Narrator>> 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 ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ music ends ♪ <Amanda> Well, good evening, and welcome to Making it Grow.

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

I'm Amanda McNulty.

I'm a Clemson Extension agent.

We got a good show for you and I've to get some special things.

We're going to go down to Boone Hall and see these beautiful gardens.

Katie Dixon, whom you've probably you've seen on our show before, takes us around and tells us about things, and then we're going to talk about the master food preserver with Dr. Kimberly Baker and Faith Isreal.

Lots stuff going on, and we're always so delighted to have Terasa Lott with us, and I'm Terasa is in charge of the Master Gardener program, and I think in the not too far distant past you went to a national meeting, didn't you?

<Terasa> That is correct.

So every other year, there's a national coordinators conference for all Master Gardener professionals from across the United States.

It's a great opportunity to get together and we were at the Coastal Botanical Garden in Savannah, Georgia, which is also a fun place to visit.

<Amanda> Okay, well, I'm so glad you went and I'm so glad that you're back to help us out today.

<Terasa> Thank you.

<Amanda> Okay, Andy Cabe you were one of the horticulturist at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

<Andy> Yes, ma'am.

<Amanda> Did I say that right this time?

>> Yes, ma'am.

<Amanda> The head horticulturist I believe, and y'all, honestly, to keep things up so beautifully, Y'all have a small staff.

<Andy> Yeah, we do have a pretty, pretty small staff, but they work very hard and do a really great job at what they do.

<Amanda> I think part of that is because you kind of give them areas that they're in charge of, and they have a sense, if you have a sense of ownership.

<Andy> They have a sense of pride and ownership for certain areas that they can take care of, and I think that is a really big help in buying into what we're doing.

<Amanda> Well, it's always a pleasure to go and anytime of the year and especially with all those little children out there running around.

<Andy> Absolutely.

<Amanda> That's fun isn't it.

Okay, well, Jackie Jordan is the horticulture agent for Richland, Kershaw, and Fairfield.

Yeah, I can't believe I got it right.

But Jackie, tell me what the favorite thing, your favorite part of the job is.

<Jackie> I really like helping people solve their problems.

A lot of people with turf grass just get so frustrated, and I think if you can understand what the plant requires, it will grow a lot better, and so you don't have to input a lot of chemicals.

So, just helping them figure out what they need for that plant to grow well.

<Amanda> And with water usage becoming important, and if you're on city water, the sewer cost is more than the water.

<Jackie> Oh, yeah.

<Amanda> Learning how to water appropriately can be a big help, can't it?

<Jackie> Oh, yes, definitely.

<Amanda> Okay.

All right.

Casey Cooper.

You came here when you was still a student at Clemson, and now how old is your little boy?

<Casey> My oldest is about to turn six.

[laughter] <Amanda> That's right.

You've got two.

You've been busy.

Yeah, and we are so thrilled that you're here, and not only do y'all have just a wonderful place to go and see what plants are available, but I know from personal experience because you're helping my sister.

Y'all do things at people's homes as well.

<Casey> Yes, ma'am.

We do, install, help with designs, fertilization, so.

<Amanda> She's really excited that you're coming.

She's - I think her plants need some fertility.

<Casey> They do.

They definitely do.

<Amanda> She's so pleased that you're kind enough to come out and help her.

She's a lot nicer than I am.

It's not hard for my sister to get people to come.

She's really sweet.

I think.

Don't you think so?

She's a pretty nice, gal.

<Casey> She is.

<Amanda> Okay, Well, Terasa, usually you have Gardens of the Week for us to start with.

Did you get some submissions?

<Terasa> We did.

Gardens of the Week has become so much fun.

It's a chance for you to show us what you're doing in your yard, gardens, or perhaps you've visited a special place in South Carolina.

We have lots of them.

Let's take a look.

This week we begin with Ellen Pauly, who sent Beautyberry, full of fruit which botanically aren't actually berries as the common name would imply, but are called drupes.

From Gene Jeffries, we have a dog in a shade garden and he said, is this what you call a dogwood in your hostas?

[laughter] Allison Kennedy shared a climbing rose adorning an arch with Lake secession in the background.

Anne Marie and Troy Glawe have a bed of obedient plant which Anne Marie says is not so obedient, but she loves it, and we wrap up with Liz Tapp, who sent a stinging rose caterpillar and in that each spine is filled with urticating fluids.

So if you brush up against it, the tip breaks off, it releases a fluid that can cause a painful sting.

So this is in that "Look, but Don't Touch category.

<Amanda> Yes, yes.

I think obedient planting is sometimes called Martha Washington.

Isn't it?

I wonder if she gave the president trouble.

[laughter] Well, thank you to everyone who sent things in, and thank you for putting it together for us.

<Terasa> My pleasure.

<Amanda> Well, you've got one of the examples of the many fabulous wonderful plants.

You've got out at the nursery.

So let's talk about something.

<Casey> All righty.

So, this first one here, this is a newer compact Buddleja that's called Birthday cake Butterfly Bush.

It's only going to get about four foot tall, three to four wide, very fragrant.

And, you know, stays a little more compact, not stringy as the usual.

Great for pollinators.

<Amanda> Oh, it has a delightful fragrance.

<Casey> Yeah, very fragrant.

Also good for containers.

It's also a good container plant.

<Amanda> Oh, cause it's not going to get so big?

<Casey> It's not going to get so big.

<Amanda> So...it's not going to [blows out air] sprawl.

<Casey> It's not going to just sprawl everywhere, like the old timey ones.

<Amanda> And, full sun and, <Casey> Full sun and part shade.

<Amanda> Pretty easy to grow.

<Casey> Very easy to grow once established, drought tolerant, <Amanda> Okay, <Casey> low maintenance.

<Amanda> Sounds like a really nice one.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

All right, Miss Terasa.

What can we do now to try to help somebody?

<Terasa> Well, you know, people always have questions, and Jackie alluded to it.

She said, we help people solve their problems.

So Melissa wrote into us and she said her grandmother had tons of spider lilies in her yard.

Two years ago, she tried to transplant some of them to her yard.

I love that plants can have so much, so many memories.

She said she planted several dozen, but only two have come up.

The flowers had just finished blooming when she transplanted them.

"What did I do wrong?"

Is her question.

<Amanda> Well, Andy, do you think maybe patience is required?

<Andy> Yeah.

So we grow - the plant she's referring to, the Spider lily, is probably Lycoris radiata, the red spider lily, that we see pop up lots of time in late August, mid September, and the interesting thing is, it pops up when there are no leaves on it.

The flower comes up when there are no leaves.

So I get these questions every year when they're blooming.

You know, somebody has just moved into a house and there are these red plants suddenly popping up in their yard.

Well, that's the red spider lily Lycoris radiata, and they're kinda temperamental when they get transplanted.

They want a couple of years, to get to the right depth in the soil.

They have contractile roots that kind of pull them up and down and get the bulb to the exact depth it wants to be in.

So, just be patient after you transplant it, it's not unusual for them to skip a few years blooming, but once it gets settled in, you should get blooms every year, for a really long time.

<Amanda> Well, I see old houses in St. Matthews, one house that was built, - Gosh, Casey, I think it was built in 1870 or something and their path, they show up and you can tell where they used to have paths.

You know I'm sure they've been there 100 years and what you said about the roots is interesting, because a lot of people when you hear the word bulb, think that it's something that you can bring home and leave on the back porch for a while and not do anything with but they, these never have a dormancy they'll always have living roots, I believe.

<Andy> Yeah, and you know, the interesting thing is, you know, like we were talking about the flowers come up when there are no leaves, so it's going to put it's leaves out in the cooler months and then they'll disappear as it warms up again and then you'll start to see in the fall you'll start to see the blooms come up and we grow.

I think we grow probably close to 60 or 70 different varieties of spider lily.

There's a lot more than just the red one.

<Amanda> There are a lot of colors.

I think Eric has brought some on and they're beautiful.

<Andy> They absolutely are.

<Amanda> Is the red one the one that's the most persistent, you think?

I've heard that.

<Andy> That's the most persistent and the most common one.

<Amanda> Okay.

>> And that's the one you were talking about where you could see old walkways.

They're typically, you'll see them lying in driveways, on home sites.

So, not unusual at all to be lining a walkway.

<Amanda> They really, it's a lovely flower to cut and bring inside too.

<Andy> Certainly is.

<Terasa> Sometimes people call it Hurricane lily.

So, I often see them during hurricane season.

Sometimes after heavy rainfall.

So that's... what common name I use.

<Andy> A lot of people you know, there are several different plants referred to as "naked ladies", because they come up with <Terasa> That's right.

<Andy> - out of nowhere with nothing on, [laughter] but that's just another name for them too, but Hurricane lilies are their name.

<Terasa> Mmm hmm.

<Amanda> Yeah, they are fun, "naked ladies".

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Mrs. Terasa, who else needs some help with something?

<Terasa> Oh, poor Tom in Camden is hoping we can help him.

He says, I recently used an herbicide in a walkway and now have many plants that are wilting have discoloration or strange growth?

What happened?

And what should I do?

<Amanda> Whoa, did he tell us what herbicide he used?

<Terasa> I believe he used Imazapyr.

<Amanda> Ooh.

Oh, Jackie, gosh, <Jackie> That is one of those tough chemicals.

It's being sold in products that are, like year long killers.

It's like, you know, meant for driveway, sidewalks, non-crop areas, but what people do is they spray it in areas like in a path, but they don't realize, sometimes just how far those tree and shrub roots can extend.

<Amanda> Oh!

<Jackie> Imazapyr is one of those products that moves through the soil, <Amanda> Oh, so it's not like the typical glyphosate we think about that has to be on the green leaf and it's leaved down, <Jackie> Right!

It can move down through the soil and be absorbed by the roots of the plants, and it can stay in the soil for up to a year.

<Amanda> Whoa.

<Jackie> So, unfortunately, the only thing Tom can do is just really keep his plants well watered, and I wouldn't even know most of the time we recommend compost, compost, compost, organic matter, organic matter, organic matter, but actually putting down a lot of organic matter can tie that herbicide up and keep it around longer.

<Amanda> Oh, it'll bind to the organic matter.

<Jackie> So it's actually better, just to make sure that you just irrigate.

<Amanda> Better not to use it in the first place.

<Jackie> Exactly, and that brings in to the point, just making sure that you read the label every time, and we were discussing this.

There's so many products that you know, Roundup makes so many products.

It's not just the old standard Roundup.

<Amanda> The old standard.

There's so many different chemicals.

So when you go into the box store to buy a chemical or herbicide, you really need to look at that lower left hand corner and see what those active ingredients are and make sure that you're buying the right chemical that you need, because like you said, glyphosate gets absorbed by the green, but Imazapyr can get absorbed in the soil.

<Amanda> And so..So some of the things that are sold under the Roundup label, if you look down there, glyphosate might be the first thing, but it might have other things <Amanda> That should be kind of a warning to you that >>Right!

You don't want any soil sterilants >> Maybe this isn't what you want.

>> or any of those chemicals that stay around a lot longer.

<Andy> There are all these neat little instructions on the label too, that tell you how to use it, where to apply, where not to apply, what to apply on and what not to apply on.

<Amanda> Yeah, well, that's why you need to have <Andy> - it's kind of like there's a label for a reason.

[laughter] <Amanda> So take your eyeglasses with you to the store.

<Terasa> There can be lots of nuances about timing, you know, looking at weather conditions... you might not apply it if it's over a certain temperature or below speed or...So it's complicated.

<Amanda> Let's talk about something that's wonderfully alive, [laughter] that you brought.

<Casey> All righty.

This here is a variegated Angel trumpet.

You know, my grandma calls it an old lady plant <Amanda> and you said your grandmother herself is still a magnificent gardener?

<Casey> Oh yeah.

Yeah, she hadn't slowed down.

She's got more energy than any of us.

So, she tells us what we're doing wrong every day, [laughter] and making us better.

So, but this one's pretty, the bloom comes out white and within one or two days, it fades to like a peach color or changes to a peach color.

Just a cool plant, you know it's gonna have really long big blooms 8 to 12 inches long.

They usually come out in the evenings.

So, big leaves, easy peasy old plant <Amanda> and this one has, the leaves are lovely for when you don't have flowers on them.

<Casey> Yep, so even when you don't have the flowers you got the you know you got the variegation in the leaves.

<Amanda> and then they, a lot of people are worried about they're not being hardy, but that's not, I don't think that's a problem.

<Casey> Oh no.

Those ones are cold hardy, you know.

<Amanda> The top may die down.

<Casey> Right.

The top may die down, but this one comes back well, and you know, once you get it established, it can be pretty drought tolerant.

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, this is, gosh, I tell you the people are out there working on plants come up with so many new things, and this is a nice thing, a nice variation.

<Casey> Oh, it is.

It's something kind of different.

<Amanda> Thank you so very much.

Okay.

We're now going to visit with a friend who is the horticulturist at Boone Hall and see the magnificent garden that she has there.

♪ piano music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm talking to Katie Dickson and we are in the magnificent gardens at Boone Hall.

Katie, what a wonderful place to be a gardener.

<Katie> I couldn't agree more.

<Amanda> And, of course, this is a wonderful area that has all kinds of exhibits and things that for people to come to see the garden.

Y'all have something blooming all year long.

<Katie> We do we consider ourselves a four season garden and we want to entertain our guests year round.

<Amanda> And the backbone in certain ways is the rose of Charleston.

<Katie> That's right.

So we're very proud to feature a historic rose collection, and that includes antique roses, teas, hybrids, floribundas, as well as the famed noisette rose.

So we're very proud of that.

<Amanda> And the gardens are laid out in a beautiful pattern that resembles a butterfly, and I think the house of course, is an original, and was built in the <Katie> That would be the 1930s.

<Amanda> but then tell me about the garden, because I think it's such a fun story.

<Katie> Yeah, so the garden followed the construction of the current house that you see behind us, but the gardens were actually installed by a Georgian nobleman.

His name was Dimitri Djordjadze, say that five times, to make his wife Audrey happy.

He married heiress from Ohio.

So he got himself an American wife, and they loved horses and they housed their horses here, but she really wanted a pleasure garden.

So, that's what we're standing in.

<Amanda> And so let's talk about the layout of the garden and how it reflects what is so happily happening here, which is lots of pollinators and larval food sources and all kinds of things.

<Katie> Pretty cool, right?

So the shape of the two garden halves like you alluded to, form, you know, gossamer wings of a butterfly, and they're bisected down the middle by the mansion driveway.

So, truly from above it looks like this, you know, curvy butterfly, and the beautiful house is the head and the house forms the head of the butterfly and like you said, there's also tons of pollinator activity going on, on a microscopic scale.

We've got all kinds of, you know, native bees, honey bees, we'll see in the morning time.

<Amanda> Wasps?

I saw some <Katie> Wasps.

<Amanda> daytime moths out?

<Katie> Absolutely <Amanda> There's just everything.

I think what is so exciting is that when you group things the way you do.

That helps the pollinators because if different pollinators like different plants and the foods that they provide, and so you have like a wonderful you know, they get like 20 lobsters all at one time, but they don't have to fly all over looking for their favorite foods.

<Katie> Exactly right.

Thank you for that point, that concentrating their favorite foods makes it so much easier to navigate to, and especially it's so fun in the morning to see the hummingbirds you know, dive bombing the plants and they're after the more trumpet shaped flowers, but maybe the butterflies and skippers are after the zinnias and the disc shaped flowers.

<Amanda> And then I saw the fennel was just completely just exactly what we want because that's the larval food source.

<Katie> That's exactly right.

So, you know, you might go by and see some areas that look a little grazed or a little, you know, bitten up, but we do have a certain tolerance for that, because it's part of supporting pollinators.

<Amanda> And one of the things, I think, is that one of the gardens on both sides, you have a moon shaped garden, is that right?

<Katie> That's right.

So we have two beds that are very lunar, they're very crescent shaped, and traditionally, they're kept as a monochromatic white palette, just to make these pure white moons in the garden.

<Amanda> But there's nothing monochromatic.

<Katie> No.

<Amanda> But you kind of have a theme, a little bit of hot colors or cool colors.

Talk to me a little bit about how you go about deciding what you're going to concentrate in each different area.

<Katie> Exactly.

Right.

So I came on about a year ago as the head horticulturist, and I inherited a great base map.

So, it was kind of a great scavenger map to start with, and it gave me ideas of what color families belong in what beds, and I do want to honor that and kind of honor the work of former horticulturists.

So we do concentrate, you know, right now hot, bright red and orange coleus in one bed and then it kind of will transition into a nice bed, of you know, blues and purples and whites that have a more calming effect.

<Amanda> And then I think it's so much fun.

The new things that are coming out, the ornamental peppers, and the colors of the foliage.

<Katie> Yes, there are some loud peppers.

We have a great tri-color purpley pepper, the you know, Acapulco series has these candy like you know, tri-color peppers.

So, we have a lot of fun with fruits and foliage, and we're not scared to experiment.

<Amanda> And then I have never seen such a [unintelligible] caster bean plant, and it's purple to boot.

<Katie> It is.

It's the maroon foliage strain of castor bean.

We didn't quite expect it to get so big.

<Amanda> It exceeded your expectations.

<Katie> It did and I wonder if some of that is attributed to all the great rain we've had.

We had an unexpectedly really tropical summer and things have just sprung up.

<Amanda> And of course you have, under the ground irrigation.

You don't use overhead sprinklers.

<Katie> That's correct.

So, we do have basically an invisible irrigation system and we're able to be good stewards of water and turn it off if we see a thundercloud in the distance that goes off.

<Amanda> And another thing that I admire so much is that, to encourage the pollinators, you're so careful about the use of pesticides, and when you pull plants out, because you changed, this is a, I mean, it's going to be full of collard greens and mustards and all kinds of wonderful cabbages and things as, as when we finally have fall, and you have a wonderful relationship with the local newspaper, and you put down, instead of having to recycle the newspaper, you can use it here as a weed suppressor.

<Katie> Exactly, we're so grateful for that relationship.

City Paper's long been celebrated in Charleston, and you know, occasionally they'll have stacks of extra paper and we're able to lay that down three or four sheets thick.

We saturate it really well with a hose and then we can punch our annuals in from there, and then that creates this great weed barrier.

<Amanda> Just wonderful.

Tell me some of the things that we that we ought to share some of the fun things that are in bloom right now that we ought to be sure to get pictures of, and share with our viewers <Katie> Certainly, so some of the maybe most commented on flowers of interest would be are Egyptian starflower, the pentas has tons of insect activity on it.

The Gomphrena are those Gumball like flowers and those are just really whimsical and fun.

We've got tons of zinnias, marigolds all those things that are kind of in the Aster family.

<Amanda> And then the purple thing on the vine.

<Katie> - Yes <Amanda> -the vining purple.

<Katie> beautiful blue butterfly vine.

Kind of rare, but yeah, that's definitely a show stopper, and of course our roses are doing kind of their early fall flush, if you will.

<Amanda> One of the things is, a lot of the brides walk down this beautiful central area, and instead of recycling tires for a flower bed, you've used something just so magical that is from the house.

Please tell me about that.

<Katie> Yes, so this is a credit to a teammate of mine.

Nina had the idea to make a birdnest flowerbed, out of old recycled shingles, those kind of traditional Spanish Clay roofing shingles, and we just had a pallet of it sitting there doing nothing.

So, we ended up making these pretty marvelous flower beds <Amanda> and I can't think of a more beautiful place for a bride to stroll towards a very, very happy future.

I think getting married in this magical place with all the love that's put into it by everyone who works here would certainly be an auspicious beginning to a life together.

Katie, thank you so much.

This has just been a delight.

<Katie> I so appreciate you being here.

Thank you.

♪ piano music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <Amanda> As beautiful as it was, I think I enjoyed seeing all the different pollinators as much as seeing all the different, wonderful flowers that she had and the peppers, everything was so much fun, and in a couple of months, it'll be entirely different, because they'll switch everything out.

It was really a lot of fun being down there with her.

It has been, you know, we have a small air conditioner in the kitchen, because we have a gas stove and they vent, like you know, blah, blah, blah, blah, and then we have one air conditioner in the sitting room, and then we have an attic fan.

So, I'm really glad when summer is finally over, and I call this plant farewell to summer.

It's Polygonum Americana, and most people call it jointweed, but I call it farewell to summer, and I think maybe Dr. John told me that, but it grows on the sandiest soils imaginable, and it's a perennial, but there's no point in trying to grow it unless you live, unfortunately, on almost the beach, but if you decide you want to see some if you get on 378 and start driving towards Sumter as you approach the Congaree River, you'll see as you come down below, Mr Bunky's and all, you'll start seeing it on the sides of the road.

It really is quite beautiful, and when the flowers age a little bit they turn a little bit pink.

So, it's just a lot of fun, and I think maybe, maybe, maybe, you know, things will cool off.

Wouldn't that be nice.

Okay, I think you've got some more wonderful show and tell for us.

<Casey> I do.

Well, this right here is your brilliance autumn fern.

<Amanda> That's a pretty one.

<Casey> Great for shady areas.

Also areas where you can't get grass to grow.

You know, a lot of people trying to get grass to grow in too much shade.

So, instead of keep drying grass, you can do something like your autumn ferns.

They're very tough.

They go well around trees, a lot of people dress them up around, you know pine trees, oak trees just to fill in where they can't get other things to grow.

They're an evergreen fern, in Columbia, very easy, low maintenance.

They will spread a little bit, like in our nursery and our trees because we water so much.

We actually have them growing, <Amanda> - That's fun <Casey> in our palm trees.

<Amanda> That's fun.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well and lift up the leaf and - or maybe I can sit some closer to them.

You can see that this one is very happy.

<Casey> It is.

It is and a lot of people call and think that those are diseased, but that's, that's good.

<Amanda> So, these are reproductive structures Yeah.

So it's very happy, and it's interesting, because some ferns have the reproductive structures on the backs of leaves, and others have a separate stalk, but this that's a beautiful one.

And isn't it be nice to have something easy?

And I think also, when you think about it's a nice contrast to woody plants that are so - that maybe are boxy and compatible.

<Casey> Yeah, it gives it a different texture.

<Amanda> So, very, very nice.

Okay, well, thank you so much for sharing that with us.

We really appreciate it.

Okay, and this one is now going to be evergreen in the Columbia area, at least.

You've got something that you brought that is it going to be evergreen, even though it says has a tropical name.

<Andy> It's not going to be evergreen, but it is going to come back year after year.

You know, I've been in professional horticulture for about 25 years, and you know, I keep thinking that people are going to get tired of tropical plants, but they never do.

They just want more and more and more.

<Amanda> So what's this one that you have.

<Andy> This is Thai black banana.

We got it years ago.

It shared with us by a nursery in Florida, and we just thought it was going to be a pretty banana that might not be cold hardy.

It was listed and I think as a zone 10 or a zone 10 and 11, but we planted some and we just left them in the ground and you know they've been coming back for I don't know, a dozen years now.

[laughter] They'll get probably 12 to 15 feet in our landscape when they're happy.

Plenty of moisture, plenty of compost.

They love that, and it's just a little different than some of the other bananas that we grow, because of that black stem, it'll form a nice clump over time, and when the first frost comes, it'll knock it back.

The easiest thing to do is just take a sharp knife or a machete just whack it back at the trunk and let it go.

<Amanda> You can machete all you want to, I'm not going to machete.

[laughter] <Andy> A nice saw, will cut it down, you know, because they're big, heavy plants, and they're basically all water.

<Amanda> So it is going to, you have to work at it.

<Andy> You know, and so, so many people go to all these labors every winter, to dig that banana up, it's just giant mass of roots.

The thing is so heavy.

They're going to haul it to their garage and stick it in the garage or under their house for the winter.

Or then they're the people that, you know, "Well, I've done it before that build these wire cages around the trunk of the banana, and fill it with leaves or pine straw to insulate it, and, you know, yeah, it kind of works.

It protects it a little bit, but it also looks really bad, I think.

And, you know, cutting down bananas and digging them up is a lot of work, and, you know, I try to avoid as you know, extra work.

<Amanda> You have enough to do.

work you have enough to do.

<Andy> Exactly, so we just found that we cut them to the ground, throw some mulch over them, and they come back, and there are plenty of bananas out there that will come back and are cold hardy, that you don't have to dig up, and you don't have to build wire cages.

So, if you're going to all that trouble find a different banana.

<Amanda> Okay [laughs] <Andy> Unless you like the trouble.

<Amanda> Okay, now, you like to give it extra compost and all, because it does want a - that helps with the moisture that it needs.

<Andy> Yeah, I mean, they're, heavy feeders, big tropical plants.

It's got so much foliage to support, but, you know, we were talking before the show about, you know, getting bananas in 15 or 30 gallon pots, these big ones, say "You know, I'd rather have mine in "a four inch pot or a gallon.

It's a lot easier to plant", and they grow so fast that you can start small and you're going to end up with something nice in a short period of time.

<Amanda> And have some money to spend on another plant at the same time.

<Andy> Exactly.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Okay.

Well, thank you so much, and it is a very handsome banana.

I appreciate it.

All right, Mrs. Terasa.

[takes a deep breath] <Terasa> Laurie sent us some photographs to our Making It Grow Facebook page.

She said we're in the second year of a lawn care program from a local nursery and installed an irrigation system last year, but we have a horrible weed problem and would like some sound advice.

We are currently pulling these weeds by hand as best we can.

How can we keep this under control?

<Amanda> Ah.

Well, Jackie, let's have the diagnosis.

<Jackie> Well, the weed she has, is Old World Diamond Flower, it's a summer annual in the madder family.

It's hard to control with preemergent herbicides.

<Amanda> That's unfortunate.

>> So she will need to hand pull it or use a post emergent herbicide.

Looking at her lawn plan, it did call for a lot of preemergents.

So there is a preemergent application.

There's four steps to her lawn care program, and three of them are using a preemergent herbicide, and one of the things you really have to be careful is a majority.

Most of the herbicides, preemergent herbicides are in the DNA herbicide family.

So, they stop weeds by stopping cell elongation in the root system.

So the root system doesn't grow.

That's how it kills the weed.

It can't support itself.

That also impacts the turf grass and especially centipede.

So the more preemergent herbicide you put out, <Amanda> because the root's going to be affected.

<Jackie> Exactly, we find that the centipede especially gets weaker and weaker and you find more weed problems developing.

So, you know, that's one of those things where really good cultural controls, making sure that you're watering correctly, not over watering, just giving the turf grass, just enough water to survive and our centipedes are really, really drought tolerant.

Making sure that you're not putting out too much fertilizer, making sure that you're mowing at the correct height.

All of those things have a huge impact on how much weed you'll actually get in the lawn.

<Amanda> I've learned from talking to you because I always thought that the preemergent and I still think it's probably safer in most cases, but you can't just think that it has no impact on other things that are growing there.

I appreciate that you shared that with me, and I think it's important for our viewers to know that too, because a lot of things, they think, "Oh, well this one's fine, because I'm not putting out something that you know, is going to kill something after.

<Jackie> So yeah, definitely, just because the way that it, a majority of those preemergents affect root systems, it's going to have an impact on your plants, and if you're getting close to even your landscape bed, some of those plants that do have a more shallow root system can be impacted by those preemergent herbicides.

<Amanda> Now, so is there a post emergent herbicide that if she had used it early, at the right time, could have helped controlled this?

<Jackie> Oh, definitely there are lots of great post- There are lots of great postemergent herbicides out there that are safe to use on centipede and other grasses.

It really comes down to once again making sure that you read the label, making sure that you get a herbicide that is correct for your site, for your site conditions and the other plants that you have in your landscape, because some of them can impact shrubs like ligustrum, Pierre roses, some of them would not impact other plants as much.

So, I would definitely say if you have a weed, it's best to talk to our folks up at HGIC and get the right recommendation for your site, because it's more than just what controls this weed, but it's what type of grass, what other plants do you have in a landscape?

<Amanda> And what time <Jackie> And what time of year?

Exactly, like we talked about temperature before, there are definitely are lots of things that go into a recommendation.

<Amanda> And Terasa it's real easy to get to HGIC if you just put, if you just search Clemson HGIC, you get a phone number and an email, and we've got dedicated staff there and they really want to help people.

That's what - <Terasa> They do.

I mean, that's really what their job is about all day, every day, customer service for our folks in South Carolina that are having problems, and I did want to mention, Jackie.

I think I saw that calendar, called for a weed and feed, and so that's another, you know, we typically don't recommend weed and feed products.

<Amanda> That's just throwing money away.

<Jackie> Well, a lot of the different Weed and Feed So, it depends on what the weed part of that Weed and Feed is.

You know, a lot of times they're putting Atrazine in with that 15-0-15, which can give you good control of most weeds that are small, and it has to be when they're small, and it also depends on the timing.

There's some pre some early postemergent properties with Atrazine, but if it's other chemicals, I mean, certainly we see all kinds of problems with metsulfuron.

So, it really depends on what that chemical is in the weed to feed, and in general, we don't want to fertilize our warm season lawns until after they're actively growing which can be middle of May.

So, that timing can be way off.

Better to do not by a calendar, but by the temperature of what's going on.

<Amanda> Okay, well, we've got experts up there, call them and talk to them.

Okay, well, what if we got up here on the back?

<Casey> All righty.

<Amanda> Tall and glossy <Casey> This right here is pretty evergreen glossy, as you can see throughout the year.

It is a type of new banana shrub called Stellar Ruby that Southern Living came out with, has the real fragrant.

<Amanda> Oh, they really do smell really <Casey> They really do smell just like bananas.

[laughter] <Casey> So, fast growing.

<Amanda> And it's been changed and we put it in the genus Magnolia.

Well, it did have a different one.

<Casey> Right?

Yeah, it wasn't a different genus, but has a pretty pinkish white bloom in the springtime, and then the rest of the year this nice evergreen shrub, you can keep it trimmed.

If you want to keep it low, you can have it, as a specimen plant, because they will get pretty large if you don't trim on this one.

They get six eight foot.

<Amanda> Okay.

but, pretty happy about cultural requirements.

<Casey> They are.

Yeah.

Full sun, part shade.

It's best if they don't have overhead watering if possible, you know, drip lines will be better, just like any other banana shrub, because of leaf spot and stuff like that.

<Amanda> Is leaf spot often a problem or needs to be treated or just will they just?

<Casey> We haven't seen it with this one, but you know, the old timey banana shrubs, they've seem to get it more and more throughout the years, but this one we haven't noticed it at all yet.

<Amanda> Well, that may be something that they've worked into it <Casey> They might have gotten that figured out.

<Amanda> Yeah, yeah.

There's people who are doing all these nice new plants for us, have a long list of things they try to put into it, don't they?

<Casey> They do.

<Amanda> Well that's just wonderful.

Thank you and it does if you haven't never smelled one, it really is the most wonderful thing.

<Casey> Smells just like bananas.

<Amanda> Yeah, it's a wonderful thing to have in your garden.

All right.

Terasa sometimes somebody has, unlike me when it would be like somebody like your grandmother, because she says she has more energy and she's in the garden all the time has kept up with their garden all through the summer, and their whole yard looks nice.

<Terasa> Well, this one is pretty impressive, I must say from Lynne and Bill King in Clemson, South Carolina.

They shared and this is a cottage garden.

She said we'd love to share our cottage garden with our viewers.

We're in historic old Calhoun district of Clemson.

Lynne and her son Will practice organic gardening techniques and water crops with rain barrels.

Notice the use of garment racks which provide structure for purple hull peas and beans.

The largest moon and stars watermelon that they grew weighed 81 pounds.

Our cantaloupe and honeydew, cantaloupe and honeydew share space with the sweet potatoes and okra, peppers and bush beans are contained in an area that is bordered by large stacked papers.

Raised beds that earlier contained onions and potatoes are now dormant under the watermelon patch and the small backyard garden has yielded a bounty of vegetables and melons for the family and neighbors.

Thanks so much Lynne and Bill for sharing what did not seem to be a very small backyard cottage garden with us.

I am impressed especially with that watermelon.

Aren't you?

<Amanda> That is stunning!

And you know, everybody, I mean, we love the seedless watermelons, and they're small and they fit the refrigerator and all, but when I was little, we used to go to parties where we would eat watermelons, because the mommas wanted to make watermelon rind pickle.

And, um, and my children just adore it.

It's kind of hard to find, but it's one that, you know, it's one of those crispy pickles that they put whatever is that makes the pickle so crispy, and they really are delicious.

It's, I think it's probably pretty, pretty much a southern thing, don't you think?

<Terasa> I have to say I hadn't seen it until I moved here, so.

<Amanda> Not up there in New York where you spent your childhood.

<Terasa> No.

Yeah, well, that's quite a watermelon.

Yeah.

Okay.

What do we have another question?

<Terasa> We do have a question, and this one comes in from Gill in Columbia who says, "I know that privet is invasive, but I've been seeing one called Sunshine everywhere.

Does that mean this one is safe to plant?"

<Amanda> My goodness!

Well, Andy, you've got a zoo where you've got a lot, you got a garden, and then you've got a nursery.

So I'll let you two chat about this.

<Andy> We started planting, I don't know 10 years ago or so in the in the zoo and garden when it was a new introduction.

<Amanda> What's the, what's the attraction?

<Andy> Oh, it's the foliage color.

It's that kind of chartreuse, bright, bright, yellowish foliage.

You know, it's great for combinations with other plants.

That color just combines well with other things.

But yeah, we've grown it, grown it for quite a while, you know, I've got actually have some in my own yard, but it will get big.

You have to give it some maintenance, and I know you said you guys have some in your tree.

<Casey> Yeah, and it will get big if the, they do like being pruned.

They seem to do a little better being pruned a lot.

Look for the green, you know, if they start kind of reverting back to the old, but it doesn't seem like they are spreading and becoming invasive yet, but just watch out for the green, green shoots coming up.

<Okay> So if you see those, cut those out, so you don't, you know, lose it and you want it to stay that yellow.

<Andy> And you see that sometimes in variegated plants where they'll shoot out an odd green shoot.

You know, just keep it cut back.

But like he was saying, so far, we're not worried about the invasive, invasiveness of it, which has been a downside of a lot of privet, a lot of ligustrum, in general was that, you know, they're gonna go everywhere.

You know, we have the, we have a lot taken over the woods, in the zoo, and things like that.

We're working on eradicating them, but, you know, I haven't seen a seedling from this one yet, so.

<Amanda> Well that's good news.

<Andy> Very good news.

<Amanda> Now, since it's variegated, is it a little bit tender about full sun?

Or can it take?

<Casey> Actually, the full sun is going to have a better, brighter color.

<Oh> A little more shade is going to be more kind of lime-ish green, and like he mentioned with other variegated plants, just in general, if you see some, you know, green coming in, like pittosporum, really any variegated plant, you know, just watch out for that and go ahead and cut that out before it starts taking over your whole plant.

<Amanda> Because sometimes then that part is more vigorous.

<Casey> Right, and it happens to a lot of plants.

So just look out for that.

<Amanda> I guess it's kind of like the pivot we don't like in that it's pretty easy to grow.

<Casey> It is.

It's very easy to grow.

Very easy to grow.

<Amanda> Okay, but attractive and then apparently, so far, so good.

<Yeah> yeah.

Okay.

Well, thank you so much, Andy, I think you got something else to talk about.

<Andy> Yeah, just I picked us up out of our nursery at Riverbanks the other day.

This is a new sedum, a stonecrop that we're growing.

This one called Atlantis.

It's got the nice variegated foliage, and you know, it's gonna stay, I don't know, probably four to six inches tall max.

Be a nice little ground cover.

Here with variegated plants.

They're not for everyone.

Some people love them.

Some people hate them, you know, but it's definitely you know, it's definitely a little on the gaudy side, but you know, gaudy can be good in your landscape, but we haven't, we haven't sent this one through the winter yet, but I imagine if we have, you know, a normal Columbia, South Carolina winter, I imagine it'll stay evergreen.

Worst case, it might die back a little bit, but come back out in the spring.

<Amanda> Well, it'd be awfully pretty in a container mixture.

<Andy> Sure.

Yeah.

Great container plant.

It will kind of trail over the edge and look real nice.

<Amanda> And you get a little more effect because it is kind of small.

<Andy> Yeah.

When you bring that up to your eye a little more in a container, you'll get a little more of the wow factor for sure.

<Amanda> Yeah, yeah.

Well, that's fun.

I like it.

Yeah, yeah.

There's so many things that so many sedums and things coming at now.

A lot of people like them because they're not, don't require quite so much care.

<Andy> Right.

You know, they resent too, they resent a lot of water.

<Amanda> Yeah [laughs] There is such an interest.

I think everybody started doing a lot of backyard gardening when we were at home for a long time, and when you have a whole lot of stuff coming in, you want to do things with it, and so Clemson has a program, the Master Food Preserver Program, and we have some people involved in that to tell you all about it.

Well, today, I'm so happy to welcome two extension agents, although they are food systems and safety agents, or directors, and first I'd like to say welcome to Faith Isreal and you are a food systems and safety agent and you are based in three counties.

I think your home base is in Richland.

<Faith> That's correct.

I'm home base in Richland County, with additional duties in Fairfield and Kershaw Counties.

<Amanda> Okay, and then Dr. Kimberly Baker, thank you for coming all the way down from way in the upstate, and I think you oversee it this whole program and make sure that we're meeting all the needs, because their state needs and federal needs, there are lots of things to ensure that food is safely served and preserved.

<Kimberly> That's correct.

I'm the food systems and Safety Program team director.

<Amanda> Okay, well, I'm so glad y'all came.

Faith, y'all have a new program, I think that really addresses something that a lot of people enjoy, which is being a volunteer, and also getting more in depth knowledge of how to preserve food.

<Faith> Yes, we have a new program called the Master Food Preserver.

<Alright> And it's a certification for volunteers to come in, and to learn and give back to the community.

So we are extension of the extension agents to go out in the community and teach adults and youth how to safely preserve food.

<Alright> We're a non- bias research base information from South Carolina's Cooperative Extension and the U.S.D.A.

<Amanda> Alright, and then Kimberly, tell me about this program and what's actually required to complete it.

<Kimberly> Sure.

So this program is for people who already have experience with canning.

So they've already come in with some basic knowledge of home food preservation, home canning, and then we're going to teach them to go a little bit to the next level, understand that science a little bit more, and that's through a course that is an online course, and then they finish up with a two day in person training, and then finalize with some volunteer hours where they get some hands on training, through our agents and through our team to be able to be that extension of the team to go out in their communities and be basically a peer leader within the canning and the food preservation area.

<Amanda> I know, Faith, you grew up really enjoying 4-H activities.

And I know that in the summer, 4-H'er leaders often have summer programs that I imagined somebody who took this course Kimberly could go in and help the extension agent 4-H agent do that.

But also do it to adults in the community as well.

Is that correct?

<Faith> That is correct.

I have recently offered a youth canning class where we did jams and jellies as well.

So having that additional person who was certified to come in to provide that instruction will help provide outreach and be in communities where we are not at currently.

<Amanda> And there's a lot to this and, I was saying that I grew up and people were kind of afraid of pressure cookers, but not everything has to be canned in a pressure cooker.

So let's talk about some of the different ways that food can be preserved, Kimberly.

<Kimberly> Sure.

So an example that we have here today is an atmospheric steam canner and so most times most people are usually familiar with a water bath canner, and so, all the foods that are prepared and canned in a water bath canner can also be canned in a atmospheric steam canner.

So we have recently started teaching about that steam canner because only a few years ago was it approved for consumer use.

<Amanda> Now what kinds of foods can you use this for?

<Kimberly> that is only for foods that are naturally acid like our fruits and any acidified foods so like our sauces or pickles.

So anything that would go in a water bath canner could also go in and atmospheric steam canner <Amanda> And when I was younger, and growing a lot of tomatoes at that time, we thought you could preserve tomatoes safely this way but you say those rules have changed interestingly, <Kimberly> Yes, the rules have changed that tomatoes can still be canned in a water bath canner or steam canner but they need to be acidified.

So that's what the addition of citric acid, lemon juice or vinegar.

<Amanda> And that's because the composition of tomatoes has changed over the years with some of these new varieties that have been introduced that people are so interested in?

<Faith> That's correct.

So depending on which ones you're using, then you have to definitely acidify, and then you might can do the water bath canner steam canner or you get the pressure.

<Amanda> Okay, and I guess if we took your course we'd learn how to test it to be sure that it was acetic enough by whatever we'd added to to maybe tomatoes?

<Kimberly> We would talk about that science behind it.

For consumers, they oftentimes they're not going to understand you know how to test pH.

So we talk about using a science based recipe and why we need to acidify those tomatoes.

<Amanda> Okay, so it doesn't you don't have to be, you don't have to go, you don't have to get a PhD to understand how much acid to add.

<Kimberly> No, not in this level of canning.

We do that when a consumer wants to go to the next level and actually sell their food.

<Amanda> Okay, well, let's jump around a little bit because we could go to pressure canning, and that's what I think pressure cookers have evolved, and it's a very safe way if you use them correctly?

<Kimberly> That's correct.

Pressure canners are for our low acid vegetables.

So like potatoes, carrots, soups and our meat.

So that's primarily what we're putting in there, and yes, if they're properly maintained, then they can definitely be safe to use.

So a lot of times in our pressure canning classes, we're teaching people how to be comfortable with them, and a lot of times I recommend to start off with just some water and just get used to how to use the canner before actually putting any food in there.

<Amanda> Well, that's a good idea, because that way, you wouldn't ruin half of your wonderful vegetable garden produce.

<Exactly> What a smart idea.

And then what are some other ways that we preserve food?

<Faith> Well, in the class in their certification class, we're going to be doing some fermentation.

<Amanda> What was an example of something that would be fermented?

<Faith> One typical thing is like making sauerkraut.

<Okay> And then we're gonna be doing some freezing and some drying.

Everyone doesn't want to preserve.

So then if you have the space, then you can do that as well.

<Amanda> Okay, well, that's a lot of fun, and my children out in California are eating a lot of kimchi.

Is that a type of person preservation?

<Kimberly> Yes, that also is a fermented vegetable <It is> and it has become very popular, and we have a lot of questions usually about kimchi.

So we'll be able to focus on that as well.

<Amanda> Okay, so the online courses, do you take, do you have to be there every Tuesday at three o'clock in the afternoon did take it, or is it self paced?

<Faith> It is self paced, where each module will open up and you have a week to complete that for moving on to the next module.

<Okay> So we're going to be about a 10 week class, and then we'll have that in person two day intensive, where everything that they have learned, they can go ahead and get their hands on into the class and make some products and get comfortable with the equipment.

<Amanda> So that one there, y'all are then going to actually have them look going through the steps with the different types of preservation, and they're going to learn how to do it safely <Correct> and properly.

And then there's a period of time in which they're going to be giving back and I just think that's so nice.

A lot of, some people say, Oh, if it's worthwhile, they'd pay somebody to do it.

I think there's so much joy to come from doing something as a volunteer, and you know, these days, we've, we've come through such hard times, and to have a way to get back and connect with community, and perhaps make some new friends.

I just thought this was a wonderful idea.

<Kimberly> It sure is.

And it gets give somebody you know, someone that is already canning, that chance to go out and you know, teach others about it and share the joy.

Because a lot of times, it's not even just the method of preserving that we're looking at.

But just the fun that we have it looking at what look at what you have done, look at what we have produced and to be able to share that knowledge is just really special.

<Amanda> I think so.

Well, I want to thank, I think y'all was special to come down here and tell us about this, and if people want to know about how to sign up for the course or to get more information, where should they go?

<Kimberly> They can go to our website, and they'll be able to get to the registration link from there as well as more information about the course.

<Amanda> Okay, well, thank you all for making the trip down, and I hope that one of these cans is going to go home with me tonight.

I want to thank those girls for coming over and explaining this important topic to us.

And I hope that there's some of you out there who have a good volunteer heart and want to be involved in this.

Casey, some people just can't wait for the mums to show up at the garden center.

Do y'all experience that?

<Casey> We do.

Every year ended July or August, they're asking about mums and I'm like, it's too early.

So, we started getting the first ones in September, which we still think is a little too early.

So, usually it's good to wait till, I'd say first of October, they're gonna last longer for you.

They're blooms are not going to, you know, fade as quick.

So, October, October is a good time to get 'em, and another good piece of advice is water in from the bottom.

Don't just spray the tops, because the more water that goes on those blooms, the quicker they're going to, you know, lose their, <Amanda> And some of them you can pull apart and plant in the garden.

Some of them come back next year, some of them don't, but it doesn't hurt to try.

<Casey> Right!

Just be careful because sometimes they'll keep spreading and spreading.

So if you do put them in the ground.

[laughs ] <Amanda> Nothing's, nothing's without its, <Casey> That's right.

So just kind of have them in a contained area if you're going <Casey> to put them in the ground, <Amanda> Okay.

but yeah, they're good in planters even just to sit in the pot they come in on your front porch, and water is the main thing.

Hit them with some Miracle Grow to keep them growing.

<Amanda> Okay, well thank you.

Thank you all for being here, and thank you at home for being with us.

I hope you'll be with us next week, too.

♪ 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