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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We're so glad that you can join us tonight, as we begin our second show of the new season.

I'm Amanda McNulty, a Clemson Horticulture Agent, and I get to come over here with my co-host and fellow Clemson employee, Terasa Lott.

Terasa, thanks so much.

You do so, so much for us.

Terasa> It is absolutely my pleasure to be a part of team Making It Grow.

And it truly is a team effort, both on the side of the panelists that everyone gets to see and all the people behind the scenes that make the production possible.

Amanda> Woo, there are a lot of them.

Terasa> There sure are.

Amanda> Mhm, yeah.

And they're, they're all very nice too.

We like every single one of them, don't we?

Terasa> We do.

Amanda> It's a good, good group.

We have a lot of fun, don't we?

Terasa> We do have a lot of fun.

We need to do some outtakes and show people what kind of fun we have, while we're preparing.

Amanda> Well, we'd have to, might have to be edited rather severely.

(laughter) We'll see.

Phillip, you are a... Phillip Carnley, you're a Commercial Horticulture Agent in Calhoun and Orangeburg.

And commercial means you don't deal with homeowners, you deal with actual producers, farmers and such.

Phillip> That is correct, Amanda.

I'm in one of those weird quasi-horticulture positions where I deal, I do deal with homeowners- Amanda> You're real nice when people call.

Phillip> I'm the only horticultural person in our counties.

Which is quite nice at times and difficult in others.

Amanda> Yeah.

And so, do you do fruits and vegetables too, or just row crops?

Phillip> So I mainly focus on fruit and vegetable production in Orangeburg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Sumter and northern Dorchester Counties.

Amanda> Okay.

So what fruits and vegetables are they growing.

Phillip> So we grow the gamut.

We run the gamut.

We, our main focus in certain counties is cucumbers.

Specifically- Amanda> These are for pickling?

Phillip> Pickling cucumbers, yes ma'am, in Calhoun County.

We also do leafy greens like collards and cabbage and kale in Orangeburg.

And then if you move around the lake, we have, over 500 acres of field pea or cowpea production in Clarendon County, as well as, large amount of acreage of sweet potato.

Amanda> Gosh, aren't sweet potatoes just the best things in the world?

I just love sweet potatoes.

And a lot of people don't know about southern peas.

You want to tell us about the difference between them and those little green bullets?

Phillip> So, the sugar pea or snap pea or Alaskan pea is a lot softer, higher sugar content, very sweet.

Whereas our southern field peas are not technically peas at all.

They're actually a bean.

And they grow very well, in our heat and humidity.

They are native, to Africa.

And we're brought over, in the 18 and 1700s and have subsequently been, grown since.

And are a staple depending on, and depending on where you're located or where you grew up in the state, will...

I can almost tell you which pea variety you're going to prefer.

Amanda> And I've gotten introduced to white acre peas recently, oh.

Phillip> Fabulous peas.

Amanda> Yeah, yeah, but all of them are good.

Butter beans.

Butter beans and rice, I mean, what a wonderful meal we Southerners get to have.

I bet you eat those, Carmen Ketron.

Carmen> I do, I love me some good butter beans.

Amanda> Yeah.

And you are the Horticulture Agent in Florence... And what's the other one?

Carmen> Darlington.

Amanda> Darlington.

Yeah.

Carmen> Pearl of the Pee Dee.

Amanda> Yeah, yeah.

So I guess, I mean, it's growing so quickly over there.

Florence is just exploding, but I think they're is probably still a fair amount of agricultural land.

Carmen> There is.

There's a lot of really great agricultural land, a lot of urban agriculture moving in.

So people, developing houses and subdivisions, but also putting a lot of community gardens, school farms- Amanda> Really?

<Yeah> That's nice to hear.

Carmen> So working into the peri-urban agriculture scene and we love to see it.

Amanda> Yeah, yeah.

And that... there are some of these new people coming in really want to learn about how to do things in the South don't they?

Carmen> Yes.

They love to grow, they love to learn how to grow.

A lot of them, they only have maybe a couple months to grow where they come from.

And now we've got almost 50 weeks, of growing.

Amanda> Always something growing.

Yeah.

Isn't that fun?

Yeah.

Well, thanks so much for joining us.

And, Nicole Correa we're so happy to have you here.

You are the area Livestock and Forages Agent for Calhoun, Lexington, and Orangeburg.

That's a lot of big counties.

> Yes a lot of big counties and a lot of big farms.

So I'm lucky to get to work with some really great producers out in those areas.

Amanda> A lot of big farms?

Nicole> In my head, they're big farms.

I mean, I came from island, so.

But I mean, I've got a variety of, especially, I work with a lot of cattle folks.

<Okay> So, you know, about 25 to 50 head is our most common amount of cows.

And then a lot of folks that, do hay as well.

One of my bigger farmers grows about, between cattle and hay, he does about a thousand acres.

Amanda> Ooh, that's a good bit.

That's a pretty big farm.

Well, thank you for coming and sharing your expertise with us.

We sure appreciate it.

Katie Dixon, who's the Horticulturist at Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens, came in and showed us some indoor plants that she had, and it was great fun to see those.

And then Lin Ko, who's a, Ikebana specialist and teaches and goes back to the Orient a lot.

And she came in and did some things with camellias because that was the flowers that were growing that time of year.

Yeah, lots and lots of fun.

You're gonna enjoy those.

And Terasa, I think we may have some "Gardens of the Week."

Terasa> That's right, Amanda.

"Gardens of the Week" is sometimes described as our virtual field trip, a time to travel around the state and see what you're doing in your yard or garden.

Or maybe you've captured a beautiful place here in the state.

So let's take a look.

We begin today with Sue Davis, who shared garlic, the last of her winter vegetable garden.

And she says it has survived I think, the neighbor's rooster that wanted to come and dig in the garden.

(laughter) From Patsy Lupton, Hellebores with cream colored flowers highlighted with just a tinge of pink.

Absolutely magnificent.

Allyson Hirsch shared a magnificent magenta flower, from her Phalaenopsis orchid.

A holiday cactus is adorning the porch of Bev Knighten.

And we wrap up today with Annette Barrett, who has giant mustard growing in Manning and those maroon leaves make such a nice foliage to plant.

And you can pair it with things like pansies.

So I thank everyone for sharing those photographs.

You can see additional photos by visiting the Making It Grow Facebook page.

We hope you visit often and whenever you see that call for "Gardens of the Week," just post your photos right there in the comments.

Amanda> Thank you Terasa, and thanks to all of our friends out there who sent pictures in.

Do you have a question we can help someone with?

Terasa> I most certainly do.

We have a question from Earl in Garden City.

Earl sent some photographs as well and wanted to know, "Will this mossy stuff hurt my Crape Myrtles and when should I fertilize?"

So he wants a two part answer.

Amanda> Okay.

Phillip, after you answer this, maybe you can talk about this new... invasive, Crape Myrtle bark aphid too and kind of warn people about what that's going to do.

Phillip> Absolutely.

So, what we're seeing in this Crape Myrtle is lichen, which is a symbiotic relationship, usually between a fungus, a fungi and a bacteria.

Amanda> And if John Nelson were here he'd say "I'm lichen, those lichens."

Phillip> And they're not detrimental to the tree health at all, or in this case, the Crape Myrtle health.

What it does show is that this Crape Myrtle is not in an ideal location or that it's not growing optimally.

So, it's not growing quick enough so that the lichen doesn't grow.

In this case, it could be soil compaction.

It could be nutrient deficiencies.

What it is particularly, I can't say without seeing a soil sample, which is what I would recommend, first off, to be able to, tell you what you should fertilize and when.

Usually, we, we recommend in the spring, as they begin to flower, because that's when they need those extra nutrients to boost that flower production.

And if we're going through any kind of drought, it's also recommended to water to maintain those flowers as well.

This past year, we were in a huge drought twice, and it was miserable.

So, just keep an eye on your mulch, your water, or irrigation.

And always take a soil sample Amanda> And I'm spending a lot of money and go out for several hours at a time, pouring buckets of a certain, fungicide or pesticide on my Crape Myrtles because there's this awful thing that's here now.

Phillip> We do have in the state now a... it's a new scale insect.

It's called Crape Myrtle bark scale.

And it is a tenacious little booger.

It is horribly hard to remedy.

And we, and it's spread around through nursery stock.

It was first found about four years ago in South Carolina.

And it started in the upstate, and then it was found in the Midlands as well.

It's very easy to identify if you've never seen it.

It turns your Crape Myrtle completely sooty, mold black.

Amanda> The beautiful trunk and limbs and not the... not the leaves- Phillip> Not the leaves or the flowers.

Just the trunk, limbs, and twigs.

And you really don't notice it until the fall, once it's defoliated.

And at that point, I've gotten calls for "What burned my Crape Myrtle?"

Well, it's not, it's not burned.

It's perfectly healthy.

It's just full of sooty mold from that, scale insect.

And as they congregate in the crotches or the, branch angles of the tree, you get this white scale insect and it just it looks spotty, Carmen> Speckled almost.

Phillip> Exactly.

Speckled is a great way to describe it.

And so you can, that's one key identifying characteristic.

Now, if you have it, treatment is it's difficult.

You can use horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps.

And there are some other drench products that are recommended.

Amanda> That's what I'm using.

Phillip> And also the use of a, insect growth regulator.

<Oh> Now the timing is critical with these applications.

Usually you start in the first, of spring.

Once these, insects eggs are hatching, they're in what's called the crawler stage.

<Okay> And they're actually visible and they're little pink crawling insects, teeny tiny.

And you can, sample for them or scout for them using, double sided sticky tape.

Amanda> Okay, that's a good trick.

Thanks for telling us.

Carmen> I like the black sticky tape.

That's how you're really going to see them.

The clear sticky tape doesn't do quite, quite for- Amanda> They don't show up as easily.

Anyway, it's unfortunate because it's just the backbone of so many gardens and such a beautiful tree.

Well, Terasa?

Terasa> Let's see what we have next.

This one comes in from Raines, Isla said "I was gifted two flower arrangements.

I didn't have enough flower food for both, so I put sugar and vinegar in one bouquet, and they seemed to die faster than the other.

Did I make it worse?"

Amanda> Well, Carmen?

Carmen> A lot of the flower bouquets, you hear all of these home remedies about putting- Amanda> Pennies.

Carmen> Pennies, bleach, vinegar into the, into the flower water to kind of, feed them and act as like a natural bactericide.

And a lot of them are either, don't work or in the case of like bleach and vinegar, actually shorten the vase life.

Amanda> I don't want to put, I don't want to have my hand sticking out, or my feet sitting in bleach and vinegar.

Carmen> Exactly.

And so one of the big things that we have, been able to find is that a 50/50 mix of, lemon-lime soda and water is the key.

That, because you're lemon-lime soda, not the sugar free kind or like the sparkling water, but the actual lemon-lime soda.

That one has the sugar, carbohydrates, citric acid and usually a bactericide in it.

So that's the best way that you can get around if you've run out of flower food.

But any type of a flower food is very important.

Amanda> And they're, little packets you can get when you get flowers.

I mean, they often had them on it... and when we went up to Clemson and talked with the floriculture professor, he said the best thing was just "to change the water daily."

And that's pretty easy.

Yeah.

Dr. Faust yeah he... we really had we had a wonderful experience with him and he showed us they'd done all these tests before we got there.

He brought them in and it was, significant, the difference.

Carmen> Cut flower production and how to elongate the vase life is a fascinating science.

Amanda> Okay.

Thanks, so much.

Terasa?

Terasa> Back to another question.

This one comes from Beaufort, Johnny said, "My family's interested in getting some livestock and raising food for ourselves.

Do you have any tips that can get us started?"

Amanda> Okay, so livestock isn't chickens.

Nicole> Livestock are chickens.

They still count.

Amanda> It's all the same, okay.

Nicole> It is all the same.

So I'm glad that this person hasn't purchased any livestock yet.

We like to get folks, to get their fencing up and get their caging in place before they go ahead and actually make their purchase of their livestock.

And the first thing, as was highlighted earlier, is I would say, go ahead and get a soil sample.

Because if we can get some pasture growing for these animals, that would be the best thing to start with.

And as always, please call your local Extension Agent, and we can come out and go over where to put the fencing, where to put shelter.

Obviously water, clean water is going to be important 24/7.

And access to some good quality forages all the time is very important as well.

Amanda> And I know that it used to be that people, if they had streams and all, they would let the animals go there to drink.

But I think they've stopped doing that because they feel like their fecal matter might be a pollutant.

Nicole> There are a lot of reasons why we don't encourage, them to drink directly from streams.

Part of it is the pollutants.

Part of it is that there may be pollutants up further, right?

That the animals are now ingesting.

And then also the erosion that happens if the animals are exposed to that stream too often.

And so, yes, getting well water is actually, well, most people are on wells, that I work with.

So getting that type of water or city water is going to be the best bet for your livestock.

Amanda> Well, thank you so very much.

I appreciate it.

Katie Dixon is a great friend and we love to spend time with her.

And usually we have to go down to Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens.

But this time she came up and saw us right here in Sumter.

Amanda> Katie Dixon is the Director of Horticulture at Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens, and she was kind enough to bring some really cool plants up here today.

Katie> Yes.

Thank you Amanda, I love doing show and tell.

Amanda> Yeah I do too.

And so I think we'll start with this one, which looks kind of like a regular bromeliad, I'm thinking.

Katie> Certainly.

So I don't have the variety name on this, but it's a variegated Brazilian bromeliad, like you say.

And we were talking earlier about how in nature, in their native environment, they tend to be epiphytic or air plants and they hitch themselves on to trees, not in a- Amanda> Just to get up to the sunlight, Katie> Just to get up to the sunlight and gather nutrients and water, from the tree canopy.

Amanda> Yeah.

Katie> So, really cool adaptation there.

Amanda> And, so this little cup in here is generally where they collect the water that they need.

Katie> Absolutely right.

It's a rain catchment system.

And that rain would also carry nutrients and detritus.

Amanda> Sure.

Yeah.

Katie> So and nourish the plant.

But of course, you know at Boone Hall, we have a variety of these in pots.

You know, and we sink them down in the ground in our conservatory, for the warm season.

And we're able to pop them back out of the ground.

Amanda> Yeah.

Katie> And...relocate them into a nice, warm greenhouse for winter.

Amanda> And do they, since they don't require getting too much of their water through the soil, do you have to repot them frequently?

Katie> We don't do a lot of repotting or fertilization.

They're fairly low maintenance for us.

So we just make sure that, you know, they're not rotting out from too much water and just check the central cup every now and then.

But they're fun.

Amanda> Okay.

So if you have one in a house that has central heat, which of course I don't, what would you... how would you care for it?

Would you put it at a bright, brightly lit area or what?

Katie> Yeah.

Great question.

So we call it, you know, a bright, indirect light.

So if you have a nice cozy, like sunroom or just, maybe a bright kitchen window or something like that.

Amanda> And so you keep them in these pots because you sink these pots, but you can easily put it in a prettier pot if you wanted to keep it inside?

Katie> Certainly in more of a decorative ceramic more high end container.

But for us, it's more of efficiency thing.

Amanda> Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, it's just lovely.

Katie> Thank you.

Amanda>...so do you give it liquid fertilizer occasionally?

Katie> I don't, because I can be a lazy horticulturist sometime.

But there is, you know, a suggestion maybe every 4 to 6 weeks during the warm season, spring, summer.

Some people like to do a dilute fertilizer.

But I have to be honest with you, I don't do that.

Amanda> Well, if you, I don't see why you should do something, you don't have to.

And I guess occasionally a fly or something lands in there, and I'm sure it just dissolves.

And that's, you know- Katie>-extra nourishment right there.

Amanda> Don't you think?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Really, really, really fun.

Katie> Thanks.

Amanda>...it's got teeny tiny little pointed, leaves, but they're not enough to bother you in any way if you bumped into it.

Katie> Exactly.

Right.

It's not like an agave or anything perilous... Amanda> So, it'd be fine for children?

Katie> Yes.

Amanda> Yeah.

Or kitty cats or- Katie> There you go.

Amanda> Yeah.

Okay.

Well isn't that pretty reddish interior color.

And then it also shows up on the leaves.

This is a beautiful, beautiful bromeliad.

Katie> Thank you.

Amanda> Well, this is one of the craziest looking "fellers" I've ever seen.

He looks like my hair used to before they made hair straightener.

Katie> Well, it is, definitely delightful.

This is a type of bird's nest fern.

A lot of people- Amanda> No.

A fern?

It's a bird's nest fern.

Katie> Absolutely.

So, bird's nest ferns you can typically find more of, like the street species with just the straight, you know, fronds.

at various garden centers or big box stores.

But this is a kind of atypical variation called hurricane fern or twisted bird's nest.

Amanda> Oh, he sure is twisted.

Katie> Yeah.

As it.

As it matures, this buddy is maybe 2, 3 years old.

And it...the leaves continue to whirl- Amanda> Look at that.

Katie> And, yeah.

And get contorted.

Amanda> 1...2..I mean it's got six turns in it.

Katie> It's pretty awesome texture.

You got this, like, kind of crinkly, you know, kind of fun, like little monstrous texture.

So, Yeah, that's just a fun novelty if you can find it in the trade.

Amanda> And then it seems to have something going in an inflorescence in the middle, or is that just the growing point?

Katie> I think again, similar to the bromeliad, it has kind of that, architecture of a central cup to gather water, probably in nature, but I also typically water it that route, as well.

Amanda> The green is so pretty, don't you think?

Katie> It is that really like "new leaf green", I think is so beautiful.

Amanda> That seems to persist.

Katie> Yes, it typically looks like this year round.

Amanda> It looks pretty good to me.

Katie> Yeah.

Nice little house plant.

Amanda> That is crazy.

And say its name again.

Katie> So you can call it hurricane fern or twisted bird's nest.

Amanda> Because it looks like, it looks like it's been through a tornado.

Katie> It definitely has character for sure.

And I'll tell you, Amanda, the only thing to look out for in these that I've encountered is, sometimes they can get spider mites.

I think some things that have really tightly compacted leaves tend to harbor.

Amanda> It's a good place to... Yeah.

So, how would you address that if that happened?

Katie> Yeah.

So kind of, trying to steer away from lots of chemicals, you know, if you have pets or kids, etc..

I typically suggest just a dilute, rubbing alcohol and water solution.

So one part rubbing alcohol, four parts water and spray it.

Amanda> How do you get down it?

Oh, spray it.

Amanda> Because I was going to say you couldn't... it would be very difficult to take a paper towel or something and get into all those crooks and crannies.

Katie> And I'm sure some diligent gardeners may, but that would be tedious.

So I just aerosolize it.

Amanda> And, or could you consider, putting it in it and then bringing it out?

You think it's easier just to spray it?

Katie> I like my trusty spray bottle- Amanda>- You think that worked fine and you felt like you got it, got it all the places that you needed to?

Katie> Very generously spray down the top and the bottom of the leaves until it's dripping.

Amanda> Oh, until it's dripping.

Katie> Let it set and then maybe wipe it, you know, briskly.

But, that typically does the trick.

Amanda> And what proportion did you use?

Katie> One part rubbing alcohol, four parts water in a spray bottle.

Amanda> Okay.

<Yeah> Amanda> Boy.

Well, it's worth the trouble for that because- Katie> I agree.

Amanda> It's so charming.

It truly, truly is.

And then, so this one come... this is an inside in the wintertime.

Katie> Yes.

It would not do in our winters.

So I have to bring it in.

Amanda> That's not much trouble.

Katie> No, not much at all.

So.

Amanda> Yeah.

Yeah.

And, and, I think you found a lovely container for it.

Katie> Thank you.

Amanda> It looks kind of like the ocean and the water and the sky.

Katie> I do, I tend to go for cobalt blue in those, like, striking blue colors, with ceramics.

Amanda> But yeah, that makes it fun.

Well, here's somebody who is in a container that makes it look like maybe he has to go in the ground sometimes when he's not...

I mean, ...at the farm, I mean at the plantation, y'all have him in the ground so he can just be beautiful and then overwinter him in the pot.

Katie> That's exactly right.

So similar to the bromeliad method I was describing, these, pathos and philodendrons.

And we have various varieties.

Some are like a lemony-citrus color, some are variegated.

So lots of fun patterns on those.

The pot again gets sunk down into the flower bed, but it's really just a fake out or an optical illusion because we can pluck them right back out and, Amanda> -put them where you want them.

Katie> Yeah.

Amanda> And, what kind of temperatures does he need?

Is he a little more hardy than some of the others, or do you just kind of treat them all the same?

Katie> We typically treat them the same just from... Amanda> Ease.

Katie> a utility standpoint.

But, typically a lot of tropicals and tender house plants like this will start to show signs of distress or discoloration around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

They might start to- Amanda> I mean, that's... Katie> model.

Amanda> Yeah, that's, that's... <I pushed it.> Katie> I definitely yeah, I've, I've definitely pushed it.

And you'll know because they'll respond very quickly or the tissues will immediately, you know, weaken overnight and start flagging.

Amanda> So if you had this outside, would it grow on a trellis.

Katie> I think you could definitely trellis it.

It would probably kind of start attaching these adventitious roots.

Amanda> Oh of course.

Katie> I think Amanda> But that'd make it harder to put him back in the- or you'd have to just snip him and put him back in.

Katie> I'm a big fan of taking cuttings and passing them along to friends just to cut and carry on type of thing.

Amanda> This is easy to root?

Katie> Very.

Yes.

Yeah.

So a lot of our pothos and "philies", you know, you can put in a little tubule of water in your kitchen window and within a week or two, you'll see a little baby root.

Amanda> Oh, isn't that fun?

It's pretty, I like it.

Katie> Thank you.

Me too.

Amanda> Well, let's see if we can look at this very unusual.

I guess it's a fern that you've got over here.

Katie> It is.

So I've become, familiar with this family of ferns called the ribbon fern.

Amanda> Ribbon fern?

Katie> Yes.

And this particular one is silver ribbon fern.

Amanda> And it does have a very definite silver cast to the leaves, the upper surface of the leaves.

Katie> Very.

I think it looks very prehistoric or Jurassic, it's got, you know, those characteristic spores on the back side of the leaf.

I don't know if I can zoom in there, but, yeah.

Just a really, like, fun, finely textured, fern.

And just to reiterate the diversity, that there are with ferns and foliage plants.

Amanda> Yeah, that's and also just the fact that this variation in color on it just kind of immediately captures your interest.

Katie> Very much.

So we plant this in and amongst other, you know, more broad leaf things and arrowwoods.

Amanda> What a beautiful filler and a contrast that again, green and texture are items in their own right.

It's not always just about color and blossoms.

Katie> Exactly right.

Amanda> He's lovely.

Is he pretty easy to care for?

Katie> Very.

And I will say I've, accidentally more or less let it dry down and it can tolerate some neglect and drought, whereas when, you know, you think of ferns- Amanda> -Boy you got to be careful.

Yeah.

Katie> Lush and needy, you know, water needs and things like that.

But, silver ribbon has been a little bit more durable and drought tolerant.

Amanda> So, whom do you plant it amongst?

Katie> So we pair this in our seasonal tropic house with, arrowwoods, things like anthurium with the fabulous waxy inflorescence.

Amanda> So you have a seasonal tropical house that's even during the year kept the temperatures moderated?

Katie> Yeah.

So it's, it runs from April 1st to November 1st, typically.

And then we have to pack it away in the greenhouses.

Or we can treat everybody and assess everything during the winter time.

Amanda> Gosh.

The director of horticulture, is a very diverse job, just like some of these diverse plants we have.

Katie> Never a dull day, that is for sure.

Amanda> Now, I don't know about this.

I'm afraid I'm going to get my finger pricked.

Well, it might look a little- Amanda> intimidating.

Katie> Intimidating... That's the word.

But.

Yeah.

So this is just a little trough, little inexpensive container I picked up at the store.

Amanda> It's attractive, though.

Katie> Thank you.

Amanda> Yeah.

Katie> Certainly.

Amanda> And when you've got this much material in there you don't need a lot of taking away from them...the plant... the planter needs to just kind of stand on its own.

Katie> That's right.

So the plants speak for themselves.

This is just an array of really easy succulents.

They are tender, however.

A lot of these would not survive our, fluctuating winter temps.

So I bring this inside and just pop it in a south facing window.

Amanda> And you said you got a lot of these, you know, places where people had some wedding bouquets or decorations and you just, got a little tip off one, because that's all you have to do, really, with the succulent, isn't it?

Katie> That's exactly right.

So I love this because it's actually pretty meaningful.

And these are, essentially the progeny or the offspring of leaf cuttings, from some floral work because succulents were, you know, kind of a trend for several years there in wedding work.

And so I would just stick the cutting and, it's pretty successful.

Amanda> Now, but not everything in here is a succulent.

So, this is...fascinating.

And it's got these orange little teeth on the edge.

Katie> Yes.

So that is Carnival Aloe, and it's just kind of a dwarf little hedgehog looking aloe with a very, spiny, rough texture.

Amanda> But it's not.

It's not, It's not going to prick you or anything like that.

Katie> Nothing dangerous.

It just has kind of like a serrated look to it.

Amanda> Even the leaf itself is, bumpy.

Katie> Yes.

Yeah.

Kind of reptilian almost.

Amanda> Yeah, I would say so.

Katie> And I tried to stick my cutting so that I had a variety of green, silver... Amanda> I like this this kind of bluish-green one next to it.

I think that's quite, quite attractive.

Katie> Thank you.

Amanda> Nice pairing there.

Katie> Yeah.

Amanda> And then, we'll go to this.

...not too bad.

Katie> (laughs) Not too bad.

Amanda> I don't think they've outgrown them to get my hemoglobin that way, but anyway.

Katie> Yeah, it's not the most friendly.

I'm assuming this is some sort of, barrel cactus or mammillaria.

I'm not sure, but, you know, I still have an appreciation for cacti- Amanda> Yeah.

Katie> because they are so unusual and fascinating.

Amanda> And, you know, the hairs or the spines, the leaves or whatever they are, they have their own color.

And that just adds a lot more interest to it, don't you think?

Katie> That's right.

And I also was reading because I never thought much about it.

But apparently when a succulent has lots of hairs or spines, it helps, retain moisture and deflect damaging rays and things like that.

So it's not just for show.

Amanda> It's almost like sunscreen.

Katie> Exactly.

Yeah.

So it's, it's a little bit more of a, I guess a, more purposeful adaptation there besides just looking cool.

Amanda> And then, this is just I don't know what it is about it, but it just seems so dainty and lovely, somehow.

Katie> Haworthia is a very, diverse genus.

There are some that almost look black or purple.

There's, you know, ones that look almost like sea creatures.

So a completely, diverse group.

Amanda> Gosh.

Katie> Yeah.

Amanda> Katie, I know that people love to see the traditional things that y'all have, especially in the areas where the brides come and have their have their lovely formal ceremonies.

But also just to see that y'all are always looking for different things to catch people's interests and wherever they happen to be wandering around.

And that you've came and showed some of them with us today.

Thanks so very much.

Katie> It has been a pleasure.

Thank you for having me and my plants.

> What a treat to have Katie come up here and see us.

And we also love going and seeing her.

So, hats, hats, hats you know, we've had some real cold weather and there just wasn't a lot out there.

So I went to the grocery store.

And I like to make flower arrangements all during the year, so sometimes I do that.

But then I wanted a little something in it from the yard.

And this is, Illicium parviflorum.

And when you crush up the leaves, they smell like anise.

And so I have wonderful memories (sniffs) of going around the yard of my mama, you know.

Gosh, I'm 74, so this is when I was eight years old.

And every time we do that.

So as soon as I had children, I had to plant some of these in my yard.

And, it likes a little bit of shade, but the yellow ones really need some shade.

But it's, you know, if you've got kids, you know, do that, or grandkids, and they will (sniffs) have a memory of you.

Not just of the perfume you might have worn.

This is much more fun than perfume to me.

Anyway.

So, let's see, Phillip?

Phillip> On the way in, I stopped and grabbed this little beauty here.

Amanda> That's a teeny-tiny little thing.

Phillip> Yes.

And it's something that we're going to see a whole lot of right now, this time of year, in our lawns and in our gardens.

And it is, poa annua, or annual bluegrass.

Or if you're from South Carolina, "Poanna."

Amanda> Poanna, yeah.

Phillip> So and, if you look real closely, you can start to see the little seed head form.

And it's a beautiful green right now.

Absolutely gorgeous.

But... Terasa> Not everyone seems to appreciate that beautiful green.

Phillip> Not in the heat of winter, when... Or in the cold of winter, I guess I should say.

When we're in a brown lull, it looks great.

But, it's... We see the issues in the spring.

Once we start to warm up, it dies out and it goes brown.

So you'll have this brown tuft of grass in your turf.

And if you have a garden, it just, it zaps nutrients from a garden, and it seeds prolifically.

And it comes back year after year after year from those seed.

There are several chemical control measures, the best of which being preventative.

Usually your pre-emergent herbicides.

Like, Gallery is one for the commercial- for the homeowner.

Prodiamine or Pentamethylene are also other good chemicals for control.

Carmen> But when do we put it out?

Phillip> So there are two applications you do.

You do a fall application to prevent it because it is a winter annual.

That's where you, that's where you initially stop it from growing and then you do it again in the spring, to keep it from reseeding when our temperatures are still cool.

<Okay> Terasa> I think that's really key information.

People don't notice the weeds.

By the time you notice them, right?

We could be a whole lot more effective if we prevent them from growing- <Absolutely> Amanda> Once they're big and mature, they're tough.

Phillip> And they resist chemicals a lot better as they're more mature.

And this one, it is fairly easy to kill.

In the adult stage, but we see most problems from the seedlings.

<Okay> And there are several homeowner chemicals, that you can use.

I'm not going to list them all off and bore you to tears.

Amanda> I'm sure we have a fact sheet about it- Carmen> We do!

Phillip> Absolutely.

-some excellent fact sheets.

Our, our... Urban Agents like Carmen here, know it extensively and can help as well.

So please contact your local horticulture agent.

Amanda> Okay.

Thanks so much.

Terasa> And you know, some folks don't have a local agent, but I want people to know you can reach out to HGIC.

So our Home and Garden Information Center, they have staff that are there specifically to answer residential questions.

They're there, Monday through Friday, 8 to 430, (888) 6-5-6-9-9-8-8 is the phone number.

You can also email them.

So if you have photos you'd like to send in, hgic@clemson.edu Make sure you give them all the details because, like if it's weed control we want to know, what is it growing in?

Is it growing in your lawn?

What kind of lawn grass?

Is it growing in your flower bed?

Your vegetable garden?

But fantastic resource, please utilize them.

Amanda> And they'll talk to you and ask you questions.

And they really have a lot of knowledge.

I'm just amazed at what all those people know.

Yeah.

And friendly.

<Yes> Yes, they are.

Okay, well do you have some show and tell for us.

Carmen> I do.

It's getting that time for herb gardening.

And so I thought I'd bring a couple of our favorite herbs, just to talk about very quickly how to put them together.

Because one of the big things is everyone, you might not want just one big thing of just say, an oregano.

But a lot of people like to have a nice container garden with a couple different, fresh herbs that you can cut up and use in your, in your meals.

And just, a quick primer is that, you want to put things that are light together, like in terms of they need the same sun or they need the same amount of water.

Because things like rosemary don't need as much water as some of our leafy annuals, like a dill or basil.

And so, it's things that kind of have, get that kind of woody stem and stay or perennial year after year, I like to put together in one area, that like the full sun.

And some of our leafy annuals, those go into another one.

So I'm not having to waste space in our containers.

So when you're thinking about your herb gardens this year, we can grow just about any of our favorite herbs, working into the warm season, try and mix and match.

But make sure your mixing and matches, like with like.

Amanda> Now, rosemary is going to last for years and years.

Yeah, right?

Carmen> A lot of it.

Yes.

As long as you don't, don't give it too much love.

It actually likes to be ignored.

It really likes a dry environment for most of the time.

Too much water, constant water, constant moisture.

It's going to rot out.

So it really can.

And down in Charleston, where it's got really good drainage, you see those up on the side of houses and on the street.

They must be there for 20 years.

So they really got options.

But if you love on it too much and you put it in too wet of an area, it's not going to do well.

Think Mediterranean climate.

A lot of the times if you put things that are like culinary, they are usually used to the same climate.

Amanda> Oh, Of course.

Carmen> Yes, because they come in from the same area.

<Okay> Phillip> If you've got a large one too, you also have to be careful how you prune it.

Because it can be a little finicky at times.

The larger they are, the harder they are to prune.

Because if you prune too heavily, that whole branch will die back.

Carmen> One of my favorite things to think about for pretty much most of your herbs as they're growing, cut the young, small tips.

That's going to have the most flavor- Amanda> -bush out a little bit?

Carmen> Exactly.

The most flavor.

It's going to give a lot of...

It's going to leave like our basil, for example.

It's, leave the big leaves on the bottom to do all the photosynthesizing and just do the tips.

That helps make it bushier and more delicious.

Amanda> Oh, thank you.

Great fun.

Okay, well, Terasa?

Terasa> Do we have another question?

I'm sure that we do.

Let's see if we can help Janelle, in Orangeburg.

Janelle says that she just moved to South Carolina, and her kids were previously involved in 4-H through dairy and livestock events in New York.

Do we have similar opportunities here?

Amanda> Isn't that funny to think of somebody from New York and their kids were in 4-H and did dairy and livestock because we just think of the city, but I imagine we have the same opportunities here, don't we?

Nicole> We sure do.

Our Orangeburg 4-H agent is Mrs. Laura Hair.

And she loves working with livestock.

She and I partner regularly.

And so, for example in October, we'll have the Orangeburg Livestock Shows coming up at the County Fair.

I know you joined us last year- Amanda> -Yeah it was fun.

I had a good time.

Nicole> It was fantastic.

Everyone loved to have you.

So, they definitely have the opportunity.

They're more than welcome to, reach out to Laura, reach out to me.

And let's get these kids some animals.

They've got a new beef on dairy project available.

<Ooo> Yeah.

So it's, there's a lot of opportunities, and we're hoping to see livestock start to spark a little bit more.

Amanda> And, different 4-H agents do different projects and specialize in different things.

So call and find out what the ones near you do.

And I don't think you have to be from that county if they're not full.

I think you could have somebody from another place that needed to come to your county.

Is that sometimes possible?

Nicole> Yes.

That's, that's correct.

And we see that a lot out in the Savannah Valley area.

We've got several 4-H agents that do different, they even specialize in different species of livestock.

So, you know, dairy goats versus hogs.

Yes, absolutely, reach out to your 4-H agent.

And even if you're not from that county, come on and join us.

We'd love to have the kids.

Amanda> Yeah, that's a lot of fun isn't it?

Nicole> Mhm.

Amanda> And, so, are they kind of nervous about the animals at first?

I mean, you have to get them used to them I guess.

Nicole> We do when they're, you know, when they're little... it's funny because when they're little and they start young, they're not quite as nervous.

And so getting them around the big animals like the beef cattle, the dairy cattle, right?

It doesn't faze them.

We see that- Amanda> -they don't know any better.

Nicole> Exactly.

But if they are nervous, we do have, you know, they can go size up and so they can start with rabbits and chickens.

Go to the small ruminants, meat goats, dairy goats, hogs and then beef and dairy from there.

Amanda> If they want to go from there.

Okay.

Wasn't that fun?

Terasa> And Amanda if people have never seen kids show a chicken.

I am telling you, it is quite an experience.

Amanda> Show a chicken?

Terasa> Show a chicken.

You have to make the chicken walk.

And sometimes the chickens are cooperative and other times they are not.

Amanda> I'm not sure that, chickens are known for being particularly cooperative.

That's fun.

Terasa> I think that different breeds, some tend to be easier than others.

But it is quite fun.

And so many life skills that the kids learn through participating in those projects.

Amanda> Yeah, 4-H is wonderful.

Terasa> It is.

Amanda> Okay.

Well, Lin Ko is a really world renowned Ikebana artist And we are so fortunate that she's a friend of ours, and she came up and did an arrangement using things that were available in the winter outside.

♪ Amanda> I'm so happy to welcome Lin Ko back to our Sumter studio.

Lin is an Ikebana expert.

Lin, thank you so much for joining us today.

Lin Ko> Thank you for inviting me.

Amanda> And you are a certified Ikebana person and a member of Ikebana International, I believe.

Lin Ko> That's right.

Yeah, I have been about 25 years, yeah.

Amanda> And so what is, what are the principles of Ikebana?

Lin Ko> Yeah, Ikebana, we normally talk about Heaven, human being, and the Earth.

Amanda> Okay.

Lin Ko> So you are going to connect the three of them together into one.

So we call it harmony, the harmony among human being, Heaven, and the Earth.

Amanda> All right, okay.

Lin Ko> Okay.

Amanda> Okay, and I think today we're going to do a particular type of Ikebana arrangement.

So tell us what this one is, please.

Lin Ko> Yes, today, we are doing a special style, which belong to Sogetsu school, this is a Tsubo style.

Amanda> All right.

Lin Ko> Tsubo means a round container with a small opening, which the diameter is about a little bit over a fist size.

Amanda> You need to be able to put your fist in it.

Lin Ko> That's right, so you can fix something, and then the body should be round <yes> then probably at least one and a half size <all right> compared to the ring diameter.

Amanda> And you've made some preparations before we started.

And so tell me what you've done.

You've put some water in this to give it more stability.

And you said sometimes, you might even put stones or marbles Lin Ko> Yes, because I already added maybe a quarter of the water inside to secure the container because we are doing a very special style, unique style, which has the branches stick out.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> Dramatically.

Amanda> And these are quite beautiful.

This is coral bark maple and covered with some lichens.

Amanda> What exquisite plant material to begin with.

Lin Ko> That's right, and then because last December we had that bomb cyclone kill most of my plants in the yard.

So this is the thing I can only find at this time.

Amanda> And Ikebana is about a cycle of life, so it can have things that are, although these are living.

This is not, this is dried.

But that is acceptable.

because that is a part of life.

Lin Ko> That's right, we focus on the life going on starting with a bud, <Yes> and then small, little tiny open flower, and then going to completely open flower and then faded, and then maybe dried.

So any stage of the plant, you can use it.

Amanda> All right, and then, if you want, you had a little hint for people to hold these branches, and I think you brought an example of that.

Lin Ko> That's right, this is one way of securing it.

We are not following the traditional way of getting into very complicated technique, I want to make it easy for you.

Okay, so you can use a piece of the driftwood to help secure the branch, or if you don't need this and you don't like this, you can actually, this is the two branches, you can actually put in stainless steel wire and make it into a ball.

Okay?

And then put in.

You need quite a lot, quite a lot, because if its too small, it does not do anything.

Amanda> And you have a pair of clippers that has a special place to cut wire.

And so I'm going to try to cut this for you.

(clanking) Lin Ko> Yes, thank you, you are strong.

You are very strong.

Okay.

Then you want to twist them into a ball.

So together with this, okay?

The larger the size of the ball is easier for you to secure the branch.

Okay.

And then the reason I don't use the regular wire because the regular wire inside the water can rust.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> When it rusts, then it kills the plants.

Okay, so you want to make sure you can have this stuck in and just kind of take it easy.

Don't break the container.

Amanda> And the Lazy Susan is a wonderful device because you can turn and see the arrangement from many angles.

Lin Ko> That's right.

And then the branches also have the front and the back.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> This one, this is the front.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> Okay.

Lin Ko> This one, this is the front.

<Yes> Lin Ko> And then don't put the wrong side.

It looks funny, okay?

So now I'm going to turn the ball to me, so facing me, so I'm going to put this one inside.

And then here, remember you have to cut it slanted so this can touch the wall of the container <Yes> tightly, okay?

So it helps secure.

Okay.

And this one also, you cut it this way, so it goes to there.

And make sure if you fit into the wire, it can help you.

And also this too, you can kind of make it lock, lock into each other.

Okay?

Amanda> Okay.

Lin Ko> So the angle is quite pretty.

Amanda> Yes, it is.

Lin Ko> You will see if it's going to move around.

If it's going to move around, you add more of the wire.

Okay.

So at this point, it seems okay.

Okay.

And now I'm going to put in the flowers.

The color will kind of stay in the center, and also low.

Amanda> All right.

Lin Ko> Because this is tall, and we need something to secure to give center of gravity and you feel the thing is not flying away, okay?

So I'm going to use, I think I like you to walk around the yard.

And then find things you can use.

You don't have to go to a florist shop.

And things you can find at this time, camellia is blooming.

Okay, so this very pretty, okay?

<Lovely> So I'm going to first of all, this one is so pretty, I'm going to cut it.

(snip) Cut it.

Okay.

Then, let's stay here.

Amanda> I've got it.

Lin Ko> Okay.

Lin Ko> Then cut more, I will need two to three flowers.

Okay?

The camellia, they are beautiful.

The trouble is the stem is very short.

So you have to make sure your water, you fill the water to the rim, so the camellia can absorb the water.

Okay.

Amanda> And on this one, if you want to, you could even cut down low and use some of the stem.

(rustling) Amanda> Oops.

Lin Ko> One already dropped, look.

So that's why camellia is beautiful, but they don't stay for a long time.

So this will also go with the philosophy of the Japanese flower arrangement.

They call 'once in a lifetime.'

Every moment of the flower is actually only that moment unique.

It's not going to stay the same tomorrow.

Okay, so we do this, and then- Amanda> You need me to cut the stem above that?

Lin Ko> Let's see, let's see, okay?

This one, I can if I don't feel like to cut it, I can do this way and see how it happens.

Amanda> Oh, all right.

Lin Ko> It looks beautiful.

Amanda> It is.

Lin Ko> It looks beautiful.

Okay, let's see.

Not necessary to cut all the leaves.

We want to do that at the end.

Amanda> All right.

(rustling) Lin Ko> This is the front and this is the smaller one.

Normally the larger one will be lower.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> And the small one will be taller, okay?

So it will look like it's going to tip over.

So if we do this, and don't cut up all the greens, because they are so beautiful.

Amanda> Yes, they are.

Lin Ko> They are beautiful.

Once you put in, then you start looking.

If it's too much you cut, otherwise you don't cut it in the very beginning.

Okay.

So, we have one more.

How about this one, where should this one go?

(rustling) I go, this one is very short.

Sometimes one is too short.

There is one way you can tie it into a stick to help with that.

Amanda> Okay.

(rustling) (snip) Lin Ko> Yes, then I can use some of my wire or maybe I can use rubber band.

Amanda> All right.

Lin Ko> Rubber band comes in handy.

Back in the 15th century, of course, at that time, there was no rubber band.

So in Ikebana practice, they did not say you can use rubber band.

But starting this past two decades, I saw lots of the grandmasters.

They were using the rubber band, so you have to go with the flow.

And then the world change, the technology change.

Amanda> Well, and, as you say, it's caught in the moment.

And so we should be not, this it's a movement.

<Yes> And so we should be aware of that and embrace new movements.

Lin Ko> That's right.

Amanda> New technologies.

Lin Ko> Yes, the principle is always the same, but the technology, the skill, you can always have bring in something new.

Okay.

So now I have this.

I make sure I trim this off.

So it's easy for me to tuck in.

(rustling) (snip) Yes, and then normally we want to cut inside the water, so the stem will not get into the air.

(snip) Amanda> There we are.

Lin Ko> Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Amanda> You're so welcome.

Lin Ko> And now we can put in the flowers.

(rustling) And then make sure, they don't want to be at the same height.

They don't want to be at the same direction.

Have the flower turning two different direction, but they are not against each other.

They still need to have a conversation ongoing.

Okay, so I think this looks pretty good.

And we don't need to add any good greenery.

I brought this thinking I may need something to go on the side.

Let's try it.

If we don't like it, we can always remove it.

Okay.

If I cut this... (snip) I got it from the roadside of my neighbors.

(rustling) If you like to have more greenery, you can add anything you like.

Looks nice.

Amanda> That's nice.

Lin Ko> Yeah, it looks nice.

Amanda> And it's a different color green, which is very pretty.

That's right, and also with this little tiny flower bud.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> That's a little bit yellowish.

I think it adds more color and go with the container too.

Amanda> Yes.

Lin Ko> Yes.

Lin Ko> So you can tuck in.

Not too much.

But just dress up a little bit.

So it will not look at that plant.

Okay?

So this is always a way you have to use your own judgment.

Okay?

Nobody can teach you, nobody can teach you.

You just have to see which way it looks nicer.

(rustling) And make sure, you don't want to have four angles, four corners.

Tuck them into three instead of four.

Okay, so I think this, this leaf need to be removed, this leaf.

Amanda> Yes.

It's blocking the view of the flower.

Okay, so I'm going to use this kind of sharp scissors.

(snip) Okay, much better.

Amanda> Oh, lovely.

Lin Ko> Much better.

(Amanda laughs) Take a look.

This is slightly shorter.

Okay.

How do you like it?

Amanda> I think it is very beautiful.

Lin Ko> Yeah, I think that the bud with this little tiny green and make it like you can appreciate from three, from all around the 360 degree.

Okay.

Amanda> Okay.

Well, I just think we're so fortunate that you would come down and share your skills with us.

And if people want to know more about Ikebana, they can contact you through email and you can help them find a class perhaps near them.

Lin Ko> Yes, I started teaching two years ago.

So there's a class in Columbia area, okay?

Amanda> Thank you very much.

Lin Ko> Thank you for inviting me.

I hope you enjoyed this and this is Tsubo style, Tsubo.

T-S-U-B-O, okay?

Amanda> Lots of fun.

Thank you so much.

Lin Ko> Thank you.

♪ ♪ ♪ Amanda> Lin Ko actually travels to the Orient, sometimes Terasa, which is where she learned all these skills.

And we just imagine that here in South Carolina, she comes and shares that skill with us.

Terasa> It's fantastic and such a...

I guess, a different take on floral arrangements, more of that minimalist, make everything count and have a purpose.

Amanda> Very different than just blah, blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, we hope she'll come back soon.

And I want to thank all of y'all for coming and being with us.

Oh, we've had so much fun today.

Thank y'all, thank y'all, thank y'all.

And I guess I should now say, we look forward to seeing you next week and we'll all say "good night."

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

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

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

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

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

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