Winter Growth: Your Guide to the Upstate's Dormant Season

While the Upstate landscape might look quiet right now, experienced South Carolina gardeners know that January and February are actually the busiest months for "hidden" growth. Even though your plants have entered their dormant season, there is plenty of work to do to ensure your spring landscape is the envy of the neighborhood.

Whether you are in Taylors, Greenville, or Spartanburg, here is how to make the most of the winter chill to prepare for the spring thrill.

1. Amend Your Soil Now

Winter is the absolute best time to improve your soil structure. In the Upstate, we deal with a lot of heavy clay, and the dormant season allows amendments to break down and integrate before the spring planting rush.

• Daddy Pete's Plant Pleasing Products: We are proud to carry the full line of Daddy Pete’s, including the fan-favorite Daddy Pete's Kickin' Chickin and their Lawn & Garden Mix. Mixing these into your garden beds now provides a slow-release nutrient boost that will be ready for your plants' roots the moment they wake up.

• Top Dressing: Apply a 2-inch layer of Daddy Pete’s Composted Cow Manure to your perennial beds. It acts as a natural insulator and a nutrient-rich "tea" every time it rains.

2. Strategic Pruning for Spring Success

The best time to prune most of our local favorites—like fruit trees, summer-blooming shrubs, and ornamental grasses—is right now while they are dormant. Without leaves in the way, it’s much easier to see the structure of the plant and remove dead or crossing branches.

Pro Tip: Avoid pruning spring-blooming favorites like Azaleas or Forsythia right now, or you’ll be cutting off this year’s flower buds!

3. Winter Weed Control & Pre-Emergent

Don’t let winter weeds like henbit and chickweed take over. If you have a Tall Fescue lawn, February is a critical window for your first round of pre-emergent herbicide. This prevents summer weeds (like crabgrass) from even germinating. We carry a wide variety of specialized fertilizers and weed control products specifically for

mulated for Upstate soil profiles.

4. Planning & Planting

Believe it or not, you can still plant in the Upstate during the winter! As long as the ground isn't frozen (which is rare for us), it’s a great time to install trees and shrubs. Planting now gives the root systems months to establish without the stress of our intense July heat.

Get Ready for Spring at Staggs Garden Center

Don’t wait for the first warm day to realize you’re behind. From high-quality Daddy Pete's soils to the right pruning tools and fertilizers, we have everything you need to get a head start.

Ready to start your winter checklist? Browse our current Trees & Shrubs inventory or Check out our Fertilizer and Soil selection to find the perfect Daddy Pete's product for your project.