can begin that any time of year.

 

The biggest issue I see is the lack of rain. The high blue skies with the lower humidity and the high winds will dry out an area very quickly. Water, water, water and use a wetting agent to get the most out of the water when you water or when it rains.

 

Possum’s Wetting Agent with Biostimulants (PWAB) is a product that helps water move deeper into the soil. PWAB will help soften clay for water penetration and get rid of those localized dry spots in your lawn. Sandy soil will hold water longer and prevent those localized dry spots. Wetting agents have shown to reduce watering needs from 33% to 66% in Arizona and other areas where water is limited. If you could go from watering three times a week down to once a week or not at all, think of the savings!

 

 The benefits of using a wetting agent would be far greater than just the savings with the water company. Since the water would penetrate deeper into the soil, the root systems of your grass and plants would grow deeper. As the roots of your grass and plants slough off and are replaced by new roots, organic material is increasing in the area where these roots are shed, creating a deeper top-soil area.

 

 A deeper root system will help in times of drought and can collect more nutrients from the soil. If you use fertilizer, a deeper root system can absorb more nutrients before they leach away; therefore, you can use lower fertilizer rates. If you use root absorbed systemic fungicides or insecticides, a deeper root system will also “catch” these products more efficiently giving you more “bang for your buck”.

 

When it rains, a yard treated with a wetting agent like Possum’s Wetting Agent with Biostimulants has less runoff. The rain penetrates the ground much easier, keeping the rain in your yard and not in the storm water drains. If you have ever poured water out on a dusty dirt road, and watched the water bead up and not penetrate the road, you have witnessed a hydrophobic soil condition. If you add a little wetting agent to this water and pour it on the same road, the water would penetrate the dusty dirt road. By keeping the water in your lawn, you will have the benefit of the water, and we will have less runoff into our marshes.

 

The biggest savings from using a wetting agent will come from reduced use of fungicides. Most fungi like water. By watering less fungus populations should decrease.

Brown patch / large patch and gray leaf spot comes to mind.

 

Many people that live in the Lowcountry travel. PWAB is great to add to hanging baskets or pots. Whether you are travelling or just want to increase your intervals between watering, PWAB should help you with a more uniform distribution of water and better hydrated plants.

 

If you prefer a granular product over a spray, try HumGranWet. HumGranWet is very cost-effective product that combines a wetting agent and humic acid. If you would rather spread than spray, check it out. HumGranWet has a very low use rate (1.15 pounds per thousand square feet 4 times a year or 2.3 pounds per thousand square feet every 6 months) and long residual making it very affordable!

 

People come into Possum’s and say that the savings on their water bill more than pays for the Possum’s Wetting Agent with Biostimulants. All the other benefits are an extra (free) bonus!

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply. Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com. 

 

Gnats + Pollen = Spring

 
                                                       Large Patch Fungus

                                                      Dandelion

                                                       Henbit

Horticulture Hotline 03/22/26

By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

The pollen and the gnats are here and so is Spring! Spring is like St. Patrick’s Day when everyone is Irish for the day. It seems like everyone is a gardener in the Spring.

 

Liriope (monkey grass), holly fern, and cast-iron plant will benefit from cutting back to remove old, discolored foliage this time of year. Some people use a lawn mower, others hedge shears.  I do not know why, but I can convince people to cut back their Liriope; however, trying to get them to cut back holly fern and cast-iron plant is not as easy. I see more people pruning individual leaves than just cutting the whole plant back to the crown. The completely new growth from the cast iron plant and the holly fern will look as spectacular as the new growth from the Liriope. Get rid of all that tattered old foliage! 

 

It is very important to manage your winter weeds now. Burweed (low to the ground with a sticker in April to May – it’s seed), henbit, chickweed, and the dreaded Poa (annual blue grass) are a few of the more prevalent, troublesome winter weeds. Although winter weeds will die when the temperatures warm, they will be producing thousands of seeds for next year’s crop until they die. These seeds add seeds to the “seed bank”. A manufacturer of preemergent products once told me that they like a minimum of 85% of control of weeds with their product before turning it over to the EPA for testing and labeling. If your seed bank is 100, you would have 15 weeds. If your seed bank is 100,000, you would have 15,000 weeds! The seed bank is a good bank to have overdrawn.

 

Control small seeded annual summer weeds now with a pre-emergent product. We (Possum people) talk about target dates to put out pre-emergent products in the lawn and beds; however, different weeds germinate at different soil temperatures provided they have adequate moisture. Weed seeds germinate throughout the year here, so be sure to have out your protection. Always follow the label of the product you are using so you do not overdo it and be sure you are waiting for the proper intervals between applications.

 

If mulching, 2 – 3 inches is the latest recommendation. Keep the mulch off the trunk of the tree. Cotton Burr Compost as a mulch can add a lot of nutrition and a sip of compost tea (and lord knows we love our tea) every time it is irrigated.

 

Soil Test? Bring them to Possum’s for accurate testing and an easy-to-follow interpretation of the results.

 

After you have done some ‘Spring Cleaning’, SeaHume and Cotton Burr Compost with their loaded micronutrients and biostimulants should help your plants and turf come out of dormancy healthy.

 

If you have plants like Viburnum (white flies), Camellias (scale), Gardenias (white flies), Crepe Myrtles (bark scale, aphids), Lantana (lace bugs), or any other plant that you know regularly turns black from sooty mold, consider drenching with Dominion Tree and Shrub for season long control of sucking insects. This systemic product is awesome!

 

Two more things since I am running out of column inches. Large patch fungus is active again now that the soil temperatures have warmed. If you have a history of the disease, use a control product preventatively. If you have an irrigation system, go through it and make sure everything is working.

 

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is Federal Law.

 

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply (follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com.