Curated by Hort Business Partner Kelly Megeath of Garden Elegance
Our hearts are with all those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. May you find comfort, hope, and the support needed to rebuild and recover. Stay strong.
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Firestick, Odontonema strictum
This hardy perennial plant offers striking red flower spikes that emerge above dark glossy green foliage in late summer attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to float and dart around your garden.
- It is stunning when planted in a mass at the back of your perennial border, providing a showy tropical feel.
- It prefers sandy or loamy soil and can tolerate dry conditions.
- Plant in full sun for the best flower production, but a break from the sun in the afternoon hours is appreciated here in the Lowcountry..
- Avoid areas where deer are a problem as they will have an all-you-can-eat buffet.
- Generally, pest and disease resistant but watch for white fly in the hot summer months.
- After a frost cut your odontonema back to the ground and it will come back vigorously in the spring.
- Hardiness Zones: 8 - 10
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Height at Maturity: 4 - 6 Feet
- Spread at Maturity: 2 - 4 Feet
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Cassia bicapsularis, or Senna bicapsularis
- When Cassia flushes in the spring the leaves are dark green and pinnately compound with 3-5 pairs of oval-shaped leaflets, opposite each other on the stem. The foliage gives a tropical feel.
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It's a very fast grower and requires pruning to “keep it at bay”. I like to lift Cassia's undercarriage to expose the plant's multi-trunk and create a vase-shaped form.
- During the growing season, sucker growth should be removed from the trunk to keep the multi-trunk tree form going. Only leave the woody trunks. With proper pruning, the tree will create an arching graceful form.
- I think Cassia is beautiful when it’s not in bloom, but when it does bloom, look out! Bright yellow large flower clusters emerge at the end of the graceful stems in the fall.
- The flowers attract butterflies and bees and will turn your head for a second glance when they put on their awesome flower display.
- In the winter when the plant goes dormant you can either leave it as is or cut it back to about 18” if it’s in a tight or high visibility location. Don’t worry! It will grow right back to the same height it was the following season.
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Fertilizing
- Your trees and shrubs will love receiving a little love this month in the form of a 0-0-25 fertilizer which offers potassium for root development and helps transition plants into dormancy.
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You can find 0-0-25 fertilizer created specifically for the Lowcountry at Possum's Landscape and Pest Control Supply,
- If you want to go organic, consider applying Holly-tone on your evergreens and Plant-tone on your deciduous plants.
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Another option is Milorganite for your ferns as it helps keep deer away.
- Avoid any fertilizer high in Nitrogen as it promotes new growth and puts plants at risk if we have a cold snap.
Pest Management
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Moving into cooler months, it's time to start applying dormant horticultural oil like Omni Supreme which can be found locally again at Possum's.
- I recommend applying when temps are between 85 and 40 degrees.
- Horticultural oils are plant, mineral, or petroleum-based oils blended with an emulsifying agent to make them able to be mixed with water and then sprayed on for pest control.
- These are safe to use and are especially good choices for sensitive areas where people are present soon after treatment.
- They are most effective on small, soft-bodied insect pests like scale, mites, and aphids, for example.
- With good spray coverage, horticultural oil sprays may kill all stages of scales that are present at the time of application and often give good control as they kill by suffocation.
Pruning
Going into the fall, our main focus is shaping plant material so plants are looking their best throughout the winter.
- Removing select whip/sucker growth is okay.
- Deadwood removal is a year-round task. Pruning dead wood out promotes interior growth and makes plants lush and full.
- I wouldn’t recommend any drastic cutbacks at this time because what you do now is what the plant will look like all winter long.
- Additionally, your azaleas, camellias, and gardenias have all set bud. Pruning would eliminate blooms for the spring.
- I generally wait to do deep pruning until the winter months.
Turf Management
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In October we are finishing up applications of pre-emergent while keeping a close eye on Army Worm activity and fungal issues as these problems attempt to arise.
- We also give the turf a dose of potassium-rich fertilizer to help the grass slowly transition into dormancy
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I love A. M. Leonard Horticultural Tools and Supply, which has been around since 1885. Here are three tools I can't do without.
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Goldenrod, or Solidago
This native herbaceous perennial is in the aster family with up to 120 species and numerous cultivars.
- It displays small, bright yellow flowers in dense clusters on top of tall stems from July through September.
- Deadheading spent flowers will result in additional blooms.
- Often found in meadows, prairies, woodlands, thickets, and swamps, Goldenrod is easy to grow in full sun and average, dry to medium, well-drained soil.
- The nectar attracts bees. wasps, and butterflies while birds are fond of seeds.
- It is deer-resistant.
- Sometimes confused with ragweed, it is wrongly accused of bearing the wind-borne ragweed pollen that causes allergies and hay fever.
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Hello Fellow HORT Members.
I grew up on a Virginia farm, where mentors in the agrarian community nurtured my love for the natural world. This passion led me to study ornamental horticulture at Virginia Tech, where I deepened my knowledge. When I moved to Charleston in 2001, I had to learn an entirely new garden palette and faced fresh challenges in Lowcountry gardening.
Thankfully, local experts like Jerry Poore, Kari Whitley, Ollie of Palm Trees Ltd., Nancy Hart, and Bill Scribner of Possums shared their wisdom and helped me adjust to Charleston’s unique gardening conditions. Their guidance continues to support me today, and I owe much of my success to the network of friends and resources I’ve built here.
Now, with over 50 field employees, Garden Elegance provides personalized garden installation and maintenance services, helping clients create healthy, sustainable, and beautiful outdoor spaces. We take pride in carefully supervising each project and offering expert plant care.
Here’s to a beautiful fall season and growing greener together!
Kelly
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Kelly Megeath (right) with HORT Board member Cameron Rickett (left) and Terri Henning (center) pictured in Terri's garden during a glorious HORT gathering last fall. | |
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HORT Lecture Series: Seeds of Enchantment: Unveiling the Art of Cottage Gardening with Brie Arthur
Monday, Nov 11
Welcome reception begins @ 5:30p
Lecture begins @ 6p
Join expert horticulturist Brie Arthur, a HORT favorite, as she shares her secrets to creating stunning cottage gardens from seed. Learn how to effortlessly sow flowers for vibrant, low-maintenance displays that will make your garden shine. Brie will guide you through every step—site and soil prep, seed selection, perfect timing, and long-term care strategies.
Get ready to transform your space into a dreamy haven bursting with brilliant colors and textures that capture the true essence of a cottage garden!
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The Vine Online offers members Lowcountry-specific, horticultural advice, following in 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.
Be sure to e-mail Madeleine McGee with your ideas and to let us know what's helpful and what's missing.
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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