Making It Grow is brought to you in part by Certified South Carolina is a cooperative effort among farmers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to help consumers identify foods and agricultural products that are grown, harvested or raised right here in the Palmetto State.

The Boyd Foundation supporting outdoor recreational opportunities, the appreciation of wildlife, educational programs and enhancing the quality of life in Columbia, South Carolina and the Midlands at large.

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

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

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

♪ opening music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <Amanda> Good evening, and welcome to Making It Grow.

We're so glad that you could join us tonight.

I'm Amanda McNulty.

I'm a Clemson Extension agent.

I get to come over here And learn so much from our guests and also from my co host, who's the head of the Master Gardener program for the state, Terasa Lott.

Terasa, thank you so much.

<Terasa> Always a pleasure to be here.

I love coming and learning alongside our talented group of panelists.

<Amanda> It really is fun, isn't it?

Everybody has their own little sphere of, you know, of, you know, concentrated knowledge and we get to pick their brains and it really is just such a great, great time.

<Terasa>...a little niche and I try to absorb all the information I can.

<Amanda> ... We've got Dr. Herrick Brown, who's the head of A.C. Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina, is here with us, and we're thrilled to have you thank you for coming.

<Dr.

Herrick> Thank you.

<Amanda>...I think you and your family, got to go see some different trees and a different aspect of the world recently on a trip.

>> Yeah, indeed.

So for my son's spring break, we went up to northern California, got to see some 300 foot tall redwood trees, and a lot of Mediterranean things grown out there too.

<Amanda> Goodness >> Got a different kind of climate.

<Amanda> There are a lot of eucalyptus out there too for some reason out there.

Aren't there?

<Dr.

Herrick> Yep.

Yeah.

I think it's sort of an invasive species... <Amanda> I think so too.

Yeah, so but anyway, What?

Where do we not have invasive species?

<Dr.

Herrick> Exactly!

(all laugh) <Amanda> Well, I hope y'all had a good time.

<Dr.

Herrick> Oh, we sure did.

<Amanda> Okay and then Tom Nelson is part of the Lakelands with an S, master gardeners, but y'all are kind of all the people around the Greenwood area?

Is that y'all's?

>> We serve both Greenwood and Abbeville County, although we do also have some people who are a part of our organization from Laurens and McCormick County.

<Amanda> Gosh, is that just because y'all have wonderful programs and are always doing things?

<Tom> I'm going to answer that?

Yes.

<Amanda> I think we should also say, I think you have a pretty wonderful coordinator.

<Tom> We do.

We like Stephanie Turner very, very much.

<Amanda> Yeah, she has a cat named Special, but she's special too, don't you...?

<Tom> Yes <Amanda>...Davis Sanders, who comes down from South Pleasantburg Nursery on the banks of the Reedy River, and we had a have y'all had any heavy rains.

Sometimes we've been having some big thunderstorms.

Does that sometimes send the river up over the banks?

>> It really doesn't send the river over the banks because, since we've been there for 58 years, and one of the first things the original owner did was start building up the riverbank so that it wouldn't flood, and we've done a little bit of not really construction, but a little bit of parking lot grading and that kind of thing in the area just to help build it up a little bit more, and we get more flooding issues from the city storm drains than we than we do for the river because there's one just above our property that kind of blows up through the access.

<Amanda> You know, it's funny when you ride by and you see these storm drains that are this high out of the ground and you realize that's in a floodplain.

Yep!

<Davis> Exactly.

<Amanda> Well, thank you for braving whatever you had to brave to come down today and bringing us a lot of fascinating things.

Can't wait to see them.

<Davis> Thanks for having me.

Always a pleasure.

<Amanda> For us too.

Well, we got a lot of fun things happening tonight that we'll see show you during the show.

We're going to Oak III Farms where Cam Brunson is growing asparagus and it really is a lot of fun to learn about that and then Mary Vargo, we all just love Mary and she's going to make a bouquet for us, and then Boone Hall Farms, Boone Hall is a sponsor of Making It Grow and we're going to take a trip down there.

So if you weren't already planning to stay tuned, you certainly will now because we got all kinds of great things coming up and right now, one of our great things that Terasa does for us is garden so the week <Terasa> Thank you, Amanda.

Gardens of the week is so much fun.

It's like taking a virtual field trip across the state.

Sometimes we go beyond the borders of South Carolina.

Let's take a look.

We begin with Nancy Foster-Ellis who shared mountain laurel taken at Kalmia Gardens, where she volunteers.

From Julie Boulware, a collage of flowers and also a little garden visitor and she said blooms and toads fill our yard.

From Millie Pugh, a koi pond with irises and water lilies in Prosperity, South Carolina.

Deneen Duren sent in the red tubular flowers of coral honeysuckle and she said they are waiting, just waiting for the hummingbirds to arrive, and Jan Collins sent in Baptisia that is cherries jubilee.

She said it may not be super showy, but she loves the uniqueness of the blooms and I see where it gets its names.

It's kind of the color of cherries jubilee.

<Amanda> That's fun.

<Terasa> Yeah.

Thank you everyone for sharing your photos.

It's such a joy to look and sometimes inspirational, and we can't choose all of them.

These are just a random selection, but I do encourage you to visit our Facebook page to look at all the submissions, and when you see us post our call for Gardens of the Week, don't be shy.

Put your photos in the comments.

<Amanda> Herrick, Mountain Laurel is just my favorite thing in the world, because when we were little and it doesn't just grow in the mountains.

It grows everywhere including really sandy soils.

We- if look it turned them upside down, they look like ballerinas kind of, but don't they have some kind of fascinating like little pockets where the stamens are and then they explode?

<Dr.

Herrick> Really interesting flower morphology.

The petals... <Amanda> -ology.

<Dr.

Herrick> Yeah, sorry.

The shape to the flowers.

The petals are all fused together so they're not separated, and if you look real closely, all of the little male parts, the stamens are kind of bent backwards and tucked into those flowers and when a little bee or something comes by, it just triggers them to spring load forth and get the pollen on the... <Amanda> Isn't that fun.

It really is... exploding stamens.

How exciting.

It's just a beautiful, beautiful plant.

Yeah.

Alrighty.

Well, Terasa, how can we start off maybe helping somebody?

<Terasa> We are going to try to help Jenny from Spartanburg who sent us a question.

We had a, I would say an unusual winter this year so perhaps that played into this question.

She said our Japanese maple recently died.

It seemed perfectly healthy last year and it was doing fine this year until a cold spell and it seemed to die almost overnight.

What could be the cause?

<Amanda> Oh.

You know, they're such a prize in people's You have to put them in a place where they make such a statement, and they can be so beautiful.

Y'all I'm sure have people who just love those and want to plant them.

Have y'all been noticing anything?

>> Actually, we've seen that for the past three years.

This year I think it was a could be attributed to the seven degree weather that we had right around Christmas.

The issue seems to be that the trees weren't completely dormant, because we had such a really long warm fall and early winter and then we dropped from 52 degrees to seven degrees in a 12 hour period and we really think what happened was the sap was still in the... basilia tissue and it literally froze and blew the bark off the trees.

The reason we say that is <Amanda> Blew the bark off the tree?

<Davis> Exactly, just the... freezing of the sap itself ruptured the fat vascular tissue which in turn pushed the bark out.

We had seen that for the last couple of years, because last year and the year before, we also had mid 20s in late April, the last week of April, both years, and... <Amanda> By then you would expect <Davis> It would be fully leafed out and full of sap and...the first call that I got I went to inspect the tree and from the homeowners description.

I was suspecting ambrosia beetles because she said that it was beautiful one day, a couple of days later, it was wilted, and a couple of days after that it was completely dead, but I didn't see any evidence, no pinholes, no little, little frass toothpicks and so I started looking around the base of the tree thinking maybe something happened to the roots and I noticed that all of the bark around the graft was just peeled off, and that's just logical.

That's exactly what happened.

<Amanda> So now when people, I guess, Terasa, when we worry about covering up our citrus trees, I mean, maybe we need to, if it surprised Japanese maple, maybe go out there and take care of it as well.

<Davis> Do something to protect the graft as well as the foliage.

<Amanda> So you think it might help if you went out there and put a blanket around it or... <Davis> As long as it's something breathable, something that won't actually trap the cold inside, and <Amanda> Not plastic, >> Right, not anything but plastic, and a lot of people have resorted, especially the people that are trying to grow some of the coastal palms in the Upstate, getting some of the old fashioned miniature Argonne type Christmas tree lights, not the LED type, not the ones that don't give off any heat and stringing those into these tender trees, and when the temperatures get really cold, they throw a sheet over the plant and then they plug in the Christmas lights, and just that little bit of residual heat from the Christmas lights helps the plants survive the winter.

<Amanda> Goodness.

It's getting harder and harder to count on things coming back every year and not with these strange shifts in the weather, I guess we're going to have to start being more creative in protecting our plants.

<Davis> What's more whimsical than Christmas lights in a palm?

(all laugh) So it's fun too.

<Amanda> That's pretty good.

<Terasa> Always positivity from Davis.

(all laugh) <Amanda> Well, Terasa.

<Terasa> Well, it's great to have someone here from the herbarium because botanists always have unusual plants, and I think Dr. Herrick brought in some interesting looking Sago palm comb to share with us.

...which I guess just in itself is interesting because people sometimes send us photos and they're like, What is this coming out of my Sago palm?

<Amanda>...then there's a male code and a female because the plants are male.

Oh, good gracious, I haven't seen that one before.

<Dr.

Herrick> So yeah, if you have a mature Sago palm, it might produce something like this.

This one is a bit mutated.

Normally, it might look like the inside of a loofah sponge or something just sort of conical and tubular, but this one has sort of three crowns to it.

You can see 1, 2, 3 <Amanda> Whew!

<Dr.

Herrick> Let me see if I get that in there 1, 2, 3, and apparently what happened when this plant was producing this cone, of course, this is a pollen bearing cone.

We have male and female plants.

Something happened to the growth point, and it sort of split and continued to grow additional growth points next to it.

So the term for this is something called fasciation, which comes from the word fascicle or bundle, and sometimes it could be like a viral thing, or sometimes plants will react to this if they've been herbicided and haven't fully, you know, kicked the bucket, but it's just kind of a weird little mutation in the growth form, it doesn't necessarily mean that the genetics of the plant are completely altered or anything like that.

Subsequent to noticing this, this cone forming on a plant that's just down the street from the herbarium.

I noticed that the crown of this plant actually now has three separate growth points as well.

So there's like weeds coming out.

So it almost looks like the whole trunk of this plant has begun this sort of fasciated growth pattern, which is weird.

<Amanda> Dog fennel, you know, that's a weed in <Dr.

Herrick> I've seen dog fennel, do it.

I've seen wisteria do this, and I don't know if it's just a random thing, if there's damage to the apical meristem or herbicides, those sorts of things.

<Amanda> I kind of think with the dog fennel, sometimes it's a herbicide because garden club people love, I say fasciated vs F-A-C, whatever.

Dog fennel, I mean, it's just the most fabulous thing in the world, and so every now and then if you're lucky, you'll pass a field, and there'll be a lot of it in it, and it's very tempting to want to get some because it's just, you know, nobody wants a straight stick.

Everybody wants things that are interesting.

You know, and so Garden Club people just adore fasciated Dog fennel.

Isn't that fun?

<Terasa> I haven't seen it in dog fennel, but I have a sunflower that it happened to last year, and it is kind of neat, because it's interesting.

It's peculiar, like you said, and I've also had it occur in Purple coneflower as well.

<Amanda> The celosias that I guess that's when you get those funky, funky ones.

<Terasa> Yeah, the Cockscomb <Amanda>That kind of looks like that.

I don't know if that's a type of fasciation or not.

<Dr.

Herrick> It could be.

<Amanda> Well, it's fascinating to hear about face-iation or fasciation or whatever it is.

That is too cool.

Thank you so much.

<Dr.

Herrick> Thank you.

<Amanda> Well, Terasa.

<Terasa> We are going to attempt a plant ID.

This question came in from Judy Stone.

She sent us a picture.

She said, could someone tell me the name of this plant?

I think it is a Chinese or Japanese dogwood.

<Amanda> Aha!

Well, Tom, I know you like to know about a lot of different things.

Do you have an idea of what this might be?

<Tom> This does look a lot like a dogwood, a Kusa dogwood that is favorable in this area, because it doesn't get the... <Amanda> It lived when our poor regular dogwood was having such a hard time.

<Tom> but it looks to me as though it is actually an English dogwood or a mock orange.

So, those are beautiful plants, and in this photograph, it's clear that they can be cut and brought in to make a beautiful display.

<Amanda> Well, it just so happens that Terasa, you know, I'm always trying to get things at the last minute, the dog says, are we going to doggy daycare or are we going to sit in the driveway, but this is at the end of my yard by the mailbox, and this is a mock orange, and I just think It's truly beautiful and it has opposite stems.

So Herrick, that's kind of like a dogwood, and the flower petal, you know is four, has four petals.

So it could be I can see that she could get- This one is a native, I believe Herrick and tell me the correct name for it.

<Dr.

Herrick> So one of the most widespread species that we have here is Philadelphus inodorus, which typically doesn't produce an odor, but sometimes... <Amanda> Dr. John was - when I was in botany, was carrying us down by the river bluff one time, and it was in the floodplain.

So I would think it was it was a great big one.

I would think it was a native and it smelled wonderful, but at any rate, whether or not it smells, it sure is pretty and...just mine's been blooming, I'd say for at least three weeks now and has a lovely stem, and it doesn't have any problems and it's nice when something doesn't have a problem in the world.

Alrighty, well, we just love asparagus in South Carolina, and unfortunately, people are planting them a lot and Cag Brunson has a big field of asparagus and we got to go and visit him at Oak III Farms.

♪ ♪ <Amanda> I'm in Manning, South Carolina speaking with Cag Brunson, and Cag, this farm has several people involved in it is called Oak III Farms.

<Cag> It started with my dad, my brother in law, Troy Allen, and myself.

That's where the three came from <Amanda>...I believe that one of your sons is now involved as well.

<Cag> I have my oldest son's involved with the farming operation along with my nephew Troy's son.

<Amanda> It's nice to see that tradition going on, especially with people who know how hard the work is.

This is an incredible investment for the future, because what we are sitting in is a very large asparagus field.

<Cag> Yes, ma'am.

Exactly, <Amanda> I remember when we had over 10,000 acres, I've heard the stories in South Carolina, my mother and some other family members have said that they would say Oh, mama, do we have to have asparagus again, because when it comes in, you have to pick it every day.

<Cag> Exactly.

We usually harvest every other day.

We have half in Manning and half in Summerton and what we don't cut, we'll cut in Manning today.

Summerton tomorrow, then we come back to man in the next day.

So it's an every other day operation as far as harvesting on the same field.

<Amanda> A lot of people like to stare at their plants and think, Oh, they're never going to come out of the ground.

I don't think people have that problem with asparagus.

<Cag> No ma'am, you can all but watch it grow.

<Amanda> You have to kind of plan ahead though, because talk to me about the process of putting asparagus in the field and how long you have to wait and all those factors.

Well, we started this process typically they say you need to wait three years before harvest.

That way it gives you a crown which is what you plant in the very beginning.

It kind of expands under the ground before you start getting your spears which is what you buy in the grocery store.

We plant the crowns eight to nine inches deep, and we plant on every eight to 10 inches apart on a transplanter as we go throughout the field.

Once we get them planted and everything leveled up.

It usually takes about three years before your first harvest.

<Amanda> Because of disease problems and just the efficient watering I believe he went ahead and put irrigation in as well.

<Cag> We did.

We did.

We decided to go because of the size of this field is overhead irrigation wasn't feasible.

So we put in drip irrigation, which we actually run drip lines down every other row.

Therefore we feed with water each row, <Amanda>...asparagus, I believe, because of the way that they grow so fast are pretty heavy feeders.

Can you tell me about that, and can you fertilize them through the drip irrigation system?

<Cag> We can we usually fertilize with minor elements through the... drip irrigation, but throughout the year, three or four times throughout the year, we spread fertilizer to feed that crown because that- In essence, that crown is what's giving you your spears.

So you want to help the crown to get healthy, big diameter spears, <Amanda>...and you started, of course, it changes from year to year, but generally you can harvest for how long?

<Cag> Typically six to eight weeks is a normal harvest in our area.

<Amanda> You begin...?

<Cag> We usually begin dependent upon the weather.

The weather dictates pretty much when you're going to start harvesting.

This year just happened to be, we had a lot of 80 degree February weather.

So we started early March.

Normally, if it's a normal type weather, you might not start to the middle of March and towards the end of March, but this year, we were able to start around the first week of March.

<Amanda> You have some very experienced people out here cutting the asparagus.

It is an arduous task.

So tell us what they do and what they're looking for please, as they work out here every day.

<Cag> Yes, ma'am.

Typically, the guys know by now we have a training process, we watch videos in the very beginning to train everyone and a spear you don't want to cut the spear less than eight inches, or any longer than a foot, and we trim the bottoms, therefore to keep it that perfect length.

<Amanda>...then at some point, you have to start cutting that crown.

<Cag> When your spears become too small in diameter, what we call a shoestring spear, we usually halt harvest for the year, That's a sign, a telltale sign that the crown has kind of given out for that year, <Amanda> - but then it's going to replenish, and in such a beautiful way what comes next?

<Cag> It's the fern.

The fern is what comes next when you quit harvesting...the spears, then your fern grows and it'll grow into a lush, healthy plant.

<Amanda> It's with the cold it you know is killed by the cold, but that until the cold, which comes in kind of late now it's replenishing that wonderful crown.

<Cag> Exactly.

It sure is.

<Amanda> As they are harvesting, they're making initial decisions as they cut and then they as they begin the first step of processing, they're cleaning them up to the length you want, and putting them in the box, in different directions, because did you tell me that they might turn upwards if you don't kind of cross over them some?

<Cag> Typically, we layer them as we were cutting them here just to keep them they grow so fast, and if anything happens, they will start turning up.

So until we get them to the to the packing shed, the Hydra coup we layer them as we cut them.

<Amanda>...and cooling is very important to get a quality product to the consumer.

So what do you do -what happens at the next step?

<Cag> Typically we make two to three trips depending upon the temperature outside.

That's a huge factor and but typically we make two to three trips to the packing shed where the hydracooler is set up a day, so that we want them as fresh as possible.

<Amanda> That means when we go to the grocery store here, we might see fresh South Carolina asparagus, which is you know, nothing's fine or nothing's better than certified South Carolina, and what is the name that we might look for?

<Cag> Elite Pack USA LLC is one of the labels, is one of the labels on them, and they'll have the South Carolina fresh produce, you know, that's South Carolina asparagus.

<Amanda> Now, there's a, everybody always wants something different.

So, you have another field where you're growing something that some people might say, Oh, I don't know about that.

<Cag> We have - there's not many acres, we only have eight acres of a purple asparagus.

A regular consumer doesn't know about a purple asparagus.

The health benefits are actually a little bit better than the green, but it's just a little different color.

Sometimes when you cook it up, it'll turn more green, but it is a purple asparagus.

<Amanda> Yeah, and it's just so pretty.

If you were just doing decorations because you have people over, you might want to put a few out before you cook them to keep that beautiful purple color, and I like to roast my asparagus and I was telling you that I started putting sesame oil on mine and I want you to try that and tell me what you think.

<Cag> I'll definitely try it.

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, this has just been so exciting.

It reminds me of my mother, and of all the people that I know.

Mr. Winges who grew up on his farm right outside of St. Matthews where my friend Hank Stallworth lives now.

There's such a history of asparagus, and I want to thank you for being forward thinking and bringing back a crop that has was important in the past and is now again, an important part of South Carolina fresh produce.

<Cag> Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

♪ <Amanda> Cag is an incredible farmer and we really appreciated his letting us come down and I want to go back and see what he's going to be growing for the next season because it sure was fun to see the asparagus.

I just love going to local farms and I know you do too, and finding out you know, when they're growing things locally, it's just such a treat to go and get them and Ansley Rast Turnblad, who's with State Department of Education.

I mean, the State Department of Agriculture has a farm near St. Matthews called Longview Farms and they have been having both strawberries and blueberries and I went down there to get some stuff for a hat because she also has a flower farm.

I mean, people who farm now or just make... they try so many different things, and it's just fun to see how It's not just growing one thing anymore, but anyway, so she gave me these beautiful pieces of blueberry and of course while I was making the hat all the ripe ones fell off, So I wanted to show you those as well, but you know it's a great plant to- You can use it in your foundation plants or in your yard, don't you think Davis?

Look how pretty that plant is.

<Davis>Yes, it's a very popular landscape plant because it's got four season interest...

In the spring you got those beautiful blooms that are always surrounded by pollinators.

Summertime, of course you've got the berries in the fall, the fall color on every blueberry I've ever seen is just spectacular, and even in the winter, when there's no foliage fruit or flowers on it the bark, fissures and cracks and exfoliate.

So it's got a it's got a really attractive winter silhouette too.

<Amanda> It's not a boring the structure of the plant is not boring.

<Davis> Right.

Right.

It's very organic looking.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Anyway, so I think that everyone should have some blueberries in their yard, and it's a native to this area.

So pretty easy to grow.

Well, Terasa, can we help somebody else?

<Terasa> Yes, people are often looking for something new and different and that is the case for Frank in Darlington who said, I'd like to grow some house plants but want something unique and different.

What can you suggest?

You know, I know, I always remember African Violets being a very popular house plant and spider plant, which I happen to have now passed along from my mother in law, but, yeah, I would be interested in hearing about something new and different and unique.

<Amanda> Yeah, let's do well, I know that the grass isn't growing under your feet at South Pleasantburg Nursery, so I bet you have some ideas for us?

<Davis> Well, I do.

<Amanda> Although, if you've tried to grow grass from South Pleasantburg Nursery, it'd be wonderful turf grass?

<Davis> Well, I would try to discourage you at first and then I'll tell you how to do it properly, but there's been a huge resurgence in interest in more exotic houseplants and I think a lot of that has to do with the just the current for lack of a better word attitude of, of younger generation who might not have a large property or even a place with a yard but you can bring...the outside in, as well as you can plant in the outside and with the with the advances that have been made in tissue culture, a lot of what used to be common houseplants have now been developed into these things that are just marvelous that are that have all sorts of characteristics.

<Amanda> ...and they can be affordable because of how fast you can propagate with tissue... <Davis> They can but they can also be extremely expensive, because a lot of times the tissue culture doesn't always produce the desired results.

<Amanda> Ohhh!

Thanks for telling me that.

<Davis> This is one of the largely philodendrons This one is called blizzard.

It's got that beautiful white variegation in the foliage.

This is one of the ones that grows as a clump, but it will also climb and this it can become huge, but the reason it's so expensive is that through the tissue culture only about 10% of the plants that are propagated exhibit the variegation and the variegation is what's playing a part... <Amanda> That's what everyone wants.

<Davis> Exactly, and right next to it, we have another type of philodendron that's got a very atypical leaf of the philodendron genus.

This one is called Cercestis mirabilis.

This one is a slow growing and it's more of the viney type that you would associate with hanging baskets or growing on a trellis.

Next up is the Red Heart Philodendron which is another one of the clumping types, <Amanda> This is just stunning.

and all of the new growth that comes out is that color and it gradually fades to green, but you can see that it's a really dark green.

It's almost black and in some cases.

<Amanda> Really handsome.

<Davis> Another one that's become really popular is the zebra philodendron.

This is what this is Philodendron gloriosum with the white venation, and even the as it matures in the leaves it can come you know, 12, 15 inches long, you're still going to get that really nice variegation.

<Amanda> Very handsome.

Yeah, you could really see it in that leaf, can't you.

Beautiful.

<Davis> All four of these are different...members of the same genus philodendron.

The last one that I've got here is sometimes there's a philodendron, that gets huge cut leaves called Philodendron monstera, but the plant on this, this little trellis is a Monstera genus, It's Monstera dubia, and the thing that makes this one unique, you can see it's climbing nicely up this, this little cedar plank, but it does not develop aerial roots.

It doesn't develop whole fast.

It doesn't really develop any of the structures that you normally associate with the climbing vine, no tendrils.

It is covered mostly the leaves, but also on the stems are covered with microscopic hairs that will adhere to almost any surface without leaving anything behind.

I can take this and peel it off of this plank, and it wouldn't damage the plank.

It wouldn't damage the plant.

I could put it back on.

It would take it a few days to re-anchor, but I understand that this plant will actually climb up glass.

So it would make an interesting specimen indoors.

<Amanda> What a conversation piece.

That is really something and the leaves are just beautiful.

<Davis> Yes, they are.

It's almost like a non- invasive form of creeping fig.

(laughs) <Amanda> Well, thank you so much for sharing those with us.

<Davis> You're welcome.

<Amanda> Yeah.

It makes me want to have a house plant, but then you have to have heat at night.

So we've got a little problem in our house, <Terasa> Especially if it's a tropical house.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Oh, well, you can't have everything.

Okay, Herrick, I think you got another show and tell for us.

<Dr.

Herrick> I do.

Well, I brought something back from a recent trip out west, and this is just a large splinter of a much larger tree.

If you guys recall, <Amanda> A splinter?

I don't want my in my finger.

<Terasa> It's more like a stake than a splinter.

<Dr.

Herrick> So this was from a coast redwood in Northern California and if you recall the weather that they had there this past winter with more spring, rather, the continuous atmospheric rivers, and cyclones and stuff, there was a lot of damage a lot of trees down and these are large trees.

These are 300 feet tall, probably several feet in diameter.

Imagine Congaree Swamp, if you will, maybe on a slightly bigger scale, but anyway, so my son retrieved this from one of the downed trees, and he actually used it as a bridge to cross the stream, which was pretty neat.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Dr.

Herrick> I brought it up because, you know, just all the sort of climbing, changing climate that we have around here, it's kind of interesting to know that we actually have a few of these trees growing in South Carolina, and this is a specimen of one that was collected in Columbia, and it's maybe about 30, 40 feet tall right now.

So it's just a baby, but that's kind of what the leaves look like.

It's a really interesting species, because when you get into the redwood forests, what you notice is that it's very wet, and what these trees do is they actually manage to kind of scrape fog out of the sky, and it condenses on their leaves and drips down towards the roots.

<Amanda> So it's wonderful to be as large as they are, where,... Gosh!

So that's just one of their adaptations.

That's how they get more and it comes all the way down droops down so they water themselves.

<Dr.

Herrick> It's pretty cool.

<Amanda> Isn't that fun?

Well, thank you so much, and thank your son for bringing that back in a suitcase.

<Dr.

Herrick> Yeah.

<Amanda> Okay.

Mary Vargo is just one of our favorite people.

We love it when Extension agents come on, and when she does come, she tells us how - brings pictures of her yard, she grows such pretty flowers, and when she came one time, she actually brought some flowers and she made a beautiful bouquet.

I'm with my friend Mary Vargo who is the horticulture agent in Greenville, and she has this super chaotic yard and she loves to mix colors and textures and everybody's getting married because for so long.

We weren't having any weddings.

So we thought we'd get you to come make a bouquet.

<Mary> Yeah, no, I brought a lot of materials I like to have quite a bit to choose from makes it interesting.

So yeah, oh, palate.

Absolutely.

And I tried to kind of stay within you know same kind of color family a little bit of accents here and there, but yeah I got this great eucalyptus that I think is going to be a great filler foliage, And, you know, some people like something grand and kind of crazy for the bouquet and I've never really decide how it's going to look until I start it.

I just go until it looks okay.

<Amanda> ...this was interesting because I always put the foliage in last.

<Mary> I like to build from my house I like to see it and then I like to peek things in there.

<Amanda> It's funny how we all work different.

<Mary> Yeah, exactly, but I like to kind of sort of get my focal flowers in first.

These roses are really nice to kind of center them... <Amanda> You and I spent some time when you got here.

Cleaning these roses were nice.

They didn't have thorns on them too bad, but we actually reduced the size of the rose a little bit.

We just took some of the petals off.

So don't feel like you can't do that.

If they're too big.

Then just go in there and say, you know, well, you know, just take some petals.

<Mary> Yeah, absolutely.

<Amanda> It's not a big deal.

<Mary> Not a big deal.

I mean, I just kind of add as I go.

<Amanda>...anything like that you can save for the little flower girl to throw when <Mary> Absolutely yeah, no, you just kind of remove, remove the foliage or the outer petals, if they're a little brown.

You still use them.

I mean, roses have so many layers.

<Amanda> There are a lot of choices.

<Mary> Yeah, exactly.

So when you're building this it kind of looks awkward if you're using it by hand but just kind of keep loose on your grip.

The goal is to just don't hold them too tight.

Things look a little rigid.

So some of you have to do a little bit of adjusting, and sometimes if I want a form that I'm going for, I'll use chicken wire at the base because that kinda gives me I'm able to create the form that I actually want with a bouquet.

<Amanda> But then you've got That's kind of awkward.

<Mary> Absolutely.

<Amanda> And cover <Mary> Yeah.

<Amanda> It'll just be a little more relaxed.

<Mary> Yeah, it'll just be kind of carefree... <Amanda>...this teeny... That's fun, too.

<Mary>Isn't that tulip really cute.

<Amanda> Wonderful colors.

<Mary> Yeah.

<Amanda> I can tell that you like this color palette, <Mary> Right.

>> Enjoy using it?

<Mary> Well I try to I try to stay within that sort of same color or whatever, but I like to mix in unusual or wildflower type flowers within a bouquet.

It gives it a little bit more of a unstructured look to it.

So these are some corn flowers that I grew in my backyard.

So some of these I picked up at the florist shop and some local flowers from back home in Greenville.

<Amanda> Yes.

<Mary> Some beautiful ranunculus <Amanda> Oh, ranunculus.

<Mary> That the growers have done such a good job of growing.

<Amanda> Often certain flowers like ranunculus don't ship well, and so y'all are so fortunate because you've got some local outlets, that's a big push towards people farming flowers.

<Mary> Absolutely!

We have a really great group of flower farmers in the upstate.

Very active.

You know, and we have, you know, Greenville is a huge place for weddings.

So they stay very busy with supplying the florist with beautiful, beautiful flowers that you just can't find at your local florist.

So it really gives your bouquet and you're looking at everything else.

Just a really unique sort of look.

<Amanda> Yeah, it reflects where you are.

So much fun.

<Mary> Yeah.

So once I kind of get to this stage, I kind of have to switch hands a little bit because it gets a little too busy.

So then, I'll just do some adjusting.

Some things will fall through.

I'll just pick them back up.

<Amanda> Uh, huh.

<Mary> Move them around, until I kind of like where the shape is going.

<Amanda> It's kind of coming together.

<Mary> It's coming there.

Yeah, you got to do some adjustments, but you that's kind of natural.

Just kind of keep playing with it until you do get that shape that you want.

I think I need some more white in here just to balance things out.

<Amanda> Beautiful white, ranunculus too.

>> Yeah, no.

They're super great, and then something a little bit.

So we've got a lot of big shapes.

<Amanda> We do.

<Mary> So we've got that eucalyptus looking nice-- I'm going to add in some more filler flowers to kind of break up the larger shapes in this and give it a little bit more of a airy feel.

<Amanda> Oh, very nice.

<Mary> Oh, broke that tulip.

Okay, we got more.

We'll add another one.

(laughs) <Amanda> That's not the most flexible of stems.

<Mary>...then sometimes when you add in a whole lot you just got to keep moving with it, but this is when something like that chicken wire will come in handy <Amanda> Then, you got that big piece of chicken wire, you got to try to wrap up and <Mary> Yeah, it can get a little out of control.

Let's see.

How's that looking?

I think we need to bring in some more fillers in there and maybe some more greenery too.

Okay so we're at a point where we got a lot in here.

What do you think it needs?

I think it looks pretty balanced.

We've got a nice sort of balance of frilly big things.

<Amanda> These and these complement each other well, as far as...<Mary> I think I want to add in some more colors, maybe at the bottom.

Let's see.

Add that into echo that.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Mary> Usually, if you have something sort of larger and you always want to put one piece in.

Sometimes it doesn't work for little small accent pieces.

So if I put something like this stock in, that smells incredible.

It kind of still balances it out a little bit, without looking too busy, but I think I like that so I will wire it up.

So this is sometimes the hardest part.

<Amanda> You and I both know that with our... there's a little place at the bottom where you cut wires so that you don't ruin your blades.

<Mary> Absolutely.

Which is important.

Yeah, mine are all rusted and every I will leave them out.

<Amanda> I know.

I get sidetracked and I leave them on steps.

<Mary> And thank God they're red.

You know.

Otherwise I wouldn't be able to find them.

A tool that I really love though.

Do you have a soil knife?

<Amanda> No, I don't have a soil knife.

<Mary> It's like a... <Amanda> I use my Drexel Sawzall to cut holes in the ground.

<Mary> I love my soil knife.

<Amanda> I have a lot of tree roots.

<Mary> Okay, but that thing is so handy.

It's super sharp.

I've been dividing a lot of my perennials this year and it just saws right through them.

<Amanda> Yeah, so does the Drexel Sawzall.

<Mary> So then at this point, you kind of, Yeah, I think it looks great.

So, I'm just going to get the stems all one level.

You can kind of if you like a little bit longer stem, you can definitely cut them long, but since they're all a little bit different shapes and sizes, <Amanda> If you need a hand, just holler.

<Mary> I think we're good on this.

So then I'm going to hand this to you.

<Amanda> Alrighty.

<Mary>...we'll get the ribbon.

Got quite a bit of different colors, textures, And I really I like the long sort of look.

It gives it a really nice romantic feel to it.

Let's see.

So I think we should tie all these things in here.

<Amanda> Alrighty.

<Mary> Yeah, and if you want to trim some of the ribbons you can, but I kind of like leaving it dangling, you just want to cover that wire up.

So that's usually what I'm aiming for there, and then if you want to do some adjustments bring some up.

Just be real careful, since you <Amanda> Don't want to snap the stem.

Not at this point.

<Mary> You just want to make sure all the flowers are on display, you're able to see them, and then there you have it.

Hopefully your DIY bouquet is you're happy with it.

<Amanda> I think it's perfectly lovely.

>> Yeah, look at there.

<Amanda> Isn't that beautiful?>> Looks nice.

<Amanda> Just great, great fun.

<Mary> Yeah, thanks for having me.

<Amanda> Yeah, let's do this more.

<Mary> Yeah absolutely.

>> Mary is talented in many areas of horticulture as you just saw.

Thanks, Mary for coming down and doing that for us.

Well Terasa, what else can we help someone with?

<Terasa> We have a question coming from Ray in Greenwood who says we are looking for a vine to put on a trellis.

Do you have any suggestions?

Okay.

Well, Tom, you just love to have things going on at your house.

What suggestions would you... <Tom>I've got three suggestions.

One is a passion flower.

They are spectacular because of their rather alien looking blooms, and then they also give fruits that can be enjoyed and those also tend to be if you watch any of the cooking shows, they tend to be sort of a favorite ingredient nowadays.

<Amanda> So, it's something new?

<Tom> Yes.

So, passion vine <Amanda>...and of course we have a native one right here, that does very, very well don't we?

<Tom> We do.

<Terasa> My favorite part about passion vine is it's the host for the Gulf fritillary and you will be amazed what voracious appetites those little caterpillars have.

<Amanda> Well, and it's just it's fine because this is a vigorous growing vine.

<Terasa> Correct.

<Amanda> It really is.

Yes.

So, the caterpillars are welcome to have all they want.

Don't you think?

<Tom> So maybe these also die back in the wintertime.

So maybe if you had the Gulf fritillaries you wouldn't have a need to cut them back.

<Terasa> I can safely say that last year that the caterpillars ate mine down to nubs.

I mean, no foliage left on the plant at all, <Amanda>...and it came back.

<Terasa> It didn't sadly.

<Amanda> Well.

it's easy to get new ones, because it does tend to spread and people's yards.

>> Yeah.

<Amanda> Well, what else would you suggest?

<Tom> In addition Moonflower this one is fun, especially if you want something near a patio, because they bloom at night and I have a glorious scent to them, rapid growers and the best way to propagate them is really through seeds and you can see some of the seeds right here.

They're very large, but and they have a very tough outer coating.

<Amanda> You have to score it.

<Tom> Exactly, and then soak them overnight, plant them in the ground.

<Amanda> we used to have them on the front porch, on strings coming up, and not only do they grow rapidly, but the flower opens rapidly and you can sit there and it starts to shake and then it just unfurls and if you not only for children, but for adults, it's just one of the most magical things in the world and the fragrance as it unfurls is just... <Tom> I intend to put a solar spotlight on mine in the yard.

(laughs) <Amanda>...then is there another one?

<Tom> There's a third one and it is the Clematis armandii and that one unlike these other two is a evergreen <Amanda>...and just beautiful flowers.

<Tom> Absolutely.

They are vigorous growers that get...out your... <Amanda> Occasionally, you're going to need to prune.

<Tom> Yes.

<Amanda> Thank you so very, very much I appreciate it.

We're now going to go to Boone Hall Farms and Boone Hall Farms is one of the underwriters of Making It Grow.

We were there in 2022 and enjoyed speaking with their farm manager and seeing some of the things that they grow that are available there.

They have a new market that's going to be open soon.

You can check out their Facebook page or go to their website to learn exactly when.

♪ ♪ ♪ We're at Boone Hall Farms and I'm speaking with the farm manager, Eric Hernandez.

Eric, you have a long association of this property.

<Eric> Yes.

I've been here for 16 years, and I've been mentored by Mr. Willie McCrae, who was the owner of Boone Hall Plantation.

and so yeah, he teach me how to farm and now I'm doing it.

<Amanda> So, he really wanted this to be a farm that brought the community together not just as a place that ships stuff up to New York or anything like that.

<Eric> Yes.

<Amanda> Everything y'all do seems to be community.

<Eric> Yes, we focus on locals first, and we bring kids we invite kids to come and join our strawberry picking, adults to come and join our tomato picking and so yes, we have a big operation, but we focus on inviting people to our farm.

We want them to see what we're doing and come and enjoy.

Enjoy what we do.

<Amanda> Well and you go throughout the year and have huge numbers of people who come for special festivals, and you said that the ladies who do the administrative work, just have the most creative ideas.

I was looking at y'all's website.

I've never seen such happy looking children.

<Eric> They love doing it to just as much as I love farming.

They love doing that for again for the local kids for the local families, and that's what we work for <Amanda>and you said Mr. McCrae too encouraged you to do, try different things that he didn't say, "Oh, no, no, no.

<Eric> Yes, ma'am.

He will love to try something new.

We are always trying something new.

Like, for example, last year, we try some grafted tomatoes and we tried some regular tomatoes and we realized that our grafted tomatoes we did a lot less work, and they did a lot better.

So now we went all grafted tomatoes <Amanda> A lot of people have known that heirloom tomatoes are often grafted but y'all are growing just grafted standards too and getting much better results.

<Eric> Yes.

Ma'am, and that's because Willie McCrae told us to try it.

We tried it and it worked for us and now we're doing it.

<Amanda> So, what are all the various crops that you do grow?

<Eric> Well, we grow from strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers.

We have a big list that we're.

going through.

Yes, everything that is possible to grow here in South Carolina.

We'll give it a shot.

<Amanda> Even a couple of peaches, although this is ideal.

<Eric> Yes, Mr. Willie was a peach broker.

So that was, he got a peach heart.

So we got some peaches here, just in memory of him.

<Amanda> Well, he had a loving heart, didn't he?

<Eric> Yes.

<Amanda> Even if people don't come specifically to the farm, I think if they come and take the tour, at the plantation tour, they are brought through so that they can see how important it is.

So if they're here as tourists, they get to, we have a farm tour, that they can do and a lot of them they realize that what we're doing, and they stop on their way out and grab some fresh tomatoes to take home.

<Amanda> Well, when I got here this morning, I hadn't had breakfast, and I went over and got an heirloom tomato.

And then went, (slurping) Oh, gosh!

They're just the best things in the world.

<Eric> The next time you come, we come and grab one from the vine <Amanda>...if there's any extra, you've got a relationship with one of the local farmers.

<Eric> Uh huh and then we also go and visit our South Carolina farmers market up in Columbia and yes, we all about local so we like to buy and sell to local farmers.

<Amanda> You told me that you have a nice relationship with Clemson Extension that Zack Snipes who's a friend of ours.

<Eric> Yes, he is.

I'm very- I work very close with Zack Snipes and the whole Clemson Extension.

We also try a lot of different things with them and when we have a problem here or where we or we need some advice.

We give them a call.

<Amanda>...you said also if they want to try something out here you will say of course.

<Eric> Yes, we are opening our doors to them to come in because there's not only helps them, but it will help us, whatever they learn from things.

<Amanda> Well, and to me, the fact that y'all have put the 730 acres into a conservation easement with the Low country conservancy means that this is going to be a farm after our children are grown.

<Eric> Yes.

<Amanda> and my children have children.

<Eric> My boy will come and be a farmer then and yes, thanks again to Mr. Willie.

He for generations to come this plantation will be here or this farm will be here <Amanda> To have this amount of green space in this densely populated area is such a gift to him.

<Eric> It is.

It is It was a big gift to us.

Yes.

<Amanda> Well, I think... that Mr. McCrae knew somebody with a lot of potential when you came on as a little 16 year old.

<Eric> Yes and I love I think I love the farm just as much as he did and I loved and respect the land.

Yes.

<Amanda> Well, it shows.

<Eric> You had to do that to be able to be here farming.

<Amanda> Especially with this, with South Carolina.

Thank you so much for sharing this.

<Eric> Thank you all for coming.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ >> We want to thank Boone Hall Farms for giving us such a nice day and sharing so much information with us, and Terasa, I just I really enjoy being able to go to local places where they have things that were grown locally, I think the flavor is often wonderful and is it I mean, the carbon footprint is so much less.

<Terasa> That's right.

It just gives you a good feeling in your heart to know that you're supporting local agriculture.

<Amanda> It does and of course, they talked about how they work very closely with Clemson Extension, and there are specialists so that you know that everything's being done correctly.

It's, you know, it's just reassuring, isn't it?

<Terasa> It is and that's what we as Clemson Extension agents are here for.

<Amanda> Yeah, yeah.

Well, I want to thank everybody who was with us and for all the fun, fun things they brought.

We just had such a good time and I don't know if it's herbicide or what that makes that fasciation, but it sure is delightful.

I'm a tiny little bit adrift in this case was probably okay and thank you all for being with us, and I hope you'll be with us next week.

Until then.

Night Night.

♪ closing music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Making It Grow is brought to you in part by Certified South Carolina is a cooperative effort among farmers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to help consumers identify foods and agricultural products that are grown, harvested or raised right here in the Palmetto State.

The Boyd Foundation supporting outdoor recreational opportunities, the appreciation of wildlife, educational programs and enhancing the quality of life in Columbia, South Carolina and the Midlands at large.

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.

Family owned and operated since 1916.

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

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