Hyams Garden Center and Accent Store

Serving Greater Charleston Area with Quality, Variety & Professionalism since 1981

Planters and Pots

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March in the Lowcountry: What to do in the Garden?

Spring starts here long before the calendar says so!

The Charleston area has a mild climate, and while the official start of spring is around March 20th, many gardeners feel it quietly begin in early March. This month is all about planning, prepping, and planting cool-season crops while the soil warms up. 

What to focus on this month:

Soil preparation – Turn beds, remove winter debris, incorporate compost and slow-release fertilizer.

Plant cool-season veggies — Sow or transplant peas, spinach, radishes, and leafy greens. Charleston’s typical last frost is mid-March, so cool crops have a head start. 

Start warm-season seeds indoors — Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants can be started now so they’re ready to go after frost.

Containers & pots — Refresh your patio planters with vibrant cool-weather annuals.

Hyams tip: Stop by for soil mixes, compost, seedlings, and planting tools — our team is here to help every step of the way! 

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Prepare, Don’t Rush: Setting the Stage for Spring

February brings a familiar temptation: the first warm afternoon, the sun slanting just right, and suddenly spring feels close enough to touch. But wise gardeners know this is a month for preparation and restraint, not impatience.

Late frosts are still possible in Charleston, yet there is plenty that can—and should—be done. Cool-season vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, peas, carrots, and radishes can be planted now, thriving in the mild days and cool nights. These early crops remind us that spring does not arrive all at once; it unfolds.

This is also the perfect time to start seeds indoors for tomatoes, peppers, and summer flowers. Watching seedlings emerge on a windowsill is one of gardening’s quiet joys—a promise held in miniature.

Beyond planting, February is ideal for garden readiness:

Inspect and repair irrigation systems

Clean, sharpen, and oil tools

Refresh containers and raised beds

Plan garden layouts with intention

What should wait? Tender annuals, warm-season vegetables, and aggressive lawn fertilizing. February rewards patience far more than haste.

The garden is listening this month. Every small act of preparation tells it, We are ready—when you are.

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Ornamental Pots and Containers at Hyams

Hyams Garden Center carries a wide variety of pots and containers for indoor and outdoor gardening.

Made from the finest ceramic, terracotta, concrete and composite materials; and available in multiple styles and colors, these decorative containers are sure to enhance the beauty of your Low Country garden.

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Grow your Berries in Containers!

Growing your own berries is an ideal way to save money vs. buying them from the store and can be a very rewarding summertime treat! One of the easiest ways to care for these different berries is by growing them in a container. Doing this gives you the ability to control the soil type the plant needs as well as protecting it from subfreezing temperatures in the winter. All berries enjoy at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day as well as a good draining soil and container.

In choosing a pot, you may want to decide to go with a plastic container since they hold in moisture well but not heat, they are less expensive and are very light weight in comparison to other containers. Berries can be a favorite treat not only for you, but for birds as well. Keep an eye out when berries start forming; you may need to use a bird-friendly netting to cover the plants.

Blueberries are one of the easiest berries to care for in that they are highly resistant to pests and diseases. They require the lowest soil pH of all berries ranging between 4.5 and 6.0 depending on variety. To ensure a good harvest, choose two different varieties to plant since blueberries need to cross-pollinate. Blueberries don’t enjoy having “wet feet” so choose a pot and soil that will drain well.

Blackberries are extremely hardy plants and are great for container gardening. When choosing your container, choose one that is at least 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep and plant only one per pot. Using a soil such as the Pro-Mix Outdoor is a good choice for planting blackberries since they need a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Blackberries can be susceptible to a few pests and disease such as spider mites, stinkbugs, orange rust, and powdery mildew.

Raspberries enjoy as much water as they can get and are easily grown using a 5-gallon plastic container. You may want to drill a few addition holes in the bottom of the pot, however, since raspberries don’t like to be waterlogged and this situation could lead to diseases. As with blackberries, using a similar soil is a good choice for planting raspberries with a pH of 5.6 to 6.2. Keep an eye out for pests and diseases that can attack raspberries: cane borers and tarnished plant bugs as well as raspberry mosaic and verticillium wilt.

Strawberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow since they practically take care of themselves as long as their basic needs are met. They grow well in most any container that is at least 8 inches deep (if sitting on the ground) or 12 inches wide (if hanging). When planting, use a good potting soil and plant only deep enough that the area where the leaves begin growing is flush with the surface of the soil. More than likely, the only problem you may encounter with strawberries are slugs. If your plants are on ground level, they will be more susceptible to slugs, but a trick to deterring these pests is to line the top of the container with copper tubing or strips on the outside.

Stop by Hyams Nursery for more information on berries and other mouthwatering plants such as the muscadine and scuppernong grapes!