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.

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♪ opening music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, good evening and welcome to Making It Grow.

We're so glad that you can join us for the special edition of Making It Grow.

I'm Amanda McNulty most of the time.

But today, I am a tree and I have I'm so lucky because I have a little bird that built her nest in me and she's feeding worms to her babies.

It's kind of a sweet thing to be.

However, I'm also a Clemson horticulture agent I get to come over here and have a good time.

We're having a particularly good time today Terasa Lott, because we're not just doing things like being the master gardener coordinator, are we?

<Terasa> No.

Halloween is probably the most fun show here at Making It Grow.

And we didn't really just plan our costumes, but I too am a tree.

I'm an oak tree, and I know you and I have discussed before that Doug Tallamy talks about oaks as being the most productive trees.

That genus supports over 900 species of caterpillars.

<Amanda> 900?

I learned it as 500.

I guess they found more.

That's pretty crazy.

<Terasa> Yeah.

And so the energy that the trees are capturing is then being transferred to the caterpillars and then moving up because those will often be fed to baby birds.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Yeah.

And people have told me.

Well, I don't want to plant an oak tree because I don't want to have caterpillars dropping all over me.

Well, caterpillars don't drop off the trees.

They stay on the trees.

<Terasa> Usually >> Nice little pro legs or something with little things that help them hold on tight.

So do not worry that they will just fall off on you.

<Terasa> That's right.

And people sometimes get worried about the damage.

But I don't know about you.

I have never really noticed the damage on the oak tree.

With a few exceptions, there are a few more pestiferous I guess you would say caterpillars, but usually the trees can tolerate the feeding just fine.

That's what they're made to do.

<Amanda> Yes.

That's a wonderful balance in nature, isn't it?

Adam Gore, you are the hort agent in Sumter in your normal life, <Adam> Right, Amanda.

<Amanda> Today's not particularly normal for anybody.

>> No, not today.

Today is a beautiful day in Sumter.

All of my friends are coming with me as we try to do our best Australian impersonation of the one and only crocodile hunter, (Amanda laughs) <Amanda> And that is a miniature crocodile.

<Adam> This is just my salty little... <Amanda> Tell us about her.

<Adam> So this.

This is my office mascot.

This is a leopard gecko.

They are originally from Pakistan and India, preferring a semi-arid environment, but now she hangs out with me in my downtown office, being the good ole mascot.

<Amanda> And you have to bring her insects.

I guess sometimes?

<Adam> I do.

She likes a combination of crickets and mealworms.

<Amanda> Oh, she can eat a cricket?

<Adam> She can.

Actually when they get full grown, you can actually feed them small pink mice.

<Amanda> Whoa.

<Adam> Very rare.

<Amanda> How big is she going to get?

<Adam> She is almost full size.

She'll get maybe up to ten inches.

<Amanda> Huh.

And so you could get like baby mice for them.

<Adam> You can.

They're called Pinkies.

<Amanda> Pinkies.

Okay.

Cool!

<Adam> She'll store her fat reserves right in here, and she can go anywhere from two, two weeks to a month without eating When she gets really stressed or they get into their mating cycles, they'll go a bit of time without eating.

<Amanda> Well, I just think she's beautiful.

And you said she actually could lose that tail if need be.

<Adam> She can like a lot of lizards.

They can detach the tail when they feel threatened.

But what makes her different from other geckos is she actually has an eyelid that can close vertically as well as she doesn't have pads.

Most geckos, we think of them climbing up windows, but she has nails.

<Amanda> Walking across the ceiling or something.

<Adam> Right.

So instead she has nails which help with her in her rocky climb.

<Amanda> Of course.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, I'm so glad she came to visit us today.

Thank you.

This is really, really a treat.

And she matches your hair.

<Adam> She does.

<Amanda> Just wonderful.

It was all planned.

(laughs) Carmen Ketron, sometimes you are helping people with horticulture questions over in Florence and Darlington, but today you have a different aspect.

<Carmen> Yes.

Today I am an employee of Munchkin Flower Shop and I brought a specimen for us.

<Amanda> Whoa.

<Carmen> I found her after the full eclipse of the sun at a small store.

And ideally I call her Audrey II.

<Amanda> Whoa.

<Carmen> Yes.

She's very nice.

I'm a big fan.

Big fan.

Absolutely.

Been growing her.

She's wonderful.

I came here today to kind of just show you all the glories of new and exotic species.

Some might say invasive, but, I just love her so much.

<Amanda> Aha.

And I believe that she meets her demise.

But unfortunately, she's already <Carmen> procreated.

Yes.

Yes.

This is actually a pup off of her after the original Audrey, too.

You never want you always want to make sure that you keep all your invasives incorporated into a pot before you let them out in nature.

But, man, she's a nice one.

<Amanda> Once they get going.

<Carmen> Ah!

<Amanda> Whew!

<Carmen> Gotta watch out.

<Amanda> Oh, and your... Oh, you've got Oh Goodness.

Goodness.

<Carmen> No.

She lives off of water and minerals.

Lots of happy minerals.

<Amanda> Oh.

Goodness.

<Carmen> Make sure she's got her little pot.

<Amanda> Sunlight.

<Carmen> Sunlight.

Light sunlight.

<Amanda> Water on Thursday and an occasional meal.

<Carmen> Exactly.

One of those carnivorous plants <Amanda> So when, so when she's hungry, you just I see that you... <Carmen> Just a little.

<Amanda> Oh.

Oh, oh.

(laughing) <Carmen> We don't know where she's from.

It's almost like she's a green little monster from outer space.

<Amanda> Oh.

Well, we're so glad she came today to Sumter to be in our Making It Grow studio.

Thank you.

Ooh, la la la la.

You be sure you take her with you.

<Carmen> I will.

I'll take her home with me.

<Amanda> I've got some Band-Aids, but I don't have enough to put up with her for a long time.

<Carmen> Do you have any enemies?

I'm happy to take them off your hands.

<Amanda> Oh, well, you know, maybe we could come up with some ideas there.

(laughing) Dr. John Nelson, retired curator of the Herbarium at the University of South Carolina.

But today, a different aspect of Dr. John the mystery doctor.

You are the mystery person.

<Dr.

John> Look, I'm not much of a mystery to me.

I'm Danny from Grease.

(Amanda laughing) <Dr.

John> And you know what he likes to say to people that he likes a lot?

(singing) You're the one that I love.

The one that I love.

Whew Whew Whew (laughing) <Amanda> Well, it's reciprocal.

How about that?

<Dr.

John> Thanks.

Glad to know that.

<Amanda> Thank you for coming.

Oh, goodness gracious.

Well, Terasa, we usually have some gardens of the week.

And I don't know if people have sent in things that had pumpkins in them or things like that.

I guess you'll surprise us.

<Terasa> I will.

So, I did put out a call for Gardens of the Week with a Halloween or fall theme and had many submissions.

We are beginning today with Seven Springs Farm.

They shared a monarch on mist flower.

So we have the orange and the monarch and kind of the purpley blue on the mist flower that is reminiscent of Halloween.

From Betty Bates, a curcuma species often known as hidden ginger.

The white parts of this are actually bract.

So sometimes people, will think the bract is the flower, but the white is the bract.

Cyndi Panzer sent in a landscape bed and of course, it's accented with a pumpkin and a jack o lantern from Marsha Hopper, a plethora of pumpkins.

I don't even think we could count the number in this photo.

And they are accented with some mums.

Gloria Wade shared a pumpkin that had been filled with succulents.

So sort of an unusual use for a pumpkin as a container.

And then we finish up with Vickie Benjamin.

Vickie said the photo was taken by a friend.

The subject was made by a friend.

This is a pumpkin and it has a puppy in it.

Built from flowers.

Of course, not a real puppy, but a very realistic looking.

I was very impressed.

I do not think I have that kind of creative talent, otherwise I might have given it a try.

<Amanda> Well, thank you.

And thank you to all the people who submit these.

And I think people can see them can go to our Facebook page and see them again.

<Terasa> That is right.

As long as they were posted to our Facebook page, I get them all sorts of ways and sometimes even smoke signals, I think.

But all of the ones that are on our Facebook page are there for you to enjoy right at your fingertips.

And Terasa, you said that you didn't consider yourself particularly creative, but I think you are.

And I think a little bit later we're going to have a of a group project.

Terasa>We are.

Some alternatives to pumpkin jack o' lanterns.

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, that's fun.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All righty.

Well, I imagine that we have some questions.

And can we see if we can help some people?

<Terasa> Oh, we can.

But, you know, today we're doing things a little bit differently, since it's Halloween season and we can take some liberty.

And so Adam has, I guess we'll say, a rather unusual plant that he's been growing to show off that really fits the Halloween theme.

<Adam> Right.

So, you know, with being it Halloween, nothing says horror like the smells of rotten flesh and brings out just you know, if you're just trying to entice the zombies to come through, you know, and you don't want to commit a crime, that's going to put you in jail for a while, so.

we can mimic our rotten flesh smell with some of our succulents, and in this case, this is carrion flower <Amanda> Carmen.

Can you let your creature...?

Audrey, We don't like this is too much, too much drama and threatening, I think.

<Terasa> I'm very thankful that it's not in flower now.

<Adam> Yes.

So again, this is carrion flower.

Stapelia gigantea Reason for gigantea is it will actually have this time of year a 5 to 6 inch starfish shaped flower.

And with gigantea, the flower is kind of a cream color with some red into it.

But what was interesting to me, One is it's a very hairy flower It's covered in tri-cones.

<Amanda> A hairy flower, so don't- sniff at your own peril.

<Adam> So.

So it's meant to mimic rotting flesh.

So it attracts it's pollinator everyone thinks of, oh, butterflies.

And, lovers, Oh no.

This is going after the oldest style of pollination, going after flies.

<Amanda> Whoa.

<Adam> So the smell attracts flies, and then the texture and color of a flower itself mimics that of, say, a rotting corpse.

So it's hairy.

(Amanda laughs) It's kind of cream colored.

It's just another adaptation that makes plants really interesting.

So a lot of people will grow this as a succulent that they bring inside their house.

because everyone's favorite scented candle is rotting flesh.

<Terasa> I mean.

I look for it every time I go to the store.

<Adam> So these type of plants, it is a succulent.

It comes from a very airy climate.

<Amanda> I was going to ask you where it occurs in nature.

<Adam> Western Africa, very arid areas.

<Amanda> Really?

<Adam> Yes, ma'am.

So six plus hours of sunlight, We're watering it very sparingly.

Similar to a lot of your other cacti.

This isn't a true cactus.

<Amanda> What are the chances of having one flower if you have one?

<Adam> As as long as it's receiving the amount of sunlight?

I find it acts a lot like some of our Christmas cactus.

Easter cacti.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Adam> If you are extending the amount of sunlight that they get throughout the summer, they normally will bloom fairly well.

Now, with a lot of these, you don't have multiple, multiple bloom.

You'll have a lot of buds that to me they almost look like Chinese lantern when before they open.

<Amanda> My goodness.

>> But then once one opens, they'll have a lot of buds just drop off and people think it's, Oh, something's happening, <Amanda> Something's wrong, but it's just its normal way of going about business.

<Adam> But it's just another nice little addition to a succulent family.

The biggest issue I've had with them is these do not like to be below 50 degrees.

<Amanda> Oh.

<Adam> So and so that's why.

<Terasa> It's already dropped below that.

<Adam> Right.

<Terasa> So you forgot to bring it in?

<Adam> Yeah.

You know I have some that we actually did lose a majority of this plant last year when we had that sudden freeze.

<Amanda> Yeah, Yeah.

<Adam> So this is one summer's worth of growth coming off of a single stem.

<Amanda> My word.

Whoa.

<Adam> Yes.

<Amanda> Okay.

Are they a pretty easy for people to find?

If they want to have one at their house?

<Adam> They can be.

And if you have, <Amanda> They're in the tree.

<Adam> Right.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Adam> Yes, ma'am.

So also, if you just want to give one as a gift, as a cutting, you'll take about three and a half to four inches.

Let it lie in the sunlight for about a week to form a callus over that fresh cutting area.

And then from there, you stick it into ground, keep it reasonably moist.

We don't want our soil mixture just to stay wet for very long.

So you do like a cacti mix.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Adam> And then from there it will take root.

And within a year you start to see, you know, a fairly reasonable growth.

<Amanda> I've never smelled one.

I'd love the smell one.

<Adam> Oh, if you go by some of your local landfills, you'll get a close resemblance.

(Amanda laughs) <Amanda> Well, thank you.

That was a very good comparison.

Thank you for giving me that alternative.

All righty.

Well, Terasa, this is.

Are we going to do something else that reflects Halloween?

<Terasa> Yes.

Well, you know, with Audrey II's appearance on the show, it's only fitting that we delve into the world of meat eating plants.

<Amanda> Ooh!

Woo woo, woo!

Gracious.

Well, Carmen, whom have you brought?

<Carmen> I have brought a selection of carnivorous plants in a lovely planter.

A lot of people are getting really excited about bog planters as a fun, a fun alternative to your typical planter.

So unlike our dry succulent, that Steve Irwin over here brought us this one needs a lot of moisture, consistently wet.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Carmen> A lot of our beautiful carnivorous plants, if you want to keep them in a planter, you've got to keep them the right way.

This is my mother's.

And so she loves on it dearly.

I don't have the patience for keeping it uniformly moist and giving it the right sunlight, but it's very nice.

A lot of really great native nurseries around the state right now are offering these new bog planters.

So it's kind of something fun to have.

<Amanda> Yeah, I know Roots and Shoots is one that seems to have that - John, talk about what happens when sadly sometimes when people decide they want to get something and they're out wandering around and run into it.

<Dr.

John> You mean a carnivorous plant?

<Amanda> Yes.

<Dr.

John> Well... <Amanda> It doesn't bite their leg off?

<Dr.

John> No.

These are of course, they're, they pose no danger to human beings, but they do pose a danger to little, little critters that for whatever reason, might end up on the top of the the hollow leaf there and end up down on the bottom.

But it's certain that we do have cases of...carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants being rustled, shall we say, in nature and dug up and taken to a garden.

<Amanda> So be sure that you go to an ethical source and as you said, they're available.

Now, what is the purpose of capturing insects?

Because that plant is lovely and green and I imagine it's photosynthesizing, you know, all the time when the sun's out.

<Carmen> A lot of the times and Dr. John would be able to correct me if I'm wrong, but from those boggy peat environments where they've established they really just need minerals and stuff from the insects instead.

<Terasa> Nitrogen.

<Carmen> Nitrogen, instead of the soil.

<Amanda> It really is kind of fun, I think, because those places have a real low pH and we tell people, you know, that if you look at the scale of when nutrients are available, if it's a real low pH, and nitrogen's not available, and so it's just so cool that they can get that, that need.

<Dr.

John> It's these nitrogen bearing compounds are like those little bugs and things are loaded with them.

So.

<Carmen> And remember, you want if we're going to do a container pot like this, you have to make sure that you're giving the same kind of environment to these plants, so we don't need a high fertilizer potting mix in these containers.

It's like equal parts sphagnum peat moss and horticultural sand.

<Amanda> So does this one sit outside in the summer and capture insects?

<Carmen> Yes, it does.

It's.

It's, bright sunlight, loves a 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.

And it's so fun to just sit there and watch it.

That's what my mom does in her retirement, is just watch her little plants.

<Amanda> Awe.

<Carmen> -just go to work.

<Amanda> And this one is passive about capturing its nitrogen source.

But John, I believe there are some that are active.

Is that correct?

<Dr.

John> Well, sure and this business of active versus passive is sort of a chain of mechanism, but with pitcher plants, they're pretty, as you say, pretty passive and just attracting little critters to, as I said, fall down into the until a little lake down at the bottom of that hollow leaf and drown, and then, oh, it's, It is sort of sad but now what you're talking about the active carnivorous plants are, I guess, best personified by a Venus flytrap, <Amanda> -which.

I think is very limited in where it occurs.

And mostly, I think right here in our wonderful state of South Carolina <Dr.

John> -and North Carolina, as far as being native.

<Amanda> Yeah.

And so what does it do?

<Dr.

John> Well, that's a completely different family.

And the flower, for one thing, the flowers don't look anything alike when they're blooming.

And the mode of action is also completely different in that Venus flytrap will have its leaf divided at the very tip.

into two more or less equally shaped halves that will slam shut on a little critter that is attracted to the meat colored interior, of those little halves.

<Amanda> Now, is it does it have a sticky substance in it that helps make sure that the insect stays there while it closes?

<Dr.

John> As they say, Amanda, it's complicated, but there's a lot of things going on with water pressure that keeps those two halves of the leaves closed, you know, pretty tightly.

And, and also there's a row of long bristles on each side, sort of like a jail cell, And once that thing is closed, the little critter can't get out.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Dr.

John> In fact, if you can look at these thing once, once the leaf has closed down on a victim, it presses tightly, pretty tightly.

And it's, oh, yeah, <Amanda> Squeezes it.

>> So they yeah, <Amanda> Goodness gracious >> they demise pretty quickly.

<Amanda> Oh.

I'm glad it's not a long and painful way towards becoming nitrogen.

<Dr.

John> Well is nice Very Halloween-ish.

<Amanda> Ewww!

Well that was certainly fun.

And your mother in law must have an interesting appreciation of the world.

She likes to sit here and think about what's going on inside there.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

All right.

Well, Terasa what should we do now?

<Terasa> Well, we're certainly keeping things interesting today.

A little different than maybe our normal kind of happy utopia of flowers around the world.

I think.

You know, we had the stinkiness earlier from Adam's flower.

I think we might have another stinking flower to talk about from Dr. John.

<Amanda> Goodness.

I'm going to let you move that wonderful thing off so that we can see better what John's got for us.

<Amanda> Well.

It looks like you've been to the herbarium.

<Dr.

John> I went to the herbarium.

<Amanda> Yes.

<Dr.

John> And I've been able to borrow a couple of specimens that- Let me take my shades off here.

Oh, I'll still be cool, I think.

<Amanda>-and tell us who is doing such a wonderful job filling your shoes up there.

<Dr.

John> The curator of the herbarium in Columbia is Dr. Herrick Brown, who is one of my former students.

<Amanda> He's -and he also is a guest with us.

<Dr.

John> Oh, yeah.

<Amanda> We're very happy when he comes to see us.

<Dr.

John> Oh, sure.

You know, hopefully he'll be on again soon.

But what I wanted to bring around were a couple of specimens of the very same the same species.

In fact, the same plant collected at different times.

So this is a specimen of what we call a voodoo lily.

And that's very Halloweeny.

The voodoo lily.

(whistles) And it's kind of takes a little bit of explaining to get across what this thing is, but you'll see that it is a specimen of a plant that has been dissected away from the living plant.

And you can see that it's been pressed and dried, and there's a label indicating where it came from.

<Amanda> Lots of labels on that one.

<Dr.

John> Yeah, this one's had a lot of, a lot of go rounds, and what you can see here is that there is a large I don't know what you what you call this.

It's sort of a big crazy looking thing that sort of meat colored.

And then we go back to what Adam was talking about, a meat colored thing that might be able to attract insects.

Now, this isn't exactly the flower, this large thing, but it's a sort of a flattened bract that wraps around the flowers themselves.

The flowers are- Let me hold this thing.

The flowers are tiny, tiny flowers that are on a central spike.

<Amanda> Okay.

So that's what that is.

<Dr.

John> And they're wrapped and they're completely wrapped up by that meat colored rag.

And the thing about this plant is we're talking about what these things smell like and this thing grow in my backyard.

<Amanda> No.

<Dr.

John> Oh, yeah.

<Amanda> Come on.

<Dr.

John> It came.

The original bulb came from Florida, but it grew for several years in my backyard.

And when it blooms in the summer, it smells like a dead rat.

They will- You know, there are some things that are really stinky.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Dr.

John> A dead rat is one of them.

<Amanda> It is.

<Dr.

John> You know what a dead turtle.

That's pretty nasty, too, or a possum.

But a rat is somehow a dead rat in your garden.

-how many, And if, you're, Terasa>I mean, it makes me want to just run out and get one.

<Dr.

John> I bet it does.

Of course you would, and...then the cool thing about it is when it's in full bloom, the top of the flower spike will have flies all over it.

<Amanda> Come on.

<Dr.

John> Oh, yeah.

Now let me show you, Read and tell me when this specimen was made and what year?

<Amanda> 2004 <Dr.

John> 2004.

Wow!

<Amanda> Well, it certainly has kept its color.

You would think would have faded more.

So it's very vibrantly fleshy, nasty colored.

<Dr.

John> Light, like me.

Now have a second specimen of the very same plant.

<Amanda> Oh.

<Dr.

John> The very same individual plant.

<Amanda> Oh, they're from the same plant?

<Dr.

John> Same plant in my backyard, the same plant.

And let me ask you.

I'll ask Carmen.

Carmen, When was this one...?

<Amanda> She has her eyeglasses on.

She'll have to use them.

<Dr.

John> Because I can't see anything <Carmen> Oh, May 2019.

<Dr.

John> 2019.

So this one was 15 years later when it was still blooming.

And if you're interested in a really cool plant that happens to be smelly when it blooms, it's got beautiful, beautiful leaves.

Unfortunately, I don't have the leaves, <Amanda> But the leaves are attractive?

<Dr.

John> The leaves are beautiful and they're almost palm shaped.

The thing about it is it blooms like this.

This would be the flowering portion of the plant.

There aren't any leaves to look at.

And then after they... <Amanda> Oh!

<Dr.

John> Right.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Dr.

John> And so after, After the dead meat and the dead rats go away, then the leaves come up.

<Amanda> And they're attractive?

<Dr.

John> Oh, they're very attractive, and they're, they too are sort of spotted red or purple, sort of like... <Amanda> Mercy me.

Now, where's this?

Where do we find this in nature?

<Dr.

John> In Southeastern Asia.

<Amanda> Whoa!

>> and I didn't say the name of it, but the genus is if you're interested in acquiring one, would be Amorphopallus.

<Amanda> Amorphopallus.

<Dr.

John> And there are several related genera that would probably work in cultivation.

<Amanda> Goodness gracious.

So this survived in your yard in Columbia, <Dr.

John> Right.

<Amanda> It's not bringing it in and out?

<Dr.

John> No, no.

It doesn't have to be brought inside, even though it I got it from Florida.

It did quite well in Central, South Carolina for...

It's still there.

<Amanda> Sadly, the way things are going now you know, things are just getting more and more like Central Florida.

<Dr.

John>Yeah, true.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Yeah.

Goodness gracious.

Well, and so what's the common name?

<Dr.

John> A Voodoo Lily?

<Amanda> A Voodoo Lily.

Golly.

<Dr.

John> Or we could call it dead rat lily.

(laughing) <Amanda> Terasa, we need to do Halloween more often, don't we?

<Terasa> We do.

I'm thinking maybe that's an alternative to if you don't enjoy your neighbors.

So you could.

<Amanda> Woo.

<Terasa> I didn't say that.

(laughing) <Amanda> Oh, my goodness gracious.

There you go.

And you could even have a fan gently blowing on it to push the scent in the direction need be.

<Terasa> It's a good thing Halloween only comes once a year.

(laughing) <Amanda> Terasa, obviously you have gone back into your teacher mode and you are going to tell us pupils that we have an assignment.

<Terasa> Yes, I have a captive audience, so you all get to be my willing participants.

I don't know how willing that is, but I thought it would be fun for us to explore some alternatives to traditional jack o' lanterns using things that are not pumpkins.

You know, carving can be quite difficult and potentially hazardous, especially pumpkins are hard to carve into.

So one option is to just use paint or paint markers.

Even something like a Sharpie will work.

And so I have an example here where I took a butternut squash and just used some markers on there to draw a cute face.

And then we can even use this.

So once we're done, the harder squashes like this will keep pretty well.

<Amanda> Yeah, they will.

<Terasa> And after the season is done, we can use that.

Some other alternatives if you still want to carve, I have made an example using a variety of things.

So we have our pineapple, a potato, an onion and an apple.

<Amanda> And apparently the pineapple had a huge amount of hair goop for it's hair because I just I'm seeing that as it's hair, of course.

It's standing up on end, which might happen to people during Halloween, I mean.

<Terasa> That is good.

I hadn't even thought about that, but I do really like how it looks with, with that left on there.

So for each of the carvings, it gets a little more complicated because you have to figure out how to hollow out the insides.

So let's start with something easy.

I brought a clementine for all of you and you should have a Sharpie marker.

So what you can do is draw a face, whatever design you like.

You could even write a message on there.

I thought this would be cute to put in a child's lunch, if you're packing lunch for school.

And of course they're going to peel off that rind.

So, you know, no worries about ingesting the ink or anything.

<Amanda> Although, you know, I like to eat rind.

Pieces of it.

I think it has a very nice flavor.

<Terasa> Do you really?

<Amanda> Yes, I do.

But, you know.

<Terasa> I have used it in baking recipes before <Amanda> when you grate it.

<Terasa> Yes.

But I have never it's a little bitter, isn't it?

<Amanda> Well, you know, I'm a grazer.

<Terasa> You never know you can give it a try.

You know, during Halloween, candy is abundant, and that might not be desirable for a whole host of reasons.

So doing something cute like this on a lunchbox <Amanda> That's fun <Terasa> might be a way to encourage more vegetable and fruit consumption and a little less candy consumption.

Okay, What have we got on yours, Steve?

<Adam> Crikey.

<Terasa> Of course.

It's Crikey.

That was perfect.

I'll have to admit that I looked online for these ideas.

So these were not of my own creation.

<Amanda> Oh, don't be so self-effacing.

You have an incredible imagination.

<Terasa> Thank you.

<Dr.

John> I have a sad o' lantern.

<Terasa> I love it.

So I'm sure you're wondering what the peppers are for.

Well, this is where we get to try our hand at carving, if you like.

So the first step is going to be to cut off the top and then hollow out the inside.

Now, do this very carefully.

We rounded up a whole bunch of different.

<Amanda> This is one of the prettiest peppers I've ever seen.

Did you polish it?

<Terasa> I had to hunt at the store to make sure I found peppers that would stand up.

<Amanda> Oh.

<Terasa> you know, some of them don't stand up very well, depending on the shape of the bottom.

So I'm sure people were wondering why I was taking the peppers and putting them on the shelf before I brought them home.

<Amanda> Well, and I guess if you were going to make stuffed peppers, you would want them to be able to stand up too.

<Terasa> Well, and that's a great use for the peppers.

And so you could once you're done carving them, you could stuff them and have them as a meal if you're having a Halloween themed party.

<Amanda> And I'd like to thank we have some beautiful pumpkins out front and McLeod Farms is one of our underwriters that I was up there visiting and they let me bring some of these wonderful pumpkins home.

<Terasa> different shapes and colors and textures.

<Amanda> Yeah, aren't they fun!

Yeah, there's, yeah, there's a lot more than just an orange, the traditional orange pumpkin isn't there?

<Terasa> But once you have your pepper top off and have the inside hollowed out, then it's time to make your creation.

If you are like me, I wanted to draw on there first before I carved.

<Carmen> -a great idea.

(laughing) <Amanda> Thank you, Terasa.

You are a very good schoolteacher.

<Terasa> Or you can just wing it, whatever floats your boat.

<Amanda> And for people who don't know you, you were a school teacher at one time.

<Terasa> I was.

Yes, Yes.

I taught high school biology, interestingly enough.

<Amanda> So you're accustomed to telling people how to use knives for, when they had to cut off, cut things off.

<Terasa> Yes.

we had to dissect some critters.

So, I mean, it's pretty simple.

You just make your face and then what, I thought instead of using a real tea light, which might be a hazard, especially if you plan on consuming this, you can now get LED tea lights that are battery operated.

So I brought some of those and we can we can put them in and take a look and see what they look, if they look spooky in the dark.

A few things to note about the different options that I used.

The pineapple you can't really draw on ahead of time because it's so rough textured.

And even when I was carving, I could not really see the line of what I was carving.

<Amanda> Oh yeah.

<Terasa> It made it very difficult for me.

<Amanda> Difficult...

Challenging.

<Terasa> The onion.

I went ahead and cut not only the top off, but also the bottom to be able to get the inside of the onion out.

It was a little difficult to get the inside out without tearing the skin.

And when I carved it, I left a layer of onion so I didn't go all the way through thinking it might look neat with that light shining through.

<Amanda> Oh, that sounds fun.

<Terasa> Onion layer.

And the apple, I did dip it in a mixture of lemon juice and water so that it wouldn't turn so brown, you know, on its trip here to Sumter.

<Amanda> I like the way the potato is black on the inside.

It makes it real ghoulish.

In my opinion.

<Terasa> It does.

And that just happened naturally.

I think I picked up the onion and put it- There we go.

All right.

So do we have some finished, finished products over there?

<Dr.

John>I wish I could make some hair somehow.

<Terasa> I should have brought some additional materials.

<Dr.

John> Are you going to use that one?

<Amanda> Not if you want it.. <Dr.

John> I'll think I'll... let me try this.

<Terasa> So we were talking about perhaps not wanting children to have so much candy at Halloween.

So if you're having a party, this would be a great idea to perhaps encourage that fruit and vegetable consumption.

All the pineapple that you take out when you core it can be chunked up and served.

Of course, you could do strips of peppers with some kind of a fun dip.

I've seen some really neat ideas.

Can draw on a clear plastic cup of Frankenstein, kind of a face and fill it with grapes.

Cheese sticks you can purchase like mozzarella cheese sticks, you can draw on the packaging to make it look like a ghost.

<Amanda> Goodness gracious.

<Terasa> So all sorts of neat ideas.

Oh my goodness.

I am so impressed.

I gave you very few materials and relatively little direction and you have created some masterpieces.

Is that Pinocchio?

<Dr.

John> I think it's sort of Pinocchio relative.

(Terasa laughs) <Dr.

John> Pinocchio's delicious.

<Terasa> Good job.

Thank you all for being willing to carve up some, some green peppers and show them off on the show.

Perhaps we've given some folks some ideas.

Oh, Carmen's going to give the peel a bite.

She's testing out the... And what do we think?

Kind of bitter?

<Carmen> It's definitely got the bitter.

We...they used to simmer these in simmer pots <Terasa> Yeah.

<Carmen> I always liked the smell of it but I don't know that's the part I'm going to indulge in.

But... (laughing) <Adam> This is the future for Carmen's child.

Eat your fruits and vegetables.

<Terasa> There you go.

<Carmen> This is definitely going to be a new activity.

I love it.

<Terasa> Sometimes we have to kind of bribe to get them in.

Right?

So when I was carving the onion, I was at home, of course, doing this.

And my husband making chili, he's like, Oh, I can use that onion.

I said, Yes, please.

So we don't really want to encourage you to haul it out just to make food waste.

Always good, if we can put it to use.

<Carmen> And all compostable at the end of the day.

<Terasa> And of course when you make compost, it's like making your own gold, right?

Because then you can put it back in your garden raised beds.

Use it to mix in your pots and recycling those nutrients.

<Dr.

John> Now mine's finished.

<Terasa> It's complete now?

I love it.

You all get an A and a gold star.

<Amanda> Oh, thank you.

My mom will be so pleased that I behaved at school.

(laughing) That was fun Terasa.

That was really, really fun.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, but I guess we ought to do some of what we're supposed to do, which is try to help people with problems or questions.

<Terasa> We probably should.

So this is a question coming in from Brent in Travelers Rest.

He said, I battle annual bluegrass every year and I just can't seem to get ahead of it.

What am I doing wrong?

It sounds like Brent is horrified by his bluegrass problem.

(laughing and eerie whistle) <Amanda> Oh, I guess he wants that perfect, perfect lawn.

Well, Adam, there are people who really just don't ever want anything else going on out in that lawn, so is there something he can do to avoid this?

<Adam> Well, for turf aficionados, if you want a real horror movie, you know, that's annual bluegrass would be the star.

<Amanda> Oh, really?

Whoa!

<Adam> So annual bluegrass is a cool season plant.

That about 80% of it germinates during the month of October in South Carolina.

So a lot of people will just wait for it to come up.

In the past, they would wait for it to come up and they would spray it.

When all of our warm season grasses go dormant, they would spray it with a broad spectrum.

Herbicide like Roundup, that only works on things that are actively growing.

Well- <Amanda> Oh, so it wouldn't it didn't hurt the Centipede or Saint Augustine if it was there.

<Adam> Right!

But the issue and especially we see it seriously with annual bluegrass is when you use the same product year after year after year, you see evolution in your lifetime <Amanda> -in action.

<Adam> It's forced selection, so you'll see herbicide resistance develop.

<Amanda> So one or two seeds are going to escape or one or two plants are going to escape the herbicide just because of, you know, just natural genetic... <Adam> Right.

<Amanda> ability?

<Adam> Just as at this table, all, we're all human beings, with our genetics just a little bit different.

<Amanda> Yeah!

<Adam> Plants operate the same way.

There's just a little bit genetic diversity and herbicides.

The way they work is they target a very select action.

So when you have a plant that doesn't function the exact same way, that herbicide won't work.

However, it's still able to reproduce.

So that...<Amanda> so it makes lots of seeds that are going to probably have some of the genetic material of the parent, And so all of a sudden you've got a yard full of annual bluegrass.

<Adam> That doesn't respond... <Amanda> plants coming up.

Oh!

<Adam> So to Brent's original question, what can he do if he's in warm season grasses?

What we would encourage is to use three different types of herbicides.

And when I say that, I don't mean you go and buy glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in Roundup.

You don't buy it under the names of Roundup and Eraser and another thing.

So that's still the same herbicide just because it has a different brand name.

<Amanda> Okay, <Adam> You know, we're looking at three different modes of actions.

<Amanda> Whoa!

That's a lot of going out and buying stuff.

<Adam> Annual bluegrass has become such a problem.

That it's the first grass in the turf grass industry that actually warranted a United States grant to investigate how it works.

It's become that problematic.

So for Brent, it's about proper timing and you can't really make recommendations without knowing what type of grass he has.

I hope he has a warm season grass, because if he has tall fescue up there in Travelers Rest, he is in a pickle.

(laughing) Quite the pickle.

So that's how I'd start.

Look at using three different modes of actions and we're going to use it early because once these plants get established, we're using a lot more products and as trying to be good environmental stewards, I know everyone thinks of turf grass.

We just go and pour stuff out there.

We do try to be good environmental stewards.

So we try to hit early so that we don't have to use more than absolutely necessary.

<Amanda> Oh, goodness.

Or just, you know, maybe a head adjustment would be easier than trying to eradicate the bluegrass.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, goodness gracious.

Well, that was probably not what he wanted to hear, but that's the truth.

And I'm so glad that you talked about that, because otherwise he might just keep going out there and spraying again and again and again and again and again to no avail.

<Adam> Right.

<Amanda> Okay.

And those things can be very pricey, too.

<Adam> They can be.

<Amanda> All right.

Well, Terasa.

<Terasa> Well, Amanda it can be a little bit spooky when something pops up and you didn't put it there.

Ollie in Mullins wrote in and said, I just moved here last spring and this fall I'm seeing funky red flowers pop up in abandoned yard, cemeteries and ditches and it seems random.

Is this a native flower?

(laughing) <Amanda> Surprise!

Well Carmen, Let's talk about this wonderful, wonderful, beautiful plant.

<Carmen> Yes.

As soon as I heard about this, I knew exactly what flower she was talking about.

And it is not native, a Lycoris radiata.

It's actually from China or Japan.

But it has become so naturalized that every great aunt, grandmother and sister in town has one.

And a lot of the times ...they stay and they'll pop up even after people have left their homes.

It's very well adjusted and like we were talking about it, it almost appears a lot of people will call them naked ladies because they won't have any leaf structures...

It'll just almost seem like during the late summer, early fall, that they pop out of nowhere.

And a lot of the times I've heard, I always knew it as naked ladies, But a lot of people will call it a corpse flower or a Hurricane lily because it often brings.

It often... <Amanda> We call that Spider lilies too, you know?

<Carmen> Exactly.

But and that was the one thing is when I will call a Spider lily, everyone has an idea of different Spider lilies <Amanda> Oh, do they?

<Carmen> Like the white one people are asking for the white spider lilies that you often see around the swamp areas?

A lot of those, but this one, this is.

This is one of my grandmother's favorites, but a lot of people will dig them up just like amaryllis bulbs and propagate them, and they'll stay for years and years, almost in a naturalized setting.

<Amanda> One of the things I love, there's a place in Saint Matthews is where I live, where there's an old, old, old yard and they come up in the middle of the grass where walkways used to be, which I just think is so much fun.

It's like seeing a glimpse into the past of what the previous people had done for, you know, for landscaping.

It's just the most wonderful thing.

I believe it's the most popular lily used in the cut flower trade in the Asian country from which it comes.

And it just is beautiful in arrangements and they have some different colors, but I don't think that they persist as well as this one.

This one is just wonderful for lasting forever and ever.

<Carmen> Yes, it's very famous, especially for kids who are into Asian anime.

This is idolized in almost advertised in a lot of the cartoons now and so all of the younger kids they'll know it as the the lily in the cartoons for that reason.

<Amanda> And John you say they don't reproduce from seed.

<Dr.

John> They don't make seeds.

(Amanda laughs) <Amanda> They don't make seeds.

<Dr.

John> They don't.

It's what they call, what we scientists like to call a sterile triploid, which means it's got so many chromosomes in its little cells that it's not able to do the reproductive thing as far as seeds goes.

<Amanda> I do, I believe I'm correct in saying this, Carmen that it's never like some bulbs are dormant and you can leave them on the washing machine until you get out in the yard and plant them.

But this one, as I understand it, the bulb is always alive.

It doesn't have a dormant phase.

And so if you go get one, take it home and plan it immediately.

<Carmen> Exactly.

Yes.

Full sun.

But really anywhere honestly, that has a little bit of sun that I've seen them under trees.

They are very resilient.

They are just.

<Amanda> They are beautiful.

<Dr.

John> I've noticed them occasionally in, say, a maritime forest, you know, in the middle of no where.

<Amanda> Isn't that fun?

Maybe at one time somebody lived there, just who knows.

Yeah.

<Carmen> Yeah.

<Dr.

John> In an old cabin and maybe the cabins all gone now.

<Amanda> Yeah, but here showing the persistence of nature, it's still there.

And although it's not native, it's in no way anything that we need to worry about.

Fortunately and just enjoy it.

<Carmen> It's, it is enjoyable because it's also deer resistant.

I believe the bulbs are poisonous to all sorts of animals and people.

So it's a great one to kind of keep.

A lot of people will put them in the cemeteries, so then they would always have something going, <Amanda> That's- Terasa, did you have something that you have that you've enjoyed about these too?

<Terasa> Well, I do know them as hurricane lilies too, because they often coincide with hurricane season.

It's also kind of neat.

Dr. John could comment on the floral parts maybe.

I think the radiata comes from the are those tepals that are...?

<Dr.

John> Oh yeah.

And it's it looks pretty complicated, But if I may, this is not just one flower, So... here's one flower and I'll hold it very still like I'm supposed to.

<Amanda> Thank you.

<Dr.

John> There's one flower.

And if you look at it closely, you'll see that it does have six tepals like you'd expect for something in the Lily family.

<Amanda> You were going to hold it very still, but you're twirling it.

<Dr.

John>Well, I was just going moving it around so you can look at it from different angles.

And, like, lilies will have three white and three white sepals and three white petals, and we call them all tepals.

So these are all about the same shape and color, six of them.

And then there's these long wiggly stamens that stick out, and they're like, spider legs.

And there should be six of them.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

And then in between all that, the long, long style of the pistil.

<Amanda> Yes.

<Dr.

John> So this is a really good example.

Remember our botany class, the inflorescence, scents all the flowers come out from a single point at the top of the stem, we say that it's an umbel of flowers.

<Amanda> Oh.

Well, it was a, it's just a wonderful thing.

And I hope if you don't have one in your yard that you have, where did you say you go?

Your great, great, great aunt or somebody's at the cemetery?

<Carmen> Yes second cousins, third aunt.

They're all, they're all over the country.

Yeah.

<Amanda> They're so much fun.

Well, thank you.

That was really delightful.

Well, Terasa, your face is very beautifully framed between these two flowers.

Do we have someone else we can help?

<Terasa> Well, I thought we might take a little bit of a break and talk about a creature that has many myths, but seems appropriate for Halloween.

Can you guess what that might be?

<Amanda> Oh, does it perhaps fly like a ghost could fly?

<Terasa> It does fly.

In fact, the only mammal capable of true flight.

<Amanda> Huh?

Okay, well, I think that you are talking about bats.

Just the most wonderful creatures in the world.

So fascinating.

<Terasa> I'm glad you think that way.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are afraid of bats.

There's so many misconceptions out there.

Like they'll fly down and get stuck in your hair or something like that.

And I don't really know where all the fear comes from.

<Amanda> They might get stuck in John's hair.

(laughing) <Terasa> But this show will coincide with bat week.

So a special celebration dedicated sort of to understanding and conserving bats.

So I did a little bit of looking.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is a great website for it's information, and it turns out we have about 14 bat species in South Carolina, and this might help people appreciate them more.

It is estimated that they provide $115 million dollars every year in South Carolina in pest suppression.

So helping to control mosquito populations, helping to eat some of those insects that are crops for our pests.

So really the way we can ameliorate fear is by learning more about that which we fear.

So learning more about those bat species.

So people get concerned about rabies.

And it is true that bats can carry rabies, but I believe it's like less than 1% of the population.

And your risk would really be when if you were picking them up and you were to get bitten by them.

<Amanda> And there's no reason why you would come in contact with a bat and want to pick it up.

Except that I found one time it had got that I let the top of the pressure cooker, astray and we used to have a bat nurse colony in our attic.

It was just the most wonderful thing in the world and it was just a place where they'd come to have babies and the babies hold onto their mamas.

And, you know, when the mother goes out looking for things and, but we have an attic fan and we left -the louvers don't close at night, and so one of the little bats could come downstairs, and so I got to take it out.

But they're just the most dear, wonderful creatures in the world.

<Terasa> They really are.

And if you do have one that gets in a living space, like you mentioned, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, DHEC, has information about how to safely get that out of the living space because it does have that potential health concern.

But with nurse colonies, be very careful if you're trying to have them, you know, excluded because the young pups cannot fly and so they'll starve to death.

So it's got to be proper timing, <Amanda> Or you can just, learn to live with them.

<Terasa> Yeah.

That's right.

And I made a special treat for all of us to try.

These are pumpkin shaped biscuits and they're filled with cheddar cheese.

So I thought that I would pass one down for everyone to try.

I guess I need to try one, too.

<Amanda> Oh, you haven't taken a bite yet?

<Terasa> I have not.

So it will be a surprise.

There are few plates left over if you need a plate.

So it's just a cheeseball.

<Amanda> I'm not going to need a plate.

I'm just going to eat mine up.

<Terasa> And then you take some refrigerated biscuit dough, cut it into slices, form it around, bake it, pretzel for the top.

And then I adorned it with a little sage leaf.

<All> Oh, <Terasa> It'll be cute for your fall table.

<Amanda> Is it okay, if we can, we have a bite.

<Terasa> Oh, yes, I think we should.

Let's try them.

Now, I think it would have been better, fresh out of the oven when the cheese was warm.

<Amanda> I'm going to say goodbye and tune in next week because my mouth is full with this delicious biscuit.

Thank you Terasa.

Thank y'all for watching.

♪ 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.