Garlic Varieties That Suit South Carolina Winters
South Carolina’s winters rarely provide enough sustained cold for hardneck garlic, so softneck varieties like Inchelium Red and Lorz Italian are the more dependable choice statewide.
Gardening in South Carolina
Everything we have worked out for South Carolina: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Charleston, the last spring freeze runs February 28 to March 17 and the first fall freeze runs November 20 to December 5, USDA zones 7a-9a, 6,323 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic is the awkward one: only 4.3 weeks below 40 °F, where it needs six to split into cloves. Chill the cloves before planting, or grow a softneck type.
Elsewhere on the property in South Carolina: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Plant Garlic in South Carolina: Counting Back From the First Frost
South Carolina gardeners set garlic cloves out from late October to mid-November, timed against NOAA’s fall frost data for the Charleston area.
Growing Garlic in South Carolina: Planting Dates, Varieties and Winter Cold
South Carolina’s mild winters fall short of the chilling hours garlic needs, so growers here rely on refrigerated cloves or softneck varieties instead.
Tomato Pests in South Carolina: Which Ones Actually Show Up Here
A season-by-season rundown of the tomato pests that show up in South Carolina, how to identify each one, and what actually works against it.
Tomato Varieties That Ripen in Time in South Carolina
Eight tomato cultivars ranked from shortest to longest season, with transplant windows and days of margin before South Carolina’s first fall frost near Charleston.
Tomato Planting Dates in South Carolina: Counting Back From Your Frost Window
Learn how to use NOAA’s Charleston frost dates and a cultivar’s days-to-maturity to work out your own tomato planting window in South Carolina.
Growing Tomatoes in South Carolina: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
Charleston-based frost dates, soil preparation steps, disease-resistant variety picks and season-long care for growing tomatoes successfully across South Carolina gardens.