How is South Carolina climate compared to Florida climate?

[Galatians522]

Its not South Carolina, but there was a guy at the very southern tip of Lousianna who was (is?) a member on here. I can't recall his name at the moment and its been a while since I have seen him post, but if I remember right he was growing some surprising things outside (with some protection I think). Totally blew my mind. I had figured it would be like Pensacola in north Florida (we got snow when I lived up there), but he had some special microclimate where he was at.

[onur]

I live just north of Orlando and am in a bit of a micro climate so I think I've got slightly better luck with a lot of my tropicals like Mango and Jackfruit. We can usually string together enough years to get trees big enough that the short freezing periods won't kill them, or cold weather can be managed with large mulch mounds.     I don't think there is a perfect rule for it, but I think that once you get north of Sanford FL you really shouldn't expect consistent results with tropicals without significant protection. I know there are people in Ocala and further north doing it, but I think the protection effort is significant.

 I think once you hit SC you are well outside of tropicals territory. You might be able to grow some subtropicals like jaboticaba which can deal with lower temps, but I'd probably focus on different plants if I was living up there or get a large greenhouse to grow in.

As you said, tropicals and subtropicals such as guavas and mangos would still fruit. And, since SC summers are hot and long enough, the fruits would develop and ripen properly if protected and maintained well indoor during the cold season.

[onur]

Guava will not grow in South Carolina without protection. Even hardy citrus needs protection there. If I lived in SC I would be growing fire blight resistant pears, select Chickisaw plums, Muscadines, Rabbit Eye blueberries, Peaches, Chinese Jujube, Pecans, Paw Paw, Blackberries, Che, and maybe a satsuma (but it would definitely need protection).

Wow not even citrus! Probably, figs, mulberries, almonds and pomegranates would grow there.

Persimmons and mulberries should work well, too. Figs, Pomegranites, and particularly Almonds might have disease issues but with a little extra care they could probably be grown.

Is Che a tasty fruit? Is it worth growing?

Got to try my first che fruit this year. They’re nothing crazy kinda taste like watermelon

Do you have any tropicals like guavas and mangos? If so, do guavas ripen properly?

[onur]

Its not South Carolina, but there was a guy at the very southern tip of Lousianna who was (is?) a member on here. I can't recall his name at the moment and its been a while since I have seen him post, but if I remember right he was growing some surprising things outside (with some protection I think). Totally blew my mind. I had figured it would be like Pensacola in north Florida (we got snow when I lived up there), but he had some special microclimate where he was at.

Interesting! Trial and Error is a big deal, right?!

[Nick C]

Guava will not grow in South Carolina without protection. Even hardy citrus needs protection there. If I lived in SC I would be growing fire blight resistant pears, select Chickisaw plums, Muscadines, Rabbit Eye blueberries, Peaches, Chinese Jujube, Pecans, Paw Paw, Blackberries, Che, and maybe a satsuma (but it would definitely need protection).

Wow not even citrus! Probably, figs, mulberries, almonds and pomegranates would grow there.

Persimmons and mulberries should work well, too. Figs, Pomegranites, and particularly Almonds might have disease issues but with a little extra care they could probably be grown.

Is Che a tasty fruit? Is it worth growing?

Got to try my first che fruit this year. They’re nothing crazy kinda taste like watermelon

Do you have any tropicals like guavas and mangos? If so, do guavas ripen properly?

yes, plenty of tropicals. I have fruited Malaysian red guavas, strawberry guava, atemoya, cherimoya, peanut butter fruit, white sapote, dragonfruit, various citrus and Eugenias

[onur]

Guava will not grow in South Carolina without protection. Even hardy citrus needs protection there. If I lived in SC I would be growing fire blight resistant pears, select Chickisaw plums, Muscadines, Rabbit Eye blueberries, Peaches, Chinese Jujube, Pecans, Paw Paw, Blackberries, Che, and maybe a satsuma (but it would definitely need protection).

Wow not even citrus! Probably, figs, mulberries, almonds and pomegranates would grow there.

Persimmons and mulberries should work well, too. Figs, Pomegranites, and particularly Almonds might have disease issues but with a little extra care they could probably be grown.

Is Che a tasty fruit? Is it worth growing?

Got to try my first che fruit this year. They’re nothing crazy kinda taste like watermelon

Do you have any tropicals like guavas and mangos? If so, do guavas ripen properly?

yes, plenty of tropicals. I have fruited Malaysian red guavas, strawberry guava, atemoya, cherimoya, peanut butter fruit, white sapote, dragonfruit, various citrus and Eugenias

Cool ! May I ask under what growing conditions do you keep your trees? Trees pots in a heated greenhouse? Do you move them outside completely in summer? I keep mine inside the house during winter and move them all out in Summer. I also have a Malaysian red guava with some fruits on, which is still outside. But the walnut-size fruits don't seem to be growing any further...

[1rainman]

The coast is similar to jacksonville or the northern edge of the panhandle. Cabbage palms and similar subtropical plants. Land and homes are expensive like florida and tourist areas. A short distance inland its a totally different climate mild temperate forest. Relatively mild weather but not subtropical at all. Four seasons. Similar to Georgia it would be a place for peaches and pecans stuff adapted to a southern temperate climate. You could do well with a greenhouse since it wont get extremely cold it shouldnt be too hard to protect stuff.

[Nick C]

Guava will not grow in South Carolina without protection. Even hardy citrus needs protection there. If I lived in SC I would be growing fire blight resistant pears, select Chickisaw plums, Muscadines, Rabbit Eye blueberries, Peaches, Chinese Jujube, Pecans, Paw Paw, Blackberries, Che, and maybe a satsuma (but it would definitely need protection).

Wow not even citrus! Probably, figs, mulberries, almonds and pomegranates would grow there.

Persimmons and mulberries should work well, too. Figs, Pomegranites, and particularly Almonds might have disease issues but with a little extra care they could probably be grown.

Is Che a tasty fruit? Is it worth growing?

Got to try my first che fruit this year. They’re nothing crazy kinda taste like watermelon

Do you have any tropicals like guavas and mangos? If so, do guavas ripen properly?

yes, plenty of tropicals. I have fruited Malaysian red guavas, strawberry guava, atemoya, cherimoya, peanut butter fruit, white sapote, dragonfruit, various citrus and Eugenias

Cool ! May I ask under what growing conditions do you keep your trees? Trees pots in a heated greenhouse? Do you move them outside completely in summer? I keep mine inside the house during winter and move them all out in Summer. I also have a Malaysian red guava with some fruits on, which is still outside. But the walnut-size fruits don't seem to be growing any further...

So everything is either in my heated greenhouse or indoors under grow lights starting mid October with the exception of this year still had some trees out there up until today. I start moving plants outside, unprotected early to mid spring depending on cold tolerance. The greenhouse regularly dips into the mid 30s on really cold nights so any plants I don't trust to take those temps are the ones designated for indoors.

[onur]

Thank you all for the answers !

[Tropheus76]

Really depends on where in SC. Its a very variable area. I am from Coastal Ga and grew up on an island not far from the SC border, in winter I used to duck hunt on the Savannah river, which is the border. If you are talking on the coast, as in, you are living in the barrier island areas, not just living near I-95 then you can expect to grow some sub tropicals and have pretty good luck with citrus. The island I grew up on is about 20 minutes by boat from the Atlantic and I am always jealous of how healthy and lush their citrus trees are there compared to what I can grow here in FL. Plus the added bonus of pecans growing insanely well, talking huge 75' tall trees that drop tons of nuts in the fall. Loquats grow very well and I know the island my parents still live on has them everywhere growing wild.

The negative is winters are very unrpedictable. You will get freezes, some winters will drop into the teens for a day or two. We even had snow sit on the ground 3 days in 89 with some of the shaded areas lasting longer. It doesnt get that cold with the weather cycles changing very often but the potential is there. I would still expect to see upper 20s and 30s every year for at least a couple days.

Inland away from the Ocean water gets colder quickly. Remember Snowmageddon? Chic-Fil-A coming in during a blizzard and its employee volunteering to walk down the highways handing out warm sandwiches to people trapped in traffic jams in the snow for several days? That was in GA. While that was a bad one, they get lesser forms of it every other year or so. I dont hear much out of SC but I can only imagine they would get it too being the next state up. The farther west you go the higher elevation and the colder it would probably get. So you could probably get away with more stone fruit but less subtropicals.

So in short, if you are right on the coast your options for sub tropicals are much higher than if you live in the western end of the state. Note there is also a shift in soil content as well once you hit a certain point going west. But with prep and protection your options are always there. Theres a dude in Evansville Indiana with palm trees in his front yard, blew my mind when I saw them in winter, so it can be done.

[onur]

Thank you 1rainman and Tropheus76. Would raspberries grow inland SC or is it still too hot?

[Tropheus76]

I believe, dont quote me, but I believe there are varieties that will grow in FL so SC should be fine. Again, depends on where. In North Ga they grow massive rhododendrons and the best we can grow in Central Fl is their Azalea relatives that dont mind the sun as much, theres like two of those. There really is a massive difference between FL and the coast coast of GA/SC/NC and Ga/SC/NC literally a couple miles or more inland.   Use the alligator method, if there are alligators, you can "probably" grow sub tropicals, the less gators naturally occur, the harder time you are going to have.

[bussone]

Thank you 1rainman and Tropheus76. Would raspberries grow inland SC or is it still too hot?

Black raspberries should be fine.

You can probably coax red raspberries if you are more towards Charlotte, or if you give them enough shade. Raspberries don't mind shade. They tend to not like drying out, though.

[onur]

Thank you 1rainman and Tropheus76. Would raspberries grow inland SC or is it still too hot?

Black raspberries should be fine.

You can probably coax red raspberries if you are more towards Charlotte, or if you give them enough shade. Raspberries don't mind shade. They tend to not like drying out, though.

Thank you Bussone.