Curated By: Sharleen Johnson, owner of Native Plants to the People.
Purple Passionflower, Passiflora incarnata
- Also commonly known as Maypop, this vigorous native vine produces gorgeous flowers and edible fruit, but most importantly, it feeds the hungry-hungry caterpillars of vibrant Gulf Fritillary butterflies!
- These eye-catching orange caterpillars with harmless black spikes can strip the Passionflower vine bare. No worries, they quickly grow new leaves.
- I love witnessing its foliage transformed into butterflies through these hungry intermediaries, especially in the Fall.
- The green fruit turns yellow and wrinkles as it ripens in late summer, Cut open and spoon out the tangy-sweet pulp surrounding crunchy, edible seeds to enjoy its tropical flavor.
- While this is a garden-worthy vine, give careful thought to its placement, perhaps restricting it to a pot., as sends up suckers from underground runners.
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Tasks To Tackle - Fall Prep | |
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August is a lovely time to enjoy gazing at your garden from a comfortable air-conditioned seat indoors!
It's also time to plan our fall vegetable gardens. My favorite fall vegetables and when to sow them:
When is the best time to plant perennials in the Lowcountry?
You guessed it - October! Doing so lets plants establish a robust root system so they immediately begin growing when spring arrives and are better prepared for the summer heat.
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Greening Our Gardening Habits | |
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I TRY to minimize the amount of effort-intensive gardening that I need to do in late summer by keeping on top of weeds early in the season to:
- prevent seeds from producing late-season weeds
- prevent small easily pulled weeds from becoming effort-inducing removal later
I mulch thickly (3" to 5") with pine straw to
- prevent weed seed germination
- add organic matter to the soil
- retain soil moisture and stabilize soil temperature
- create habitats for insects, skinks, and other critters that help aerate the soil
- support a healthy soil microbial community to promote plant health
I fill warm-season empty spaces in my vegetable garden with hardy, lush, and low-maintenance plants such as Toyha Soy Beans and Sweet Thai Basil.
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Plants for Pollinator Watching
Everyone knows bird watching is a beloved hobby, enjoyed by both casual observers and enthusiasts. But what’s the next big outdoor activity? Pollinator watching! The best way to attract pollinators to your yard? Plant native plants!
A few of my favorite native plants for August pollinator watching include:
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- Blooms June-Nov.
- Feeds hummingbirds and butterflies - like this Zebra Longwing)
- Happiest in part sun and well-drained soil
- Cut back to 12" stubble in winter after first frost. Growth emerges from the roots (not the stems)
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Best pollinator out there!
- Blooms June - Aug.
- Bees, butterflies, bee flies, beneficial wasps, and beetles - like the Delta Flower Scarab love it!
- Plant with Common Buttonbush and Joe Pye Weed.
- The number and diversity of pollinators this plant feeds is mind-blowing!
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- A unique beauty; excellent for bees and beneficial wasps.
- Explodes into bloom in late summer and buzzes with life for 3-4 weeks
- Thrives in full sun or part sun with well-drained soil
- It spreads vigorously!
- Great for weed suppression in a corner.
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- Large shrub; small tree
- Excellent for bumble bees and butterflies
- Full Sun/part shade
- Likes wet soil
- Cut back in Spring to revitalize
- Blooms ALL Summer!
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Natives vs Non-Natives vs Invasives
- For a refresher on this critical topic, read Sharleen's blog.
- For photos and range maps of invasive plant species in SC, download this brochure by Clemson and the SC Exotic Pest Plant Council.
- Interested in learning more? Join the Lowcountry Chapter of the SC Native Plant Society which hosts lectures (free and open to the public), field trips, and plant sales every October and March! Subscribe here to receive emails about upcoming activities.
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Food For Thought - Literally |
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Soybeans, Glycine max
Soybeans are legumes and, like most other legumes, can supply their own nitrogen with the help of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots.
Did you know Soybeans contain 18% oil and 38% protein and supply protein equal in quality to animal protein? Soybeans in the form of edamame are perfect if you practice, or are exploring a plant-based diet.
- Sow seeds in warm soil and full sun in May or June after pulling out cool-season crops such as kale
- Prepare your beds with aged compost
- Keep evenly moist (mulching with 3"- 5" of pine straw helps with moisture and weed control)
- Harvest when pods are rounded, but beans inside are still young and tender (see photo above)
My favorite variety is "Toyha" which has a delicious buttery flavor, a firm texture, and matures in 80 days.
Simply parboil the pods and sprinkle with sea salt for a delicious and easy snack!
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Hello Fellow HORT Members.
Like you, I'm an avid "digger in the dirt" and have gardened on James Island since 2010. I'm also proud to be a HORT Business Partner.
After working for SC DNR as a marine ecologist for 9 years, I launched my business, Native Plants to the People, in 2022 to integrate my passion for restoring healthy ecosystems with my lifelong interest in gardening.
Native Plants to the People (NPTTP) is a seasonal native plant nursery and habitat garden consulting business. I also love giving talks through NPTTP on gardening with native plants for birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.
To learn about my next talk (Gardening for Native Bees on August 24th) as well as other events and plant sales, visit the NPTTP website, Sign up for our e-mail list (scroll to the bottom of the website), or follow via social media on Facebook or Instagram.
Here's to making it through the crazy weather forecasted for the week and growing greener together!
Sharleen Johnson
P.S. - Save Sunday, August 25 for a members-only visit to Nancy Hart's tropical garden on John's Island.
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Sharleen Johnson surrounded by a few of her favorite native plants! | |
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The Vine Online offers members Lowcountry-specific, horticultural advice, following the tradition of the HORT's printed publication, The Vine. This monthly gardening e-guide is sent exclusively to HORT members. Thanks for being a member.
This is our fourth issue of The Vine Online. We want to know what's helpful, and what's missing. Please e-mail Madeleine McGee with your ideas.
Our Mission: To provide quality educational programming that:
- supports efforts, both big and small, to create beautiful, sustainable green spaces;
- fosters community partnerships; and
- preserves the Lowcountry's horticultural legacy.
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Connect with Charleston Horticultural Society | | | | |
