BERTAUSKI COLUMN: Don't murder crape myrtles

I parachuted once. It was shortly after I flew for the first time. For some reason, I decided it would be a great idea to jump out of a plane. It was exhilarating and terrifying, and I promised never to do it again. I've never had a problem keeping that oath. Read More

Quarantine keeps citrus greening disease from spreading

Trouble didn't find me, I found it. We weren't supposed to play baseball in the backyard. It was only a matter of time before I took a swing. Unfortunately, that one swing put the ball through the dining room window. What was worse, my dad was in there when it happened. I blamed my brothe... Read More

BERTAUSKI COLUMN: Watering lawns just got smarter

Soon, we won't carry a smartphone. It'll be a chip embedded in our brain. We won't need to memorize facts, we'll download them. We'll text message like mind readers. Read More

Composting with worms feasible, safe indoors, too

ON GARDENING

As kids, we thought worms were good for only two things: fishing and daring someone to eat them. Adults, however, can use them to compost indoors. In traditional composting, a bin is outside, where landscape waste and kitchen scraps decompose to form a nutrient-rich organic matter that ca... Read More

Exploring the story of mistletoe

Mistletoe has a long and varied history, depending on what century you want to investigate. There are references to European and Greek folklore, protection against poisons and witches, healing powers for epilepsy and ulcers, and magical properties that foretell bad omens. Read More

BERTAUSKI COLUMN: Gardeners, there's an app for you

Santa visited our house when I was a kid. I was suspicious when he arrived in a cab. Nowadays, kids can go online to check their naughtynice rating. There's even a Santa tracker that shows his location on Christmas Eve via GPS. Read More

BERTAUSKI COLUMN: Colorful holiday cactus can flourish with a little care

Early one Sunday morning, the phone rang. The caller's name was Pearl. She asked if I was the gentleman who wrote the gardening column and that she had a Christmas cactus as big as a washtub. She would mail me a photograph because people just had to see it. Read More

Imported insect species are invasive, hard to control

Many things have changed since ships began making voyages with goods and services, and not always for the better. Introduced species of insects become invasive because few predators and parasites feed on them. As a result, their populations soar and they can decimate plants. Read More

When unwanted guests invade house

ON GARDENING

Santa landed on our house in September. We were asleep when I heard reindeer scratching on the roof. It sounded like they were trying to dig through the ceiling. After investigating the attic, I discovered the fecal droppings of something much smaller than reindeer. Rats. ... Read More

Feeding Lowcountry grasses

Fertilizer schedules different than Northern neighbors

Folks in the North do things a little differently than those in the South. They wear coats at Halloween. Every car has an ice scraper in the glove box. And they use nitrogen to winterize their lawns in the fall. Read More

The making of a French garden

Fresh vegetables and fruits, shaped plants and color hallmarks of design

Kate Reeves is a horticulture student at Trident Technical College. With the help of Tom Johnson of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, she was awarded an internship in France this past summer to work at Chateau de Valmer, Chateau de Brecy and Acquigny Castle Park and Gardens. Read More

BERTAUSKI COLUMN: Catch fall fever: Tips to properly prune, mulch as cooler temps draw us outside

With cooler temperatures arriving, many people will spend more time in the garden. Fall fever is undersold compared to spring fever, but it’s a great time to plant. Read More

BERTAUSKI COLUMN: Stinkhorn -- Mushroom family has smelly members

Zombies aren't real, right? There exists a zombie fungus that attacks Brazilian ants that reportedly takes over their brains and directs them in ways to spread the zombie fungus to other victims. Read More

Get back to nature with green roofs and walls

My son recently wanted to build a skate ramp. I squashed the idea for a lot of reasons, but mainly because of the liability. Growing up, no one seemed as concerned about liability. We all had treehouses. By treehouse, I mean rotten boards hammered into a tree trunk with bent, rust... Read More

TONY BERTAUSKI: Safe use of chain saws can cut chance of injury

My grandpa taught me to split wood with a sledgehammer and wedges. The crack of the wood and the ping of metal were exciting. My grandpa was an intelligent man, but common sense was not his strong suit. Read More