Narrator> Making It Grow is brought to you in part by Certified South Carolina.

This cooperative effort among farmers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture helps consumers identify foods and agricultural products that are grown, harvested or raised right here in the Palmetto State.

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina, family owned and operated since 1916.

This family farm offers seasonal produce, including over 40 varieties of peaches.

Wesley Commons, a full service continuing care retirement community located on more than 150 wooded acres in Greenwood, South Carolina.

Additional funding provided by the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance and Boone Hall Farms.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Amanda> Well, good evening and welcome to Making It Grow.

We are so glad that you can join us tonight.

I'm Amanda McNulty, and I'm the Clemson horticulture agent.

And I get to come over and be with my co-host and good friend Terasa Lott who also has a position with Clemson.

Terasa> That is correct, Amanda.

I've had a few different positions through the years, but one of my most favorite is being right here to be part of team, Making It Grow .

Amanda> Oh, we would be lost without you.

Don't you even think about leaving.

Terasa> I'm not sure, but thank you very much.

Yeah.

Amanda> Although we do, we do let you go to England sometimes to see your family over there?

Terasa> Yes.

I haven't been in a while, so, I might need to look at getting one scheduled.

Amanda> Yeah, that would be pretty fun.

Wouldn't it?

Yeah.

All righty.

And Jackie Jordan, you are the hort agent in Fairfield, Kershaw and Richland and what are some of your favorite things to talk about or go to look at in people's yards.

Jackie> Well, I like looking well, honestly, at turf grass Amanda> Turf grass.

Jackie> But I love to look at flowers and fruit trees.

I love everything I grow everything, I love house plants.

So I am the gamut of- Amanda> Really?

Jackie> I don't think there's a plant out there that I don't like.

Amanda> Whoa!

Terasa> Maybe the invasive ones?

Jackie> They're the invasive ones, invasive ones, but all types of groups of plants.

Amanda> Okay.

Even houseplants?

Jackie> I have... You should see my office.

Amanda> Oh.

I think I did see a picture.

It was fascinating.

Yeah.

Terasa> It is filled, filled to the brim with plants.

Jackie> It's like walking into a greenhouse.

Amanda> We should take an excursion and film your office.

We'll have to come and do that.

Put that on the calendar.

All right.

Well, thanks for putting us on your calendar today.

Vicky Bertagnolli from Aiken.

And also you do a lot with H.G.I.C.

And you are really an entomologist, I think.

Isn't that right?

Vicky> I'm an entomologist by training and a horticulturist by fire.

(all laugh) Trial by fire.

(laughing continues) Amanda> And tell people what entomology is.

Vicky> So, I went to graduate school, and, I studied insects.

Amanda> Okay.

Vicky> So my research had to do with fire ants and biological control of fire ants using a little fly.

Amanda> Okay.

And although it.

I think it persists, but it's not a great control.

Is it?

Vicky> It's going to... it's one of those things where it's another tool in our toolbox.

It's not a silver bullet, but it's another tool in our toolbox.

Amanda> Okay.

All right.

Well, anything to get rid of this awful fire.

So we had native fire ants originally.

I mean, I think.

Vicky> There's lots and lots and lots of ants.

There are native fire ants.

They tend not to be, as aggressive.

Amanda> Yeah.

They're not a problem.

<Vicky> Right.

Amanda> Yep.

Oh, well.

Well, real fire ants are.

Ooh.

Anyhow, David Sanders from South Pleasantburg Nursery, and you are, have a new manager or owner.

And I think y'all are, getting in new things, and you're now instead of having to go out and walk around to see if you had something, if somebody wants it, you can just look on a sheet and they'll tell you.

>> Well, we're working towards that.

We're trying to streamline our...inventory process so that we can do that.

We still have to grab a clipboard and run out and look and see what we need every now and then, but, yes, we, made the transition about a year ago this month.

And, Jim, our former owner who's been a fixture in, in the Greenville nursery industry for 40 years or more, decided it was time to spend some time with his grand kids.

Amanda> What a lovely idea.

Davis> He still comes in and helps us along with some of the things that we haven't been fully trained on.

We still need a little bit of help every now and then with our water garden supplies, and he's been a great resource for that.

Amanda> Okay.

But, y'all just run the gamut.

Y'all have, aquatic plants.

You've got house plants, I think.

You've got native plants.

You have other plants.

Everything.

Davis> Yeah.

You really need to come and pay us another visit, because there have been an awful lot of changes in the property since, since the last time, team Making It Grow came to visit us.

Amanda> Oh, and there's that wonderful place we can go to eat, too.

Davis> Oh, yeah.

Several of them, but... Amanda> A Greek place.

Oh, it was just wonderful.

Davis> (indiscernible) Amanda> Oh, wonderful.

Wonderful, wonderful.

We're going to go to some fun places.

We're going to talk about bees, the honey bee, with Ben Powell who's our state apiculturist which means he's the bee expert.

And they're going to see our wonderful friend, Katie Dixon, down at Boone Hall Plantations and Gardens and...she's just a delight.

Always fun to spend some time with her.

And Terasa it's also fun to spend time with you, because you have selected some Gardens of The Week that our viewers submitted.

Terasa> That's right.

The Gardens of The Week is a time when we can highlight you, our viewers, and you get to show off what you're doing in your yards or gardens.

Sometimes we get pictures across the state of South Carolina, and we occasionally even have viewers from the edges of Georgia and North Carolina that submit photos.

Today we begin with Cheryl Phillips, who sent in a photo of Mark Phillips with the caption, "Lettuce be friends and share."

Lettuce, L-E-T-T-U-C-E And it looks like there's he's in between some beds of lettuce from Corey Barker, a fuchsia that is bursting with blooms on a balcony in Greer.

Amanda> Ooh.

Terasa> Tom Dettman shared his front perennial garden in Aiken, where the seedum ground cover is just strikingly vibrant, kind of that lime color.

Gary Jordan shared a nighttime photo where up lighting is showing off his dogwood flowers.

And last but not least, Jane Lagrone shared a colorful photo of the children's butterfly garden at the South Carolina Botanical Garden.

one of those beautiful places.

Thank you so much.

That is just a random sampling of photos.

I hope you'll visit our Facebook page, see the other submissions, and then when you see us make a call for Gardens of The Week post your photos right there in the comments and they may appear on air.

Amanda> Thank you.

And the South Carolina Botanical Garden is adjacent to Clemson, and I don't know, but anyway, it's, but it's the state botanical garden.

It's not the Clemson Botanical Garden.

And amazingly, you can park- Terasa> -Yes.

>> - which you can't do many places at Clemson.

So... Terasa> That's right.

I do wish it were more centrally located.

Since I, I live about 3 and a half hours away, I feel like I would definitely visit more if it were a little bit closer.

Amanda> But, you know, they've managed to put almost every ecosystem that we have here in it.

Haven't they, Terasa?

Terasa> They have.

You can take a trip from the mountains, to the sea, basically, and look at the different ecosystems that you would find along the way and why certain plants grow in certain places.

It's very interesting.

Amanda> It really is.

And sun up to sundown, open.

Yeah.

And you don't have to pay.

Terasa> That's right.

Amanda> Yeah.

How lovely.

Terasa> Free.

Accessible.

I mean, it doesn't get much better than that.

Amanda> Okay.

Well... is there something we can do for somebody?

Terasa> I sure hope so.

We're going to start with Amy in Columbia, who said my Camellia has strange, thick looking leaves.

Is this a disease?

Amanda> Goodness gracious.

Jackie, what's going on?

Jackie> It is a disease.

So this is... leaf gall and it's a minor disease.

I mean, it's not terrible.

It's not going to kill the plant.

It looks worse than it is.

So really, it's one of those diseases where we tell you just to go and pick off the infected leaves.

Get them up.

It really you want to remove them before they turn thick and white and- Amanda> -release all those spores?

Jackie> Yeah.

Amanda> but, you know, if it's up in your tree and sasanquas seem to have it more frequently, than japonicas And, but, you know, if you can't get to it, I've never known it to take a tree out or anything.

Jackie> No.

no.

Like I said, it's a minor one.

You know, one of the things we have to keep in mind is some plant diseases are... minor and just going to affect their appearance, and they're not deadly.

And I think, you know, we see something funky like this and weird like this, and our immediate reaction is, oh, we've got to spray, we've got to spray.

But this is one of those diseases where we don't have to spray, we're just... some sanitation and a good cleanup is really all that's required.

Amanda> If you can't do that- Jackie> Yeah, then don't worry.

I've actually left this.

This is from.

Amanda> It's interesting.

Jackie> I found this on my shrubs.

I brought this in today because we get the question in...last week.

But I found this online and I was like, you know what, it's been there and my shrubs still look beautiful.

They still bloom and it hasn't hurt them at all.

Amanda> It's a good conversation piece.

Jackie> It is.

It is.

(both laugh) Amanda> Okay, well, thank you for wandering out in the yard and bringing that to us.

We appreciate it.

All right, Terasa.

Terasa> All right.

This is another sort of mystery that needs to be solved.

Melvin in Beech Island said, what is this that is coming up in my flower beds?

And I think this might be one of the things that you like to sometimes decorate with, Amanda.

Amanda> I do and also, eat.

Vicky?

Vicky> So when Melvin brought this in, it was small like this.

Amanda> Yes.

>>And whenever I went to the DMV this past weekend, I saw one that had a vine on it that was like this big around.

Amanda> Yeah.

Vicky> And we'll- Terasa> Be careful not to hurt Davis there.

Vicky> So I am channeling my inner Dr. John, right now, and John likes to bring things that are kind of unwieldy and, you know, crazy like this.

So, this is smilax.

The genus of smilax.

It's sometimes called green brier or cat brier.

And, this thing spreads not only by this tumor, but also the birds will eat the berries Amanda> And they're male and female smilax?

Vicky> And they'll drop the berries, and then you'll have all these little babies everywhere.

And there's different ones.

There's some that have spines like this one does.

And then there's some that are going to have no spines.

The leaves are all sorts of different shapes.

But when we look at them overall, they look very similar.

And it's this extremely fast growing vine.

And you said some of them are, are edible.

(laughs) Terasa> As she demonstrates... Vicky> Now that's fine, but be assured that this stuff has not been sprayed before you go and do this.

Amanda> Oh, it doesn't look like anybody sprayed- Vicky> I'll go ahead and tell you it hasn't been sprayed, but, this is one of those where if you catch it in the landscape, whenever it's small, like this, these pull up very, very easily.

Amanda> Okay.

Vicky> Now, whenever they get to be this size, then it can be more difficult when we first moved into our house, we had one that we kept digging up and kept damaging it, and but it still sprouted.

And we couldn't figure out why.

So we went to dig it properly, and when it came out, it was like bowling ball sized.

Amanda> I know yeah.

It's fun.

And that's one of the reasons why whenever you spray it or treat it with a herbicide, it keeps sprouting because it has to build up enough of the herbicide in that storage organ in order to kill it.

Amanda> I've had pretty good luck in my yard, just cutting it off close to the root, the stem, and, and just painting it with full strength glyphosate.

Vicky> Yeah.

Amanda> You sometimes have to do it more than once, but that's just a little easier for me sometimes.

Vicky> It tends to be more targeted that way, so that you don't have to worry about accidentally spraying a desirable plant, <Of course> Vicky> Or maybe the vine is located within a shrub.

So it's much easier to do that way.

<Yeah.> Vicky> Davis also has a way that he works is that, he'll put his in a bucket.

He'll mix his herbicide, and then put the vine inside the bucket.

Amanda> Okay.

Vicky> But it has a lid.

And so he'll close it off.

Amanda> He's careful about where he does- Vicky> -and leave the vine inside the closed, the lidded bucket.

Amanda> And you've had good luck doing that?

Davis> It works like a charm.

Amanda> Yeah.

But, like I said, it's, you know, it's a wonderful native, and they used to call it wild asparagus because, like I said, I think it's just delicious.

(laughing) Okay.

Thank you so much for bringing that.

Okay.

Davis what you going to talk about?

Davis> Well, let's, let's talk about some old fashioned plants that have been given new life here.

Amanda> I'm waiting for... that to happen to me.

Davis> We, everybody has grown a "million bells" or callibrachoas for years and years And they were always really pretty purple and blue and yellow and white and red.

But, over the years, they've become so popular that a lot of the seed companies have really developed a lot of interest in colors.

And, it's a very durable plant.

It doesn't like to dry out completely between waterings, but it will grow, bloom dependably in full sun or just a little bit of shade.

The older varieties were extremely cold tolerant, too.

I actually had one over winter in Hendersonville.

One winter I had it around the mailbox and it came back, I've had a couple of them over winter in pots in my yard in South Carolina.

Amanda> Is it a trailer?

Davis> It's, it's a trailer, spreader.

If you plant it in the ground, it's going to grow like a ground cover, but it's actually most beautiful in a container where it can cascade over the sides.

Amanda> Okay.

Davis> And, this is one that hummingbirds love.

Butterflies.

Butterflies will flit around and... so it's, it's got a lot of interest in the garden other than just the flowers.

They'll bloom their little hearts out all summer long.

Amanda> Oh!

Davis> The other old fashioned plant that's found new life that I've brought in, is the Black-eyed Susan vine or a Thunbergia alata.

The name alata comes from the fact that if you look closely at the, at the petioles that the leaves are on, they have wings on the side, Amanda> Oh, they do.

Davis> The petioles are (indiscernible), which means winged.

And the, the old fashioned varieties were, were typically yellow or orange and they would reseed themselves somewhat prolifically.

So if you bought it one year, you would have it for a long time.

The newer varieties are, are sterile.

So you're probably not going to see these volunteering from seed.

So they, you know, they don't really have the potential to become a nuisance.

But, this is another one that grows extremely fast, like the smilax.

And they will twine up anything that, that that's close enough to it to twine around, and just be a great show of those, orange and apricot and yellow flowers all summer long.

Amanda> Wow!

Okay!

What do you, if you had it, like, on your mailbox or something, would you just put a little chicken wire around it or something...?

Davis> Something like that.

And once, once it starts growing, it'll start to twine around itself.

<Will it?> Davis> A lot of times when we have these in the nursery in hanging baskets we'll hang them on the basket array.

<Yeah.> Davis> And, and within a couple of weeks, the ones that haven't soiled have already twined up around the top rails, and have gotten into the arbors and everything else.

We have to keep separating them.

Amanda> So it's somewhat easy?

Davis> Yes.

Yeah.

<Okay.> Beautiful plant too.

<Okay.> Terasa> Davis, you were mentioning about all summer long.

I've seen, it seems like they get kind of leggy.

So do they require a little bit of pruning in the middle of the summer?

Davis> Just like any other annual, when they get a little tired, cut them back hard, fertilize them, and they'll just flush right back out.

Terasa> That's a really good tip, so you can get the longer life span.

<Davis> Right!

Amanda> Okay.

Well, I like things that are easy.

Davis> Us too!

Amanda> And both of those like full sun?

Davis> Yes, definitely.

Amanda> All right.

What fun!

Thanks for bringing it.

Davis> You're welcome.

Amanda> Well, now we're going to go to the Pee Dee R.E.C.

over near Florence and visit with Ben Powell, our...state beekeeper, and hear some kind of discouraging news to tell you the truth.

(buzzing) Amanda> I'm talking to Ben Powell.

We're over at the Pee Dee R.E.C.

near Florence.

And Ben, you are, working with honeybees across the state.

Tell me exactly what you're trying to do.

Ben> Sure.

I'm the coordinator of Clemson's apiculture and pollinator program, and I work with beekeepers statewide to help them solve problems and provide education.

We also conduct a little bit of research.

And then, of course, we also do that for all of the other little pollinators that we rely on, as well.

Amanda> Yeah, because the honey bee was brought here with the colonists, I think.

Ben> Correct.

It is originally from Europe and Africa, was brought over when the first settlers came and has been a part of our agricultural system for... since we've had it.

Amanda> And it has major importance as a pollinator, not just in South Carolina, but nationally, but even in South Carolina.

Tell me some other crops that really rely on it.

Ben> So honeybees are important pollinators for certain crops that rely entirely on honeybees, such as almonds.

But we don't really produce a lot of almonds in South Carolina.

But we do have a lot of cucurbits, such as cucumbers and melons, pumpkins.

They rely pretty heavily Amanda> - on watermelon.

Ben> Yeah, you're correct.

Amanda> yeah, yeah.

Ben> And then a few other fruit crops, like apples all the way up in the upstate, and peaches and plums and blueberries.

Amanda> And we have commercial beekeepers, and they spend a good bit of time here, and they... their bees do a lot of traveling.

So let's talk about that and the crops that they are responsible for.

<Ben> Sure.

So, our agricultural system in the United States relies heavily on migratory beekeeping.

These crops that are in large scale operations cannot be supported just by the native pollinators.

So we have to move bees into those operations when they're flowering.

Almonds is the best example.

I think there's a little over one and a half million acres of almonds in California.

And each one of those acres requires two beehives.

<Wow.> Ben> Yeah.

And they'll move from there up to cherries in Washington, sunflowers in the Dakotas, blueberries in Michigan and Vermont.

And then they'll come back to the South to get started early out of the winter and do it all over again the next year.

Amanda> Gosh.

So the South has a lot of beekeepers coming into it, than we have our own just beekeepers who are here doing things, but y'all have come up with some pretty horrifying news recently.

Ben> Yeah.

Unfortunately.

A group called project Apis M. which is a foundation supported by industry and academics.

They do reports and every year they get a feel for what the winter losses are Amanda> Because winters are kind of hard.

Ben> Yeah, well, if the main stressor is winter and then if you have other stressors like pests and diseases, winter is when it happens.

So unfortunately, reports this year are showing some of the most significant colony losses we've ever recorded; 62 to 67 percent nationwide.

Amanda> And traditionally you would have some loss, but the numbers were, Ben> Oh yeah, almost three times what we would see naturally.

Amanda> Oh, 60 to 70 percent.

Ben> Correct.

And, obviously that's a drain for the beekeeper.

I don't know any grower that could lose 60% of their crop every year and stay in business.

Beekeepers are very industrious people and they're able to recover, but it eats into their revenue.

And then if we can't supply the bees that these crops need, then it's going to eat into the growers' revenues, as well.

And, this is not necessarily a very sustainable situation.

Amanda> There are some factors that have led to this, and I've always heard of Varroa mites and things...

But you said there's a new pest.

Ben> Well, so there's a series of pests.

The Varroa mite is still public enemy number one.

And you know, for those that are not familiar with it, it's kind of like ticks on bees.

And they transfer diseases and they weaken the colonies.

When the Varroa mites get really bad, the colonies collapse.

But we also have some other pests that are on the horizon or already here, but we just really don't fully understand them.

One of them is a gut parasite.

We call it vairimorpha nosema .

Those are some big words, but basically, it's like having a fungal infection in your gut.

And it obviously weakens the bees and very irritating.

We're trying to figure out how much that is contributing to our losses, right now.

Amanda> I mean, 70, 60 to 70 percent.

That's just... Ben> Something's changed.

Something is seriously going on.

And, and we're trying to help determine what's happening.

Amanda> Well, tell me about the bees and your hives here, and some of the things you're doing to try to figure all this out.

Ben> Sure.

So we keep bees for the university for research and education purposes.

We use our bee yards for training new beekeepers and testing management strategies and pest control.

We also use the bees for breeding purposes and trying to learn, you know, what bees are most suitable for our area, and can we breed them to improve their resistance to these diseases and pests.

And so, you know, this is just one small apiary in our operation.

Amanda> So there is some breeding possible that certain ones are stronger at resisting things, you're kind of finding that out?

Ben> Sure.

Yeah.

There's some behavioral traits that the bees do.

They can remove infected larvae or actually groom themselves, significantly and help get the mites off.

They may be more resistant to some of these diseases and pathogens.

And so we're trying to select from our best stock to improve every generation of bees.

Amanda> Is this going on across states.

So do you have a big group of people who are working together, Ben> Both the private beekeepers themselves are constantly breeding to improve their, their stocks.

All of that, academic institutions that have bee programs, they're doing the same thing.

Of course, every one of them has their own specialty.

Our friends at NC State, they're working heavily on queen breeding and queen success.

Our friends over at Georgia are dealing with some other pest issues down in Florida, where it seems like they're on the horizon of all invasive species.

They have to deal with a lot of different pressures.

And of course, that is one of the primary over wintering places for honeybees.

And so all of us in the southeast Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, we're working collectively together to try to help improve our over wintering success.

Amanda> I was looking at these and the colonies that have a queen with them.

They're really, really active.

And the others aren't.

And you said that's because the ones that have a queen are trying to feed young?

Ben> Yeah, they're raising brood.

And so they got to go out and collect food to build those, that next generation of bees.

And so you'll see colonies that are really active and they're probably queen, right, and brooding.

And they're out collecting pollen and nectar right now to try to raise their babies.

Amanda> Ben, I know that North Carolina is a great place for, you know, we get sour wood, honey and all, because there's so many trees up there.

And they just had a horrible experience with Hurricane Helene.

Has that done any damage?

Ben> It has.

It's kind of heartbreaking to some degree.

We've had beekeepers in western North Carolina that were impacted by the floods.

We actually had a few beekeepers lose their lives in the storm, but, we estimate somewhere between 800 and 1000 colonies were destroyed during the storm.

And so beekeepers across the Carolinas are teaming together to try to help rebuild those operations and get bees to those folks so they can get started again.

But the second concern is that these storms oftentimes can make disease and pest problems worse.

So Clemson, working with NC State, is conducting a survey of honeybee diseases across the Carolinas to see, one, if the diseases are present.

And two, if the storm is making them any worse in the areas that were affected.

There's several things that contribute.

The storm tore down lots of trees and messed up natural forages, so the food available to bees may not be as good.

The increased moisture and flooding obviously can make diseases worse.

And then, second, the roads and bridges were washed out all across areas, so the beekeepers couldn't even get to their bees if they wanted to.

So we're worried that disease may have gotten started and this year will get worse as a result.

Our survey will help us determine that.

Amanda> I've come to some of your state beekeeping meetings, and had a wonderful time meeting the people there, and they're a pretty close knit group.

They get together.

I bet they are a help to you in some of these projects.

Ben> Oh yeah.

Beekeepers are awesome.

They really are.

They're just a great group of people.

One, they're willing to try new things.

But, two, they're very, very invested.

And so they will oftentimes research things that I haven't even gotten to yet.

Amanda> Wow!

And we share information and we try to help solve each other's problems.

And it's really a community.

Because bees are very different from other livestock.

We can't fence them in.

They forage openly.

They intermingle with each other.

And so beekeepers intermingle with each other too.

Amanda> I'd like to do something to help the bees, because I love honey.

And I and also, you know, these are just fascinating creatures.

What is, what can just an individual do?

Ben> Buy honey.

That's one good thing.

I mean, while sugar is a wonderful thing, honey is even better.

Amanda> Okay.

Ben> It's a complex sugar.

It's more nutritious for you than just pure table sugar.

So support your beekeepers and buy it locally, because that's coming from the beekeepers in your area.

The other thing that we can do is think about your landscaping practices.

Oftentimes we choose plants that don't necessarily support pollinators very well.

So if I'm re-landscaping my yard, let's think about plants that we can incorporate that will provide nectar and pollen to our bees.

And then of course, any time we have an opportunity to reduce pesticide use, do so.

Integrated pest management, use the right plant in the right place.

Make sure it's well fed and has the right nutrients and water.

And all of those things will contribute to a healthier plant that doesn't need a pesticide to control its pests.

Amanda> And, I love that people are planting herbaceous perennials and things, but that, they won't last after I move and go somewhere else.

But if... are there's certain trees that might persist, that would be good for the bees?

Ben> Sure.

I love trees for bees, and the reason for that is to make one pound of honey.

Honey bees have to visit over 2 million flowers.

<Whoa!> Ben> And I can make 100 pounds of honey off of a colony.

So that's what...?

200 million or what...?

Yeah!

(both laugh) I didn't do the math.

Amanda> Beyond my math skills.

Ben> It is a lot of flowers.

And in a home garden, if you're just planting a few little flowers, there's probably not enough to actually feed the bees.

A tree, though, is thousands of flowers on one plant, and that's a much more efficient food source for honey bees.

Amanda> Well, I want to thank you so much for the research that you and your compatriots in other states.

This is a national problem and y'all are, like you said, y'all, there's a lot that you can do.

Other places do other things.

And also, I want to thank the beekeepers in our state.

What a great group of people.

And they work intimately with you and they're trying to all solve these problems.

Thank you Ben.

Ben> You're quite welcome.

And thank you.

(buzzing) Amanda> I think all of us love honey.

And, we want to remember that we need to do all we can to try to not insult the environment by doing things unnecessarily.

And we hope that they're going to figure this, this problem out.

Anyway, thanks, Ben, for telling us all about that and for doing all this work on it.

All righty.

Well, I have a hat, and I have, let's see what all I have.

I have...fetterbush, which is the white flower, which is just beautiful.

And Lyonia, I believe.

Is that right?

Terasa?

Terasa> That's right.

Amanda>...I have Baptisia which is the yellow one and it comes in blues also, doesn't it?

Terasa> Yeah, but I think different species, there's a white flowered Baptisia... Amanda> Oh, is there?

Okay.

Nice natives and easy as far as I know, and then Sweetshrub, but this is not the native one.

I mean, the native one is very small and sometimes called strawberry bush, but, although this one is a native, it is certainly spectacular looking and pretty vigorous, in growth.

Anyway, so, there are lots of fun things going on out in the garden.

And this one, I just think this fancy one is kind of fancy.

I like to do natives when I can, but every now and then, you just need something so fancy that it's just fun, fun, fun, fun, fun, and that, this is.

All righty.

Well, Terasa, whom can we help now?

Terasa> Let's see.

Kristin in Columbia said my Coral bark Maple looks like it is dying.

Is there anything I can do?

Amanda> Jackie, can you help us?

Jackie> Sure.

I had the opportunity to talk to Kristin, Amanda> Oh, you did?

Jackie> about her tree and said, this tree has been in the ground for a little over a year.

You cannot see the root flare on this tree.

And so one of the things Amanda> Describe what the root flare is Jackie> So the root flare is where the trunk ends and the roots start.

And one of the things I really want to encourage anybody who is putting in new trees and shrubs this year, you really want to examine the root system, because those root flares can be quite deep in containers.

So- Amanda>-it should be right at the surface, Jackie> It should be right at the surface.

So you always want to come in and remove the soil and look at the root system and spread it out.

We have fact sheets that cover how to plant a tree.

The other issue is that she had drip irrigation, but it was one emitter.

And this was a fairly decent sized...tree when it was planted.

So keep in mind, with anything new that you're planting, there is an establishment period.

And the size of the item dictates how long you're going to have to care for it as a new plant.

It's typically anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks per gallon size of container.

So this was a 15 gallon sized tree.

So it needed an extended period where it was getting a lot more water than just one little emitter would give it.

So making sure that you water it for much longer.

I think a lot of people, you know, were excited about a new plant.

We put it in, we water it for the first two weeks and then life happens and you get busy.

And it's hard to remember that these things take months to become established.

So watering was the second thing.

The third issue that we're seeing with this tree is that some herbicides were used to control weeds, Amanda> Oh my goodness Jackie> in the landscape bed.

And I want to stress that you always have to look at the products that are in the herbicide because they change.

You know, we talk about things being changed, the marketing being changed.

Look at the lower left hand corner and read what those chemicals are, because some of the things that are being put into consumer products now can move through the soil and be absorbed by the roots of your desirable plants.

And so, I think we're seeing some of that with this tree.

So it's a combination of multiple things going on with this tree.

Unfortunately, the root flare is buried.

There were some herbicides placed around it.

And it wasn't efficiently, it wasn't correctly established.

There is growth coming off of the tree.

So there is hope.

So I think just making sure that because it hasn't been planted for too long, we excavated to see where that root flare was, and replanting it, coming in and making sure that it's well established with water and we're not using those herbicides or other desirable plants; being careful with them.

Amanda> One thing is that, a lot of people still think that you're supposed to dig this wonderful huge hole and fill it up with stuff, but explain why that's such a bad idea, please.

Jackie> So you really, the tree needs to grow in its native soil.

When we look at a tree, the root system is 3 to 4 times as wide as the crown of the canopy.

And those roots do not go deep, 18 to 24 inches.

So they're shallow but wide.

And if we put- Amanda>-Once the tree is established Jackie> Once the tree is established.

And so if you put a ton of organic matter, compost right in that hole, chances are that, that tree will stay.

The roots will stay in that really pleasant, wonderful environment.

Instead of growing out into the native soil that it has to thrive in and survive in.

So, dig a hole, don't backfill with any amendments.

Plant the tree wider but not deep.

Make sure that root flare is sitting at the soil level and then once you've backfilled with your native soil, then you want to come in and top dress with compost.

Then you want to also put mulch on there and not up against the trunk, not a volcano, but away from the trunk coming out to the drip line where the branches end.

And if you come in and keep it at a three inch...layer, three inch layer of mulch every year, that mulch breaks down and feeds the soil, and that moves down through the soil column to feed the tree.

Amanda> Depending on what mulch you use, Jackie> Depending on what mulch you use.

Yes.

Amanda> Shredded tires won't do that.

Jackie> True.

True.

Shredded tires don't do that.

Davis> ...out of a rock?

Jackie> And rock doesn't do it either.

Jackie> Rock doesn't do it either, but you know, a nice organic mulch.

And so there are things that you can do.

This tree is salvageable and just good, good practices will bring it back.

Amanda>...Okay.

And sometimes I think when you take them out of the pot, as you said, to examine them, you'll find that the roots may be encircling, and then you need to do some cutting and teasing them apart.

So it's not, things, the plants that you get from nurseries sometimes aren't like they used to be, and sometimes they'll even be multiple plants in one pot.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, but this one's salvageable.

<Yes.> That's wonderful, because a 15 gallon tree, that's pretty big.

Jackie> Yes.

Amanda> Thank you- Terasa>-I know we kind of talked to you... exhausted that, but you were talking about what a large size it was when you put it in, and I think sometimes people have... you know they think oh, well bigger is better, but larger trees take a long time to become established.

And so sometimes you're, I'd say more than sometimes more often than not, you'd be better off putting in something smaller.

We won't have...won't take as long to get established and it'll probably outperform that larger species.

Amanda>-that you spent so much money on.

Vicky> The research supports what you're saying that the smaller trees and shrubs will actually jump up and establish faster.

Terasa> Yeah, and then you don't... it's not so hard to transport it to your house.

It's not going to be as costly.

It's not going to be as hard to dig the right sized hole.

Better all around.

Amanda> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And you can get while you're there, you can get several things instead of just one because you're not spending so much money.

Right?

Terasa> That's right.

Amanda> Okay.

Oh, well, I wanted to talk about something if it's okay, which is this horrible, horrible, horrible thing, which is privet.

So Ligustrum, and I can't remember which one it is.

There are several, but this is, just one of the most invasive plants in the world.

And, and it's just all over the place and people are still selling it, and it's, I think the bees come to it, which is about all you can say for it, but, as I ride up and down the highways, now, I just see it everywhere.

And there are so many things that are so much better to use.

And, so please, even though I've seen, I think one of the things I've seen privet, that's probably over 100 years old, planted by people's houses and they've kept it clipped forever and ever, and it's about this big which kind of tells you, you can't kill it.

So that's one reason that I guess it was so popular, but there's so many wonderful things you can plant instead.

So please.

And there's a variegated one.

Some people just love the variegated one.

And then there's one that's supposed to be, kind of golden or something.

And they say some of them aren't, don't produce seeds, but I think that they're finding that they do in some cases.

Don't they?

Terasa> They can revert back.

Yeah.

I think sometimes it's hard for people to understand the concept that just because they don't see it spreading in their yard, doesn't mean that it's not truly an invasive species.

Things, depending on the plant might be spreading, from seed.

They might spread from rhizome, depending on what it is.

And so it might be perfectly well behaved in your yard, but take over, disturbed areas, roadside areas or bottom lands in wet areas.

Amanda> We found one growing at 40 Acre Rock.

How crazy is that?

Yeah.

So, anyway, find something better than this, please.

Anyway, even though the bees do like it, all righty.

Terasa> What do we have up next?

Hopefully something a little more positive.

Right?

Oh.

This is a fun one.

Vicky, I think, is going to help maybe dispel a myth.

Someone found, what they thought was a giant mosquito.

And you'll see the Internet say all kinds of crazy things about what they are, but perhaps it is not a mosquito at all.

Amanda> So, no, it's not going to make you itch, and there's no reason to try to kill it.

Jackie> This one's not not going to be one of the itchy ones.

A lot of folks will call this fly.

It is a fly.

It's not a dragonfly.

That's a, that's a different order.

This is a fly in the order, Diptera.

Some people call this a mosquito hawk.

Amanda> Yep.

Vicky> Or they call it a mosquito killer.

And the thing about this is, it doesn't do either of those.

(laughing) The larvae are going to be aquatic.

And sometimes those larvae are predacious on, other species of flies that are living in the water with them.

But the adults, you know they say the mosquito hawk, mosquito killer part, but they are actually not able to do that.

The majority of the adults, their mouthparts are so small, that they're not able to do that.

Some of them have mouthparts that are completely absent.

Amanda> Whoa!

Vicky> And so, they're not feeding on anything.

Some of them don't feed at all.

And then the ones that do have small reduced mouthparts, they're eating pollen.

They're eating nectar.

Amanda> Pollen and nectar.

How lovely!

Vicky> But we'll see these things kind of flittering around in like the lights at night.

And I was joking, semi-joke.

So being an entomologist whenever you, you collect these and put these in your collection, you have to be very careful with it.

And a lot of entomologists don't keep these in the collection because their legs are so spindly, they fall off.

(laughing) And so, it's one of those that just whenever you look in somebody's collection, it will be like a, just the body, (laughing) and maybe the wings, but typically the legs aren't on there.

Amanda> Okay.

Well, you just have to do the best you can.

Terasa> How did you get such a perfect specimen over there?

Vicky> So this one was really fun.

It was in my backyard and I took a great picture of it.

It was beautiful.

And I put it in one of those clear critter carriers like you would bring home, like a hermit crab from, and, it was alive yesterday and it was alive last night.

It was alive this morning.

And on the drive here, it got up in one of the corners and just kind of sat there.

And by the time we got to the studio, it had died, and but it dried beautifully.

Amanda> I think we're very fortunate.

I mean, I'm sorry, the little fellow died, (laughing) but if it were alive, it'd be flying all over the place.

Vicky> I mean, it's a model right now.

Amanda> Aww, you know, so, so many people get worried about things because of the improper identification.

Yeah.

Vicky> It's, it's so incredibly important to identify something first before you ask, what do I spray?

How do I kill it?

Amanda> Okay.

Vicky> Because this is something that it's not causing any issue.

There's no reason to just let it do its thing.

Amanda> Yeah.

Let's do it's thing.

Thank you so much.

Davis, I think you've got some things you're going to show us.

Davis> I do.

I've got a couple of, of alternatives to, to grasses here.

Both of these are...

This one is a true grass.

This is our native Chasmanthium latifolium or Northern Sea Oats This is a plant that a lot of, a lot of gardeners don't like to plant because they say, that it's invasive, like the privet.

The difference between, this and the privet is this might be aggressive, but the definition of invasive is a plant that, that procreates and lives at the expense of other native plants, where this one, being a native, they're going to be limiting factors in the environment that are going to keep it from overrunning everything.

It can be a little bit of a nuisance, because it develops these gorgeous seed heads.

Amanda> I was going to say, what's the plus of having it.

Davis> It's...got a great interest.

The birds love it.

Even in the winter time, they'll use the foliage for, the migratory birds will use it for nesting, and like all ornamental grasses in the wintertime, you get that motion and sound, and in the winter time, that adds interest to the winter landscape.

But, but it can be, a little bit of a, of a nuisance in a well manicured garden, which, who wants that?

Amanda> No.

Davis> Everybody wants their garden to be more natural, right?

Amanda> Yes.

Davis> But seed heads are just spectacular... for producing it's fruit.

And...it's very easy when you see the little seedlings.

Volunteer just to pluck them out either throw them away, or go plant them somewhere else.

<Okay.> Davis> So self creating, procreating, I should say.

this is actually a, one of the juncus.

This is a rush.

I brought this, because this is a good one for, for wetland, reclamation.

Or if you've got a, low lying area in your garden, this is a good one to plant.

Amanda> Like Moses-in-the-bullrushes.

Davis> Exactly.

And, the, the other thing that I like about this plant, people are always asking, do you have any of those plants that repel mosquitoes?

And they, they just don't accept the fact that, that plant doesn't exist.

It's all marketing.

If you want to put something, plants in your yard that will, that will help, alleviate mosquitoes, plant grasses.

Plant something that's got a rigidly upright structure like this.

Reason for that is, dragonflies are the number two predator of mosquitoes after bats.

Amanda> Whoa.

Davis> And, dragonflies love to perch on these erect stems.

Do they?

Davis> if you, if you've ever watched a dragonfly, when they, when they're not flying, when they land, they usually find something like this to land on, and they'll sit there sideways with their, with their wings out, and they'll just sit there and hang onto it.

I was, I was in a client's yard not too long ago, and I noticed that there was a dragonfly on the antenna of my truck that sat there for an hour while I was helping.

Helping this...plant Amanda> You've got some pretty things down in front of us, too.

Davis> I, I do, these are, a couple of, the, the, some of the more popular- Amanda>-The one in front of me is which one?

Davis> That one is, is the, Tiny Wine Ninebark.

It's one of the Physocarpus that has been cultivated to bring out the characteristics of the small leaves.

Amanda> Oh!

Davis> and the, the flowers.

I love the Ninebarks, they can take a little bit of shade.

They don't mind periodic inundation if you're, if you've got a spot that occasionally floods but dries out.

The...flowers are generally a little golf ball cluster sized, golf ball sized cluster of buds.

Generally the buds are kind of pink, but when they open, the flowers are almost always white.

Amanda> Ah!

It loves, loves some shade.

If you've got an open north facing exposure, it's an ideal spot for it- Amanda>-but still has the flowers.

Davis> It does.

And, I like to, I like to try to find a place for this.

One of these plants there, there are all sorts of different, foliage forms, foliage colors, growth habits.

I like to find a place for these on every landscape design that I do.

Amanda> And which one's in the middle?

Davis> Okay, that is a one of the- Amanda>-I think.

I can tell you what that is.

I think it's rose.

Davis> It's definitely a rose.

That's one of the David Austin English Roses.

The David Austin roses were developed, years ago, from people who, who really love the English roses that are, have the huge, what we used to call cabbage roses.

And they were highly fragrant, but they only bloomed once.

And, and so David Austin and his, his family started hybridizing these roses so that they could get the bloom form.

They could get the fragrance, but, but they also rebloom, like a lot of the other cabbage roses.

They have become more and more popular.

Amanda> And then in front of, Davis> And down there is a relatively new hydrangea.

That one is called Eclipse.

It holds that really dark foliage all summer long, like, like most of the, mop head hydrangeas that need some shade, and the flowers start out red, but they gradually will turn blue or even purple, depending on your on your soil type.

In a, in a container, like this they're generally going to be red because there's no aluminum in the soil.

Amanda> Okay.

Well, thank you so much.

Davis> You're welcome.

Amanda> That's fun.

Okay, we're going down to Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens, and talk with our wonderful friend Katie Dixon.

Ah, she can really grow things.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Amanda> I'm in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

at Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens.

And Katie Dixon, you're the director of horticulture.

>> Yes, ma'am.

I'm so happy to have you.

Amanda> This is a lot of horticulture going on around here.

So many beautiful spots.

And right now, we're in kind of the old fashioned, rambling, romantic garden.

Katie> Yes, we are.

Amanda> And, you have been making some changes here.

So let's talk about some of the things that are different from when we last visited you.

Katie> Certainly.

So a lot has happened since you visited a year or so back.

We, you know, still want to keep the formal bones of the garden, the pathways, the brickwork, the heirloom roses, but we also want to give our, our seasonal or yearly visitors, just new exciting things, new botanical interests to view.

So we've added some beautiful gazebos, sitting areas, a beautiful pollinator native showcase garden that serves as a monarch, butterfly waystation of sorts, and trying to curate pollinator plants a little bit more.

We also have, a really beautiful, restful tropic conservatory, that we're very proud of, just put in a few months back.

And, finally, we also are very excited about our gin house finally reopening.

Amanda> Here within the garden you have areas that are color coordinated and that's always fun.

And so let's talk about some of the things that you use in those areas.

Katie> Certainly, so as you allude to there is a general color scheme.

What we're trying to go for on the periphery of the formal garden is more hot, energetic colors, and we want the plantings to be more tropical, fiery oranges.

You know, we're talking, coleus, canna, banana, things of that nature to kind of give viewers kind of an interesting start to the garden, and as you work towards the center where we are now, the color scheme turns a little more pastel purples and calming blues, Salvias, Dusty Millers, metallic silver, things like that, because we want people to understand that gardens elicit all kinds of emotions, and you can just change your mood based on the color palette as you wander through.

Amanda> And as I came up, in the shady area at the back, hydrangeas are just every color and, just exquisite beauty there.

Katie> That is just a fan favorite.

People love those huge bubblegum pink or blue, mop heads.

So, love looking forward to that every June, and again, that's a really treasured old fashioned, you know, southern favorite.

Amanda> Yes it is.

And then you've got, a fascinating new Rose Arbor.

I think that you're working on.

Katie> Yes.

So again, kind of wanting to harken back to, kind of the rambling, romantic cottage style English gardens that would have been reflective of, the original planter, John Boone's, ancestral gardens, where we're putting in this, really lovely tunnel that hopefully in 3 to 5 years will be completely covered in these ultra fragrant, roses, pretty creams.

And that also provides a really nice spot for our, our wedding clients and, you know, our brides to do portraits.

So, we're just having all kinds of fun.

Amanda> They got a cotton gin?

Katie> Yes, indeed.

So we have, a longstanding, a cotton gin that word just being short for engine structure.

And it was, you know, formerly held up by supports for many, many years was vacant.

And then we were so proud that last year the renovation was completed and it's been, you know, transformed in that the lower story is a beautiful, very well done museum.

It can be used as a small event space upstairs.

It also serves as our hospitality hub.

So this building has new life, but it still has the old bones and it's just kind of, a melding of old and new.

Amanda> And is that where you have things that, relate to 300 years of agriculture in South Carolina on display?

Katie> Absolutely.

So, beautiful story boards, very, very goes into all the history of the different areas of farming, the various crops and, you know, the history there.

And I'm very excited, by beautiful pottery shards and actual relics that were recovered here on the property.

and there's also a, a cotton gin, engine right there.

central to the museum.

And even though it's not original to the building, I think it's really important for guests to get up close and personal with the equipment that changed the cotton industry.

Amanda> Yes, yes.

And then you said that there's so much to do and see when people come here that, you think that the new garden is a place where they can just sit and rest a little bit?

Katie> Absolutely.

So the Tropic Conservatory is really just intended to be a place of reflection after you've had a really fun day, exploring the working farm, the various history talks, learning about the lives of the enslaved people and enjoying the gardens, hopefully.

It's a lot to take in, and I don't want people to feel heavy by all the information.

So I like, if people get to process it surrounded by a lush tropical showcase and there's water features that produce a sound element.

There's koi fish ponds, and for a small, square footage, it's very dense.

And, we're very proud of that.

Amanda> Well, and I do think that it's so nice to reflect on all the incredible opportunities to see and learn so much here.

before you head back out.

Katie> Exactly.

Yes.

I think we were joking earlier.

Before you head back into traffic, it's like try to, you know, just think about all you've learned here at Boone Hall.

Amanda> What an incredible thing to think that you can come here.

and see beautiful flowers, have a wedding, and just really learn so much about how life was, at one time in South Carolina and that it's all preserved right here.

Katie> Absolutely.

And, and my team and I think everyone involved with Boone Hall, I think we're really grateful that, the, the former owner and visionary, Willie McCray, who has sadly passed.

But, I think his life's work was to put Boone Hall into a conservation easement and protect it in perpetuity in such a busy, metropolitan, growing little town we have here.

This is so precious to keep this greenspace, protected forever.

Amanda> It's a wonderful oasis.

And thank you for all the beautiful work you do and for letting us come and enjoy it.

Katie> Oh, it's always a pleasure to have you, Amanda.

♪ Amanda> It's always fun to visit with Katie down there.

Thank you all for being with us.

And to you at home, we hope you'll join us next week.

Night, night.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Narrator> Making It Grow is brought to you in part by Certified South Carolina.

This cooperative effort among farmers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture helps consumers identify foods and agricultural products that are grown, harvested or raised right here in the Palmetto State.

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina, family owned and operated since 1916.

This family farm offers seasonal produce, including over 40 varieties of peaches.

Wesley Commons, a full service continuing care retirement community located on more than 150 wooded acres in Greenwood, South Carolina.

Additional funding provided by the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance and Boone Hall Farms.