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 and 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.

♪ Amanda: Well hello, and welcome to Making It Grow.

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

I'm Amanda McNulty.

And I'm a Clemson Extension agent.

And I get to come over here and learn all kinds of things from our smart guests.

And tonight, we've got some special things.

So I want to tell you that we have the Anagama Kiln, which is just gonna be fascinating.

And also, I lovely shade garden over in Camden, Parrish Rabon works out there and just makes it a lovely spot to visit.

Terasa Lott, we're so happy that you can join us and take a little break from all your Master Gardener duties.

And I think you were recognized by your fellow extension agents this year as the Distinguished Service Award, which is the highest award that we give each other.

Yes, happy to have a chance to put my vote in your cast my vote for your hat.

And we're so proud of you.

Terasa: Thank you, Amanda.

I really appreciate that.

There are certainly many deserving folks within our extension system.

So I'm very honored to have been chosen.

Amanda: And we're glad that you can choose to spend some time with us.

Thanks for that you are willing to spend some time.

Okay, Phillip Carnley, you now are the vegetable specialist in Calhoun and Orangeburg, I think.

Phillip: Yes, ma'am.

Well, not quite a specialist But will I miss what you specialize here?

Yes, I specialize in vegetables in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.

And it's been a great transition from the ornamental horticulture world into the fruit and vegetable side of things.

Amanda: I've actually had to learn a lot of new things and how about we've had dry weather and super wet weather has it caused any special problems?

Phillip: Well wearer seeing more disease issues?

Thanks from to the weather, change the transition from hot and dry the humid and wet.

We're seeing up ticks in cucurbit downy mildew and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus and things of that nature in Orangeburg and Calhoun Amanda: now that cucurbit Downy Mildew that's one that homeowners really can't do much about y'all have some special products y'all can use.

Phillip: That is correct.

Cucurbit Downy Mildew for the homeowners usually what I would call terminal it's your best bet to just rip up those cucumbers or infected plants and restart it is a water mold so it does take some specialty fungicides to treat and it moves up here from Florida Yes, it is a it is migratory which is kind of odd starts in Florida and moves up on on the air currents and it will work its way back down in the fall for fall.

Great for follow.

Amanda: Me That's enough, Phillip, if I declare this just gets more and more depressing.

Except the people who fortunately enough by following the and, they always follow the label and use it properly.

So the commercial people do great.

I'm glad you're there looking over their shoulder and guiding them Phillip: When needed.

They know they're pretty smart themselves, right?

They are they tend to take care of themselves Amanda: and Davis Sanders.

Oh, it's just such a happy day for us when you make the trip down from South Pleasantburg Nursery on the banks of the Reedy River.

And um, I guess y'all are glad sometimes to get a little water that river aren't you?

Davis: Well, we really don't water out of the river.

In the past.

Early the early history of the nursery, there was a backup pump down there to in case the well went out we've got a very deep wells we really don't have to depend on the orange water coming out of the river.

To irrigate the plants.

Amanda: Have you seen the river Have you seen?

Does it fluctuate with the with the drought?

I mean when with the droughty periods and the rainy periods or is it pretty much the same, it stays Davis: pretty much the same throughout the drought times.

Fortunately for us, the Reedy has a fairly small watershed.

Most of the areas either drained by the Enoree basin Saluda River and the Tiger River Basin.

So the Reedy is more or less a tributary of the of the Enoree.

Amanda: So you don't have to worry much about flooding from it because y'all are right there.

Davis: We are.

The bank on our side is a little bit higher than the bank on the other side.

So when we do have heavy rains it does the river does come up very high.

But we in the 15 plus years that I've been back at the nursery, we have not had a river Amanda: flood so you haven't had to roll up your pants and wander around barefoot.

Davis: Well, actually we have but that's only because of the storm drains upon Pleasantberg drive dump into our property.

So Amanda: yeah, okay.

Okay.

Well, Terasa, that was kind of fun to get to chat with you.

I appreciate that.

We have got some gardens of the Week.

This week.

Terasa: We do have a gardens of the week.

And this is been a fun way a fun addition to Making It Grow where we get to see what you're doing in your yards, gardens.

Or maybe you've just visited a beautiful place and you decided to share that photo.

Today we begin with Ann Canipe who shared a combination of high Hibiscus and Echinacea from Anna Hill, an Oriental Lily from her parents who she says are avid viewers of the show.

From Sue Flynn Rudbeckia that she says are thriving in her Low Country Garden.

A bountiful blueberry harvest was shared by Susan and Daniel Plonski.

And finally we wrap up with a photograph from Virginia James of developing peas being visited by what I believe are thynnid wasps, I might need to check with Vicky to be sure on that.

But thanks everyone for sharing your photos.

It's so refreshing and sometimes inspirational mix gives me ideas for my own yard.

Amanda: And you know, most people just go wasp, wasp, wasp, but they can be important pollinators can't they?

Terasa: They can be and some of them are also going to be controlling some of maybe the insects that we don't want because it's well, they're gonna use them to feed their young and Amanda: Feed their babies.

Okay, well, thank you so very much.

Well, let's see.

We have some questions, I believe.

Let's start us off.

Terasa: Who we can definitely do that.

There never seems to be a shortage of questions.

So we're going to start today with Harriet in North East Columbia who asked I have a very healthy fig tree loaded with figs, but the baby figs are falling all over the ground.

What should I do?

Amanda: Goodness?

Well, Phillip, what do you think?

Phillip: Well it can be a complex question and a complex answer to boot.

What I would suggest at this point in time is do nothing.

We've gone through some periods of hot dry weather here recently and that can cause fruit especially that of the fig trees around here to abort that fruit and it will fall off when young in which case just make sure that your trees are well watered and well taken care of.

And it should sort itself out.

Amanda: I brought... went I looked at my fig tree and you know this is the second crop I had some earlier and they do that frequently I think and I just don't didn't get there enough to pay attention to it because it was so hot.

Phillip: It's kind of interesting figs do set a second crop here in South Carolina.

And this year is we're kind of relying more so on the second crop from the frost back in March.

Amanda: Yeah, I had a few that I was out there and managed to pop my mouth but um, but it's nice because they you know, a lot of times you do get that and I read to that the Celeste fig which some people like to use try this a little bit different from the Brown Turkey that most of us have.

What's the difference?

Do you remember?

I can't remember exactly.

Phillip: Celeste it's a little bit different in texture and growth habit as well as flavor profile.

Amanda: Flavor profile you sound like some fancy person on the television set.

Phillip: Each Fig does have its own taste characteristics and Black Turkeys, the one that most people are familiar with around here.

Black Mission is also another very good variety in our area.

And they both make very large figs.

Celeste is a little bit smaller than Brown Turkey or the Black Mission.

And usually not all the time but usually.

And it's got a little bit more mild flavor.

Amanda: Oh, I don't want a mild flavor.

I want one.

That's a nice wonderful flavor.

My mother actually used to peel figs which I thought was really just most absurd thing I've ever heard of.

Terasa looks like she thinks so too and the figs our figs don't have pollinators.

Phillip: That is correct.

They're self fertile.

They're there.

There are two types of figs there's old world and new world figs.

The old world figs actually rely on a wasp species to pollinate, Amanda: Gets in there.

And so when you eating it, you're eating some of the [laughs].

Phillip: And that's one of the questions we get in the office all the time about figs from people that aren't familiar with Southern figs.

is am I going to be eating these wasps?

No, the wasps are not present in our figs.

Amanda: Yeah, but if you're in California, there's the possibility It's not, not anything to worry about it and it's teeny tiny.

So yeah.

And if you want those wonderful figs, all right, well, thank you so much helping with that.

Okay, Davis, what beautiful thing are you bringing up for us?

Davis: Well, today I started out with some mom Rudbeckia.

So the Rudbeckias are more commonly known as Black Eyed Susan or Brown Eyed Susan, but it's an extremely varied genus.

These two examples are Rudbeckia Hirta, which of course means hairy.

So these, both of these, both of these are.

The the one with the autumn colors is, is Rudbeckia Cappuccino, and the yellow one is called Irish eyes.

If you look closely at the center of it, those are green, where most of the Black Eyed Susans have dark centers.

These are tender perennials that are often grown as annuals south of Borderlands zone seven, zone eight, they are pretty dependable perennials and even up in our zone seven a lot of times they will over winter and most of the most of the Rudbeckia Hirtas, will reseed themselves also.

Amanda: Oh will they?

okay, well, they are perfectly beautiful how long this stuff blooming season.

Davis: They generally come into bloom in mid to late June and they'll bloom well into August, early September.

Amanda: Wow that's a plant to have in the garden <certainly is>, and a beautiful cutting flower.

I may snip a few of these for my hat later.

Davis: You're welcome too.

[Laughter] Amanda: Get you to look the other way.

Davis: On the other end of the spectrum, I did bring a couple of the native native Blackeyed Susans.

Amanda: This is this, these just hybrids Davis: Yes Rudbeckia Hirta is a species and of... these are just cultivars that have been developed to bring out certain characteristics like this is a little tiny one called little gold star this one is a super dwarf Black Eyed Susan, it's only gonna get about 15-18 inches tall, and the blooms may come up another couple of inches above that.

<Tilt it a little bit so they can see the flowers.> Very free flowering one.

And generally this one comes into bloom here again around late June, early July.

And like all the all of the true perennial Rudbeckias is this one, we'll go all the way up into frost.

This one has been hybridized a bit.

So that it it's not going to be quite as aggressive as the species because you know, the species not only re-seeds itself, but it pops up from the roots all over the garden.

But this one is a good one for a smaller garden stays very restrained, and like all the Rudbeckias is it just loves the heat.

Amanda: And so it want's full sun?

And did they attract pollinators?

Davis: They do more so wasps, sweat bees, and that kind of thing more so than butterflies, what you would typically think of as a pollinator, but But yeah, they're all pollinator attractors.

Amanda: Ok, now, so that was a little one that's kind of my size.

And now you've got one that's Davis: just gonna leave less from back here because I wouldn't want to get out of camera range.

But this is a hybrid Rudbeckia called Henri Eilers.

It's in appearance, it's acts a little bit closer to a coneflower than a Rudbeckia.

And if you look real closely at the flower, the petals are more spoon petals, Amanda: spatulate what they are Called?

Davis: Spoon flower spatulate, which is more often associated with chrysanthemums than the Black Eyed Susans.

But this is another one you know I can't come to Making It Grow without bringing at least one garden monster with me and this guy will get up five to six feet tall and very hardy, very durable, will scatter a few seeds but it's not even considered aggressive, let alone and invasive.

Amanda: Well, it does it far just at the top I mean, do you think it's showy sometimes?

Davis: It's it's really a little more restrained than that.

It does typically flower at the very tips of the stalks.

So it's a good one for the back of the border.

But as you can see here even as tall as it is the lower foliage is still nice and healthy.

So it can be either a focal point or something as a backdrop for some of the low growers are that Amanda: lovely garden you took us to that where they had a balcony when they went out and looked down on things.

That would be if you were in a, you know, on the second storey and you wanted to have a garden and write down things, that would be just thing to look down at smiling up at you.

Okay, well, lots of fun.

And I'm pretty, I mean, just kind of really carefree don't have to worry about much at all.

Davis: Not much at all.

They're being a native, they are really adaptable to all sorts of different weather conditions.

Right, right.

They don't need a lot of water, but they can withstand periodic inundations.

Amanda: Well, we sometimes we want a periodic inundation.

This is poor people in Charleston, I think sometimes it gets a little bit much for them.

And as you said, we don't want to have you stomping around in the water.

At South Pleasantberg or right.

Okay, lots of fun, okay.

Sometimes people Terasa say, well shoot.

I'm not sending things in the Garden of the Week.

I've just been working so hard, my whole yard looks beautiful, or at least the pictures they send us and I think we call that the spotlight garden.

Terasa: We do so we get a chance to take a little more focus look and see a few photos from the same yard.

Today we have photographs shared from Greenville.

So Davis is neck of the woods Luanne Mawby.

Now she shared a number of pictures with us as well as a description Luanne said we've been at this location for almost 30 years, but most of my yard improvements have been done in the last 10.

My goal has always been to have as many blooms as possible.

I'm slowly reducing our grassy areas, but will always keep some grass.

The shady areas have been a challenge over the years but I finally have most of them filled with compatible plants and many of them bloom.

I grow enough tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers to fill my freezer and to supply my neighbors.

I always plant extra so I have a lot to give away.

I take year round interest very seriously.

And I'm still working on winter blooms.

Thank goodness for camellias and Lenten roses.

Thank you Luanne that was fun to see and hear about how you've changed your yard over time.

Amanda: And you know winter blooms.

I just remind people sasanquas starts earlier than the camellias go through.

Gosh, how late?

I mean just.

Davis: Go all the way up into April.

Amanda: And if you get the open centered kind, you know, not the peony types like Professor Sargent, but the open centered ones.

They're just wonderful for, you know, honey bees come out a lot when the weather's correct.

And then the early bees that come out, and are looking for things and the Rufous hummingbirds, even will go into them, which is the one that doesn't have babies here.

But winters here sometimes go in.

So I just remind people that sometimes you don't have to have a native because natives traditionally it'd be blooming in the wintertime here.

But our European honeybee is always looking for things.

And so what's more beautiful than a than a sasanqua and camellias sometimes in full bloom.

Oh, yes.

And it's so much fun because they don't They're buds are different sizes.

So you can get a really, really bad frost.

And those might be hurt.

But then there's you know, there's somebody saying, Well, I'm standing here in line, just wait a little bit now.

I'll be blooming too right.

That's right.

Okay.

Well, thank you so much.

I have some friends who are potters and it's just so much fun to hear about all the different ways that they like to do things.

They're always looking for something new, and our friend Lynn Cornfoot, who is kind enough to help us often she's up at ETV in Colombia, went up and watched these people in the upstate who used the anagama kiln method a communal firing technique that dates back to fifth century Japan.

So get ready for a little dive into history, and some pretty fun outputs too.

<Rob> Origami, oregano, anagram, anamanamana.

<laughs> I've heard 'em all.

Good morning!

<Robin> I'm from Columbia, South Carolina and I'm here because I got the opportunity to do one of the things on my bucket list and join an anagama kiln firing.

♪ <Mike> Well, the shape of the kiln goes back to about 900 A.D. Japanese original kiln influenced by the Chinese, we're not sure.

But it was dug into a hillside into raw clay and it is a bottle shape or a flame shape.

<Rob> So you have starting a little bit smaller and rounded, going into a belly and then going up to the top and to a point so that the fire will actually move through the entire kiln.

<Mike> By going up the hill, we don't have to put quite the chimney on it and we get strong draft and we're able to get to the temperature.

[ engine buzzing ] <Rob> I have now gone from being a full time potter for 38 years, to being a full time wood splitter < laughs > and a part time potter.

We get trees that have already been cut.

The tree services have to pay to dump it, so I just get them to come bring it here.

Now I have 15 to 20 potter's that participate in these firings and everybody comes and helps with the work.

The difference between the kil and a kiln is basically where you grew up.

<Mike> It's kiln in my book, but I know people who want to call it kil.

<Rob> The word is spelled k-i-l-n with an "n." I grew up in South Florida and it was always just kil.

<Mike> Kiln.

♪ <Rob> We spend probably two days glazing and wadding and getting everything ready.

What I'm doing here is using wadding that will raise the piece up off of the kiln shelf.

We're going up to temperatures where the wood ash itself will melt and form a glaze.

So, you have to raise everything up off of the shelf, or else it will be glazed down to it and it'll break the piece and break the pot and the shelf ♪ Nobody can say I'm not dedicated.

I think that's too tall.

<Mike> We load the kiln from the back all the way forward, filling it in each layer, so as to allow the flame to go through the entire kiln.

<Rob> Every time you fire, it's going to be different, because how the pots are stacked in the kiln will determine how the flame weaves its way through.

<Mike> We'll take that.

<You got it> We have to be careful that we want to get the glazes that need a lot of heat in one area and distributing that is an ongoing process that usually pretty experienced people are doing the loading that know the kiln and the more we know about the kiln the better we can place the pieces.

<Rob> So those in front get a lot more ash.

Those that are facing the front, that front surface will get ash the back might not get as much.

Depending on how the kiln is stacked every time there's going to be a different firing.

The cones look good.

I can see both sets.

<Mike> Ceramics depends upon time and temperature and the cones melt at the same rate that the glaze melts.

So we're not just going to a temperature.

We're going to a temperature and holding that temperature.

That allows the relationship between the ceramic ingredients to melt and form the glaze or glass like coating.

After finishing loading the kiln, we will actually build a small fire without starting it and then we'll break up the door so that when we're ready to we can start it very easily and we'll begin to firing.

[ thunder clap ] <Rob> There is a tradition saying when it rains, it enhances the glazes.

The humidity carrying a lot of H2O in there, both the oxygen level and the hydrogen will supposedly enhance the glazes.

What's the front and back looking like?

<Chris> Well, front's holding at 15 77.

The back is getting better and we're... Reason why we keep a log of the temperatures is so everybody knows where we're at in the firing.

There's a certain temperature that we want to reach at a given time.

You don't want the kiln to run too hot, too fast, or obviously you don't want it to be too slow and low.

And you'd like to have the back and the front, about the same.

How about, hey guys, another stoke, front,12 pieces at least.

Mix 'em up in between.

<Mike> So the kiln is monitored and stoked for the next 30 hours or so.

And that's done with teams of at least three if not, four people who watch the temperature rise, stoke, move the wood, talk, chat, eat, and then stoke more.

♪ And we do that through the night.

We have different shifts, usually they're four to eight hour shifts, depending on everybody's schedule.

And that schedule is maintained constantly throughout the entire firing.

You do not leave this kiln alone.

You never leave it for more than 15 minutes without somebody paying attention.

♪ <Chris> Once the kiln gets up to temperature and you're working around the kiln, we require that you wear non synthetic clothing.

Polyester is a big no no 'cause it, it's plastic and it does melt.

When it's at temperature, that piece of wood you throw in will start on fire before it leaves your hands.

<Rob> At the height of this firing, there is a roar that starts in the kiln.

When you open up the door to stoke, the oxygen flows in and ignition of unburned gases starts and you start hearing the roar of the kiln.

It's like the wakening of the dragon.

[ burning wood crackling ] I have listened to that for so many times and I thought that's the name of the kiln, Firesong.

♪ The kiln has cooled for five days and now it's Christmas morning.

♪ <Mike> The glazes went well.

Well unloading a kiln is probably the most exciting part of the entire process.

Maybe not as dramatic but exciting for all the potters because there's been a transformation.

Before, it was flat.

Now it's not flat anymore.

About 30 colors running in there.

<Rob> You know, there's results, every time you fire.

The results are always going to be different.

And that's the serendipitous nature of this kiln.

Yay!

<laughs> It looks good.

<Mike> The unique thing about any wood kiln, and particularly the anagama is the impact of the flame on the glaze and on the clay body.

We really don't know what we're gonna get.

But we put it in the kiln with the idea that we'll get something may be interesting or exciting.

<Rob> And then, you just wait.

And you're always surprised.

And most of the time, it's even better than you thought.

♪ Broken pot.

< laughs > Sometimes it can be disastrous.

< laughs > Well, we have half of a robot here.

When he went in, he did have a head.

But unfortunately, the kiln had other options for him.

<Mike> In either case, it's always, it's always worthwhile, because there's a sense of discovery.

♪ Good kiln everybody!

< applause > I think the thing that brings us back to the kiln is the camaraderie and the interaction, the exchange that happens between young students who are just starting out and people who have been doing it for 30 or 40 years.

There's a lot of exchange.

It's informal, but it's, it's part of the enjoyment and part of the reason we do it.

<Rob> We get to see the new work that everybody has been working on and get to catch up with each other.

This is now sort of the clay clubhouse.

It is creativity personified.

It's happening in the kiln and we're honored to be a part of that.

Firesong!

Amanda: where you can see that not only were the things that they produced quite fascinating, but they had a real good time while doing it, which makes which makes any artwork fun.

I have a hat and I want to thank as always my friend Ann Nulty who's so kind to me, and she brought me this wonderful Cephalo Terasa: Volantalis.

Tallis, I believe.

Amanda: Okay, and I'm up.

I had forgotten about it.

I see it a lot of stuff in Mary Desportes Dam, going down towards her pond.

And I think that's kind of it's a little bit damp.

So tell us a little bit about this native plant please.

Terasa: Yeah, so yeah, as you mentioned, it is a native typically is going to have a shrub habitat, moisture loving, although pretty adaptable.

The only place it really won't do very well is in dense shade and in super dry conditions.

I planted two Beirut seedlings and a Beirut seedling is basically a twig nothing on it except some roots this year and I thought they're not going to do anything and they have leafed out they are doing really well.

We are keeping them watered mother nature hasn't been exactly plentiful.

But this plant has great wildlife value for so many species.

So it's attractive to pollinators, waterfowl, small mammals, birds, so just about everything and it can be rejuvenated if it gets kind of scraggly and overgrown.

So it's I just think it's a great plant good for.

Amanda: And so I feel like Wales and this is this is it.

This is this one that looks like big fuzzy things.

And um, so you can see some of the flowers are a little whiter, and then some of them are fading.

Terasa: I've always called it buttonbush.

But I've read that some people called it honey bells.

Amanda: So I guess that means that it's very attractive to pollinators must be full of honey.

Anyway, and it also makes these little buttons and I remember when it when it's, I've read about it in the past, you know back before we had other things.

People had little buttons.

This was sometimes used as a button.

And because it had all kinds of them, but also, it says that waterfowl enjoy eating the dried fruits as well.

Okay.

And then what else have I got?

I've got some Ann, had some dahlias.

Dahlias have been kind of interesting this year.

I used to think of them as coming up late, but everything seems confused.

And so some dahlias have been showing up early.

And then I've got that yellow thing that's a weed that grows in the Baptist Church, the field across from the Baptist church that I love, and I just don't know what it is.

And then I also have a little bit of Joe pie.

And Terasa and I've got some Joe pie.

Ms. Ann also brought this to me and this one's in the pollinator garden across from the Calhoun County Library I mean it's.

Like this big is real, real tall.

But I think if that doesn't suit you, aren't there some that maybe home gardener might enjoy more?

Terasa: Yes, that's right.

I bet Davis is familiar.

The one I know of is Little Joe.

So that's going to be one that will fit into home gardens more so than the straight species because that's pretty big.

Amanda: Yeah.

And um, again, it's just I used to I used to think of it, I'd see it in the mountains where it bloomed a little later, but I think it's just pretty carefree.

Isn't it Davis?

A native plant.

Davis: They are.

It's a lot of times you see it in roadside ditches, drainage ditches.

It kinda likes an open environment with just a little bit of shelter because it's it gets so tall.

It grows in areas where it can be sheltered from the wind.

Amanda: Oh, because it might just tip over.

Davis: Right.

Yeah but yeah, as, Terasa said, there's a lot of more compact cultivars have come down the pipe, there's little Joe now there's baby Joe.

There's one called gateway that is somewhere between Little Joe and the species.

There's also a species of eupatorium that it's known as boneset which Davis: and in pioneer days, the there was a... Amanda:Talk about pollinators.

Davis: In Pioneer days they made an extract or tincture from the root to treat I think it was typhoid.

Because one of the symptoms... <I think it's other things is one thing.> the one of the symptoms was the pain in the joints of felt like your bones were breaking into use that to ease that pain, and hence the common name boneset came along.

Amanda: Yeah.

Just it's fascinating to think how, you know, all of our first medicines all came from plants.

And that's why some of the explorers were sent here, I think, anyway, but um, I do like Joe Pieweed and I must say this one has a real sturdy stem, I'm gonna do I mean, it might blow over, but the stem wouldn't break.

I don't think, Davis: Ah no, there are a couple of varieties or a couple of species that are that have hollow stems, and those are a little bit more touchy.

But... Amanda: Really?

Amanda: what you know what, this one has a hollow stem too.

Look at that.

Well, he still seems I had to cut him with with the Clippers anyway.

So as always, it's just so much fun to get stuff.

And if you're ever in Calhoun County, come by our gorgeous library.

Oh, we just have the most wonderful library you've ever seen in your life.

And they do so many wonderful things.

Terasa that they've been having.

People who couldn't did couldn't have baby showers because of the shutdown and the pandemic.

They've had baby showers for people who missed baby showers.

Oh, and that the sweetest thing is so thoughtful.

And then right across the street is the pollinator garden, which is a fun thing to see.

I guess, Phillip, if you've seen it.

Phillip: I have.

I've actually got a sponsored bed with Clemson Extension.

And the 4-H out there in Calhoun County.

Amanda: Yes, I'm glad to hear that you've jumped right in and they Phillip: have some very lovely cephalanthus out there alongside the building as well.

Amanda: Well, good.

Thank you so much for telling us that.

Okay.

And I think there are even some other cultivars of cephalanthus?

Davis: Yes, there are.

It seems like with with the advent of tissue culture, all of a sudden we're seeing all sorts of new varieties.

Across the board in horticulture, there are a couple of compact forms, like Terasa mentioned, that one does tend to get kind of gangly and sort of sort of like the Hydra in the garden.

But the there are a couple there's, I think it's a meal, right.

And there's, there's another one called fiber optics, which is pretty readily available.

It's kind of hard to find the species because, unfortunately for people in the nursery business, a wholesale nursery that can't sell 10,000 have something I'm gonna grow any of it.

So we kind of have to rely on some of our specialty suppliers for those but but it's, it's beautiful plant.

Amanda: Or you can call my friend Mary Desporte, has them her dam and she gives you a little start.

<Nice.

Thank you.> Okay.

Well, should we do any more questions we can?

Terasa: Oh, yes, it's true.

We always have questions that this one is about you mentioned cutting the joe pie weed.

This is a question about cutting or pruning.

I should say.

Susan did not tell us where she was from.

But she said she has a little gem Magnolia that isn't so little anymore.

It's about 15 years old and blooms like crazy, which she loves.

But she says it's too tall.

Can it be topped?

I would assume this could be done after the blooming season.

Am I correct?

Or would that be doing more harm than good?

Amanda: Oh, well, Phillip?

Phillip: Little gem is typically a smaller variety of Magnolia Grandiflora.

But don't let that name little gem fool you it can get a little large over a period of 15 to 20 years and outgrow the space that you originally had it in.

Amanda: and get a little gangly too, it tends to be a little gangly to me.

Phillip: It tends to put out a flush of tends growth more towards the tips of the branches as it ages so you get a more hollow, like center.

It does tolerate a rejuvenative type prune very well, heading cuts made to some of the limbs to kinda reduce its size.

I would never recommend topping any Magnolia species.

It is more detrimental than it is good for that plant.

And its health in the long run.

Amanda: Interestingly, Kevin Paris up at Spartanburg Community College where they just have a fabulous program.

He's just the Magnolia expert in the world practically.

And he developed one for his mother called K Paris, I think, and he keeps all of his in a hedge.

At I think every year he cuts some back and I'm just saying this is what he does to about six feet and takes them back to the stem so that he'll have just these wonderful, thick things magnolias that he can people then can use for decorations and all.

Phillip: Kevin is known for making his Magnolia leaf wreathes.

He did that when I was in Spartanburg under his tutelage.

<Oh, were you?> Yes, ma'am.

Amanda: Yes, he is a pretty smart guy.

Phillip: He is a world renowned.

Magnolia breeder has several new introductions that are going to be fabulous.

Amanda: Isn't that fun?

And so I guess you had a big tall one.

But maybe do you think you could if it had gotten too tall?

Do you think you could bring it back slightly each year?

What do you think?

Phillip: You can bring you can reduce the height by removing the apical bud and slowly gradually over a period of time reducing it back to the next lateral bud but you don't want to be too aggressive.

There are some pruning rules which I have since forgotten, when reducing leaders in trees but there is a size limit to where you don't want to go beyond that threshold because it leaves too large of an open wound.

Okay, Amanda: but just put it on your calendar to every so often go back there and take it back a little bit.

Yeah, and then to you can to make it not so sprawly you could move in the same way is that correct?

Phillip: That is correct.

I've worked on several magnolias in the landscape that way where they have been let go so to speak, and have overgrown their planting area and you and you do want to really pick a good pick a good lateral branch or a lateral bud to prune back to that way when you break that that apical dominance of that side shoot it branches out and bushes out at that point.

Amanda: Okay, thank you so much.

Farfugium?

Davis: Farfugium.

Amanda: Why do we have to keep learning out all these new names?

Davis: Well, because people keep bringing out These new plants.

<All these DNA business.> Amanda: Okay so let's talk about it.

Davis: It used to be the farfugium were grouped with the ligularis which a lot of our viewers are familiar with, but recently they have been In...

They have been put into their own genus of farfugium.

And most of most of us are familiar with the the tractor seat plant, which I featured a couple of years ago brought a specimen of that in but that one is another one of those garden monsters you have to have just the right spot for it.

But a lot of the... Amanda: In other words a relatively large space.

Davis: Right, a lot of these are the newer varieties or a lot more a lot more restrained.

This This little guy is known as the parsley farfugium.

This one is called shishi botan another one of asian Amanda: Put your hand on it so they can see it again.

Davis: You can tell the common name partially farfugium is is it's obvious where that name comes from.

Amanda: Okay pass it over?

Now I tell you we take a very small behind sit on this.

[Laughs] Davis: Well, that could be on a maybe on a Tonka toy tractor.

Amanda: Well, it's got a fascinating little texture really does, I guess does it have those wonderful yellow flowers that they all do?

Davis: It does it's a little more restrained.

It doesn't get the big four foot spike like the tractor seat or some of the other varieties but but it is a it's a good conversation piece.

It's something to put kind of tuck away in the edge of the shade garden in a moist spot and when people come around the corner, they say what in the world is that you can say it's kind of like that big giant tractor seat plant over there.

Amanda: So culturally, they all want Davis: they do best in in part shade though they'll grow very well in dappled shade and they can eventually adapt to quite a bit of sun but they do require a lot of moisture if they're in a lot of sun.

Amanda: and then you've got two others as well that look a little more like you could maybe.

Davis: this one this one is a is a name variety called Cleopatra.

I don't know where the origin of that name is, but it's here again, it's just a relatively delicate form of course texture.

And currently it's it's not as curly as shishi botan.

And it also has a little distinct white.

It's almost like like a layer of the, of the the leaf itself that's that's white that's visible up close.

Just another really Amanda: gives it a little more interest when you're walking past it contrasted in color, that little highlight of the white.

And then Then here's somebody who's got more of a relationship to the old ones.

Davis: Yeah, here again, this one doesn't get quite as large as the tractor seat plant.

This one is called Argento Marginata which translates as silver, silver margin and the variegation this can be quite variable.

Some of the leaves like the one on this side are just slightly margin and white maybe a little bit of grayish modeling throughout the leaf but then some of the other leaves will be almost completely white.

So it's here again, it's just a really nice focal point for garden that's that wants to be a little bit out of the ordinary.

<Now is that how tall will that one get?> This one will get up about two feet.

Amanda: I think that would make a good bit of a statement.

Davis: Yeah, and the flower stems on this one can come up about three feet so Amanda: It's gonna be pretty special looking when it's in flower.

Okay, well Davis, thank you so much for reminding us that there are things that come in all kinds of sizes and shapes but they all the genus is are the same genus and species but then there are these hybrids that people are coming up with.

Davis: Hybrids, cultivars and <cultivars> native plants so we have nativars so.

Amanda: nativars anyway, I'm sometimes I'm glad to just remember my name.

In Camden, we were so fortunate to visit the beautiful shade garden of Parrish Rabon and we would like to share that with you.

♪ >> I'm in Camden, South Carolina enjoying the beautiful garden of Parrish Rabon in her predominately shade garden and this is a pleasant place to be in the summer.

I'm glad we came to visit you today.

And your garden is very shady, because you have massive oak trees.

>> We do.

I enjoy that.

<Amanda> It really does combine the front and the back too.

So, that you, although the lots not very large, you do get that sense of continuity.

<Parrish> Yes.

<Amanda> You have a favorite flower and I believe having a shady yard gave you ample places to use that flower.

<Parrish> Yes, I love hydrangeas.

I love to cut hydrangeas and share hydrangeas, so.

Yes I plant a few.

<Amanda> Talk a little bit about the front yard.

What was there, kind of the bones of it?

Then, how you've used the hydrangeas there, please.

<Parrish> Well, we did add some white ones there, at the entrance to the drive.

When we moved here there were the camellias, the azaleas, the boxwood hedge, but traditional plants, yeah.

<Amanda> And then as we come around I see tucked away in various places, a lot of containers that seems to be something that you enjoy using.

<Parrish> I do.

<Amanda> Because, the containers are different and they add color in places, and then it gives you some staggered height, as well.

<Parrish> Yes, it does make it feel more like a room I think when you're outdoors to have the containers, and the different heights and colors, and of course you can move it around if the plant's not happy.

You can move it a little more sunny spot if it's in a container <Amanda> Well, I particularly enjoy the one with the four seasons who's kind of tucked back there.

<Parrish> and the azaleas.

<Amanda> Yes.

That's really a sweet one, because I didn't see him, and so it's nice as you're walking to see things that make you pause for a moment and when you pause, you see other things, that you wouldn't have noticed including your front porch which has a few places to sit down, but has a lot of places for plants.

<Parrish> Yes, and I love that.

I love that because I love to share my garden.

That makes me happy, that we stroll through that you see little things we can stop and look at.

<Amanda> Then we come back into the back; and y'all have done a good bit there.

<Parrish> Yes.

<Amanda> With pavers and brick edging.

Tell me about some of the improvements you've made.

<Parrish> Well, just because the lot is sloped and anytime there was a storm, there was a lot of down flow of the rain so the little edgings in the beds, my husband put down the bricks and works in different ways to try to slow down water through there, but also it just gives the good definition for that little pathway of grass, and then we fill the beds with a multi color hydrangeas.

Yeah.

<Amanda> You have some Calla lilies.

<Parrish> Some calla lilies tucked in there.

<Amanda> Then a few other plants that I think you're experimenting with to get a little cover on the privacy fence.

<Parrish> Yeah.

<Amanda> It is mostly again hydrangeas.

<Parrish> Yeah and except, I was looking up in the oak tree, one of the trees and thought goodness gracious, Parrish's husband has to get on a ladder.

<Parrish> Oh yes.

<Amanda> I didn't quite understand from the ground looking up, why those pots were so important, but when you took me up on your porch, I really saw then why they were worth putting your husband on a ladder every year.

They make a nice show from up there.

<Parrish> Yes.

<Amanda> And draw your eye back down towards the backyard.

<Parrish> Yes.

<Amanda> Your porch and you said do I need to clean up or do anything when I was speaking on the phone before I came in, I said, No, we want to see how you live all the time, but you are kind of an experimental gardener.

It looks to me like you want to have things trying things all the time.

>> I do and I guess I'm a little resourceful with just I never want to give up on a plant.

So, I always try to nurse one back to health, but also the cuttings, I've put many things in water, and just watched the roots develop.

So, I make a lot of cuttings and stick them in water up there and re-pot them and hopefully as I can do more and more that I can share more and more plants with other people.

<Amanda> You got seedlings coming up.

You have to start seeds and then transfer them.

One of your porches is almost a potting show.

<Parrish> It is.

It is.

The zinnias were from seeds.

Some of them were looking pretty good.

>> They do.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> Then you and I are sitting in - we've got some sun here.

You've got a few slightly raised beds and you've really taken advantage of these to get some color back here as well.

<Parrish> the lantana and the daylilies.

Yes.

<Amanda> and besides the containers, you also like to tuck around funky little, are they toad houses?

>> Yes.

I have some little toad houses.

It's only been once, but there was one time that the cutest little toad had taken up residence in one.

<Amanda> That was just the one time that you noticed that he was in there.

I'm sure you have lots of overnight visitors to your toad B and B's.

>> That's true.

<Amanda> Well, Parrish, it really is a lovely garden and I think you're fortunate.

So many people can only work in their yard during part of the day, because it's so full blazing sun.

>> Right.

>> There are many times when you can come out and you told me if you feel a little stressed, you look up into the almost cathedral like feeling that you get in the backyard yard from the beautiful oak boughs.

>> Yes.

>> - and enjoy this wonderful little spot of Eden - >> Oh, thank you yes.

It does.

The canopy almost gives it, back to being a room.

It almost gives it a ceiling like effect and yeah if I ever feel like I need a break from stress or life, I can find it in my garden pretty quickly.

<Amanda> Well, I think that you're very fortunate to have this.

I thank you for sharing it with us.

>> Thank you for coming.

I loved having you.

♪ Amanda: We certainly enjoy it's the nice shady day that we visited.

And I'm sure that um, Parrish and her family are also out there on certain days saying, Oh, we're so glad to have some relief from the blazing hot sun that we get in South Carolina sometimes.

What Terasa?

Let's see if we can do another quick question.

Terasa: All right, Jane in Murrells Inlet is hoping we can help her she sent us some photographs of a sickly looking tree and asked can you tell me see if our cherry tree should be cut down?

Amanda: Oh, well, Phillip, what do you think is the best I don't feel like cherry trees are particularly long lasting.

Phillip: Not in South Carolina.

They're not usually cherry trees or a very short lived tree, you are lucky to get 10 to 15 years out of either the the Yoshino or Kwanzan and cherries.

Here in South Carolina, unless you are blessed to be in the upstate of South Carolina where you can get a little bit cooler reprieve for those trees.

In the case of these trees, it's kind of hard to say.

It looks like they're in decline.

From what I can't say I would recommend at this point in time to take a soil sample and possibly a tissue sample to your local extension office to have them test it and go from there.

And if you are still concerned with the health of your trees, it would be a good idea to contact a local arborist to come out and have a look and advise you further on that matter.

Amanda: Okay.

Thank you so much.

Well, I think you've got we've been talking about magnolias.

And I think you've got an unusual example that a lot of people wouldn't even believe was a magnolia, Davis: Right, this is the ashei magnolia.

It's actually threatened if not endangered in the wild, but a number of nurseries are now propagating it.

This is one of the big leaf magnolias that has beautiful, huge white flowers in the spring that have a deep Scarlet, almost a burgundy highlight in the center of the flower.

This is also a good one.

For smaller properties, you typically think of the big leaf magnolias as being large trees, but this particular one will top out about 20 to 25 feet with almost an equal spread.

So it's not going to be one for a tiny townhome development, but it would would fit nicely in a subdivision setting.

Amanda: And right now, we've got a great contrast with the front of the leaf and the back of the leaf, right.

Davis: That's very similar as far as the coloration, we've got that glaucous underside that looks almost white, and the dark green of the upper leaf as the tree matures, it's going to the leaves are going to droop a little bit more so that contrast is a little more evident.

And it's particularly evident when when the winds blowing pretty.

Oh, Amanda: yeah.

So the flowers big.

Yes.

Oh, in the fall, oh, my heart is still I just think that fall coloration is one of the loveliest things describe it to us please.

Davis: Well, it's just a beautiful dark golden color shading almost orange.

Unfortunately, the large leaf varieties don't hold their foliage very long after the colors come along.

So enjoy it while you can.

And then when those big leaves starting to fall, get out of the way.

Amanda: Well, it's not like it's just Well, I actually have a beautiful as you remember over in Swan Lake Iris Gardens because you had some time you spent there and I would go over and collect the fallen leaves and bring them home and use them in the Christmas table in the fall because they are just magnificent, don't you think?

Phillip: I agree.

They're absolutely stunning in the fall.

We had prior to my departure from Swan Lake, we actually did plant an ashei or two out in the Arboretum there.

Amanda: So it was one that was already there.

Because as I remember it would go over there, but the fall color, On I just think now and pretty easy to take care of.

Davis: Yes, they, they're they're very adaptable and even though it's native to Florida and South Georgia, it will survive all the way up into New England.

Okay.

Amanda: Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank all of you for being with us and we will hope to see you next Tuesday right here on Making It Grow.

Night Night.

♪ 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.

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

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