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

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

McLeod Farms in Mc Bee South Carolina family owned and operated since 1916.

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

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

♪(opening music)♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Amanda: Well good evening, and welcome to Making It Grow.

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

I'm Amanda McNulty, a Clemson Extension Horticulture agent, and I get to come over with my co host Terasa Lott.

and Terasa is the Master Gardener coordinator, I believe is that correct?

Terasa: That is correct.

It is a privilege to be able to coordinate the program.

But I can't take much credit.

I have a team of very talented staff, three of which are right here on our panel today.

Amanda: That's really fun.

Yeah, yeah and uhm Carmen Keaton, a wonderful hort agent from Darlington and also a new title "mama".

Carmen: Yes.

I have a beautiful a four month old girl named Juna now so but It's good to be back at work and play in the field.

So.

Amanda: She likes to ride in whatever kind of contraption you've got walk around your property with you, I think.

Carmen: Yes.

We've got a little Papoose for her and a little wagon.

Yeah, she's she's enjoying farm life.

<And she was a big girl when she came.> Yeah, she was 10 pounds 11 ounces.

<And a head full of hair.> Yes, big curls and it didn't fall out.

So we're really lucky.

Amanda: And you will admire you for not having ostentatious bows.

You have just the right size bow.

Carmen: exactly when in every color.

So we've got a funny little phrase, the she wears the bow all the time.

Yes, I put her in a bow all the time.

and so the rule is no bow no, go.

Amanda: and you're also getting ready to move into a new house.

So we'll have pictures of that next time.

How about that?

Thanks for being with us tonight.

And Christopher Burt Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester.

The fastest Dorchester is the fastest growing county.

Chris: Berkeley is the second fastest growing County.

Amanda: and, um, but you've you got like a zillion applications for a master gardener program.

but to keep it so that people can make friendships and all I think you've whittled it down a little bit.

Chris: Yeah, I think the classes are much better for a little bit more intimate.

Amanda: Okay, well, good.

and um, so I think you've got one starting up.

Chris: Oh, yes, absolutely.

It started next day.

<Okay.> Amanda: And Jackie Jordan, you are the horticulture agent in Fairfield Kershaw and Richland.

<Yes.> A lot of counties.

but do you have one place this mainly home?

Jackie Jordan: I work out of Richland County, <Okay.> But I spend a lot of time in Kershaw too.

Amanda: Good.

All right.

Kershaw's a lovely area and has a variety of different geographical types to Doesn't it?

Jackie Jordan: It does and really cool thing is they've got eight new community gardens, I've been going around the county helping with those different community gardens.

Amanda: Eight new community gardens.

Well, good for them is just, I mean, is this come from people who took the Master Gardener course or just people within the community?

<People within the community.> Well, I admire you for helping get started.

That's terrific.

Yeah.

Okay.

and then we're gonna have some wonderful segments for you to look at Crooked Cedar Farm, Jarrets Jungle and old McCaskill Farms Farm and that was because of course It's our 30th anniversary.

So that was when Rowland Alston went up to visit them and Making It Grow has been on the air for 30 years.

and It's been an exciting time.

That's a long time for our show to be on.

Rowland gotten old, now I've gotten old, I don't know what we're gonna do.

Thank goodness, you're young.

But anyway, we're gonna have a party to celebrate that Oh, On September the 25th, right here in Sumter, at the beautiful Opera House, and there's tons and tons and tons and tons of parking.

So that won't be a problem at all.

We're going to start at 5:30 with a little reception.

So don't feel like you have to be here right on time.

And then at 6:15, we're going to move over over into the Opera House and sit there and you get to sit down and we'll be standing up and talking to people from the beginning of the show, all the way through to people who are newcomers who people like Carmen and Christopher, who are going to be there.

It's gonna be a lot of fun.

and if you want to wear a hat, I would certainly be happy to see you in your hat.

Please make plans the 25th of September 5:30. the Sumter Opera House, Alrighty.

Gardens Of The Week, Terasa, you are always so nice about going through the things that people send to you.

and they're so nice to send them to you.

Terasa: They are I was going to say this is not about me at all.

but about you, our viewers, you make our show possible.

and I too am looking forward to seeing you at our special "30th Anniversary Celebration".

I know sometimes you feel like you know us personally, but we don't get to see you.

So this is an opportunity for us to meet you and to really connect on that level.

So let's get started with our gardens of the week.

We begin with Gail and Bill Black in Easley they sent us the beautiful red flowers of Texas Star highbiscous.

From Sheila Wellborn.

in Rock Hill, we see a landscaped area highlighted with lovely Black Eyed Susans.

The Rio Samba hybrid tea rose is the focus of Deb Austin's photo, she's in Long's and she's cut those flowers and brought them inside to enjoy.

Tommy Kemmerlin shared the downward turned pendulous flowers of his angels trumpet.

And last but not least, Tommy Wagner shared a colorful landscaped bed featuring hydrangea annual Vinca and knockout rose.

They seem to be thriving despite the hot temperatures.

So thank you, everyone for sharing your photos.

Remember, this is just a small sampling of what is shared.

You're welcome to view all of them and submit yours on our Face Book page.

Amanda: Well, and we learn a wonderful word "pendulous".

Good for you, Terasa.

You you educate them edify us in so many wonderful ways.

We will shake you okay.

One of the things that I do Terasa is.

Write, these little radios, fast little things for South Carolina public radio.

And they'll come on during the week, three times a day while people are driving so people may hear them.

Although a lot of people have that fancy radio now so or sirius or some other kind.

Terasa: I sometimes hear them on my way to or from the studio.

Amanda: Okay, well, anyway, um, sometimes, sometimes they can be kind of fun, I think.

And I talked about chewing gum.

and you know, I mean, they found petrified chewing gum that 6500 years old.

Oh, my goodness, yeah.

Which is kind of fun, because people still chew gum.

So anyway, but they're about a wide variety of topics.

But anyway, if any of y'all would ever like to see them, just go to South Carolina Public Radio, and you could find them there.

and maybe you'll enjoy hearing something a little bit different.

Well, another thing that happens at Face Book is that people put questions there and ask for help.

and we've got some mighty fine people to answer them today.

Terasa: I am quite sure that our panel is going to be up to the challenge and we'll be able to help all of the folks that have asked questions.

Let's begin with Pat.

She is on Seabrook Island, and she sent us some pictures.

She said: I can sympathize with Pat because the Oleander aphids have found my milkweed as well.

But let's let's see if we can help her with the rusty brown spots.

Amanda: Well, Carmen, what do you think is going on here?

and does she cut those leaves off?

Carmen: Yes, I think she's exactly right.

It's it looks like some type of rust, there are about five or six different types of rusts that could be affecting milkweed.

And while I don't know exactly which one, a lot of the same things go to help manage it.

and that really is just cutting it back and good sanitation practices.

So cutting them back, making sure those diseased leaves are up off the ground kind of raking up anything that's fallen.

and one of the big things is also I would normally say thinning out your milkweed because often it gets Amanda: so better air circulation and less likely odor.

We've had such a wet funky summer.

Carmen: But looking at her picture, it looks almost singular.

So I would almost say that there's a bad microclimate going on in and around her area.

So possibly digging it up, maybe moving it somewhere else that has more sunlight more air flow would really make a big difference.

but next year, I'm sure it will flourish after that.

Amanda: Okay, so, right now, would you go ahead now and cut it back?

Carmen: Snip snip.

Amanda: You would.

Okay, so there won't be any flowers for the moths.

Carmen: No, there will be this time.

But next year, you're, you're making the long term investment.

Amanda: Okay.

Thank you so much.

I really appreciate it.

Well, Terasa, somebody else, I'm sure somebody else is having problems.

We all have problems all the time.

Terasa: We do.

It sometimes is a little bit depressing, right?

Because we don't talk about our positive stories.

I guess that's what the gardener this week.

We are moving to Simpsonville.

Ivan sent some pictures and said: Amanda: I guess they mean a Palmetto tree.

I'm guessing.

Christopher, what do you think?

Chris: So.

Yes, this definitely looks like a Palmetto tree, and to answer his questions actually both It's both the past and normal.

So It's the cabbage palm borer.

It's a type of moth.

Amanda: So the cabbage palm is the smaller one?

Chris: The cabbage palms are Palmetto tree.

So that's the sable Palmetto sable minor is yes, sable minor is the dwarf one so but this borer it is a It's a moth that's actually its host plants are the cabbage palm and the Saw Palmetto.

and those are the only two species that it is a host to.

and so for the most part, it is relatively common.

It's also fairly minor.

The good news is is if you do not treat your Palmetto for any type of with any type of insecticides for the most part, your beneficial parasites parasitoids and other beneficial insects are actually going to control it for you.

There's a lot of predators that go after this caterpillar.

and so yeah, I can do some damage.

but for the most part, if you don't do anything, nature usually takes care of it.

Amanda: That's nice.

It's so much to do.

It's nice that you can just say, Oh, well, that's Yeah, yeah, I'll go clean out the drawer and pull some weeds.

Okay.

Thank you so very much.

Well, Teresa had that another question.

Terasa: All right.

Well, this topic is the subject weeds and which is pretty interesting, because it might be a desirable plant to one person and a weed to someone else.

The question comes from Jackie and Saluda and it says: Amanda: Oh, so maybe It's too many to pull by hand.

Jackie, what would you recommend that they do to get a start on this?

Jackie Jordan: Well since she wants to start a garden, and I'm assuming a vegetable garden?

Yeah, I would think I would start with cover crops.

There's a lot of different cover crops that can go in and some of them are allopathic.

So they'll send out chemicals through their root system that will help to sterilize the soil around it and prevent other weed seeds germinating.

That's the best way to really get control and depending on what season you're in, there are multiple options for cover crops.

Amanda: What are some of the ones that you typically found people using?

Jackie Jordan: So in the fall, you can use a grass or lagume?

So sometimes you'll see like red clover, okay, rye is a good one that has allopathic properties.

Okay, daikon radish is a good one for busting up clay.

So whatever your situation is, there's a cover crop.

and whatever time of year you're looking at, there's a cover crop to use.

You can use it in raised beds, you can use it in for an in the ground gardens.

Amanda: And not having the soil bare too.

You are enriching the soil and the root systems are going to keep it vibrant.

Jackie Jordan: oh, yeah, there's so many benefits from cover cropping.

So It's just going to build up organic matter, but she's also going to help to limit the weeds.

Amanda: Are many of them pretty easy to get established.

I would hope so.

Jackie Jordan: Yeah, for the most part they are.

Amanda: Okay.

Okay.

Well, thank you.

That's just a great suggestion.

Jackie Jordan: Yeah and there's a great fact sheet on our website that goes into detail on the cover crops.

Amanda: "clemson.edu" cover crops.

Okay, thank you so much.

Terasa: I learned a new term recently that is related to cover crops and green manures.

So if you turn that cover crop into the soil, it is then considered a green manure.

Amanda: How about that.

You know, and Tony used to tell us, Tony Melton, that if you grew mustards and things like that, and I see you smiling over there, so you continue.

Carmen: Oh, yeah, no, just your cover crop as a mustard has really great biodiversity so It's actually getting rid of a lot of pests just by some of the smells allelopathic properties, things like that.

Amanda: And Tony said if you turn it in that it can help with nematodes which is a pretty nice thing because they can be very problematic.

and now we're going to Crooked Cedar Farm and what a beautiful landscape they have there I think you can enjoy this trip.

♪[gentle music]♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Amanda: I'm near Blythewood, South Carolina at Crooked Cedar Farm and speaking with Edwina Harrell, Edwina How did you get that name Crooked Cedar.

Edwina: Well, when we've cleared our land that we're growing our present garden on.

It was during the wintertime and we were trying to think of a name catchy name for our farm.

So we were just sitting out near the field, and we looked up and there was a cedar tree that had a crooked top.

So we said, How about "Crooked Cedar Farm"?

Amanda: Well that's fun, and it does it was Yeah, but um, you and your husband moved here relatively young in your marriage.

And tell me how y'all started?

Edwina: Okay, we moved here in 1972.

We built our house in January of 1972. and we moved here on April 5 on my husband's birthday.

So the first couple of years I mostly stayed in the house with the with the children but he was out working in the yard and we would clear parts of the yard as as we go along.

and then one day, he said you need to come out in the yard with me and so I did and I never went back inside.

<Dirty hands suited you.> Dirty hands were fine with me.

Amanda: So I guess first you landscaped and your your yard itself is beautiful.

<Thank you.> And I think you have a great love of pollinators.

Edwina: We do we love the birds.

We love the butterflies.

We love the bees, the honeybees and bumblebees, everything that flies and just goes from plant to plant.

We love them.

Amanda: And and so that gives you this lovely flower garden near the house and you rather than have to go and buy new plants every year the annuals.

I think you try to overwinter them?

Edwina: I do I... about half of the things in the flower beds are annuals, some will overwinter pretty good.

But the ones that will not overwinter I dig in the fall, pot them up and put them in the greenhouse.

Amanda: And what are some of those so that we can show?

Edwina: Well, I do the blew my mind.

Some of the euphorbias like the diamond mountain, diamond snow.

They don't overwinter like some of the grasses like then these pots, the purple fountain grasses, all of that goes in the greenhouse coleus lots of things go in the greenhouse.

Amanda: I was interested when we were looking at the flowers that you grow dahlias are is from seed I did not even know that was an option.

Edwina: Oh yeah, they're very easy to grow from seed.

<And bloomed the first year.> Bloom the first year and they come back every year and I love them because they're they're more compact plant the plants are the flowers are small, or they make very good cut flowers versus the dinner plates which are kind of heavy.

But yeah, they all have the most of our dahlias are from seed.

Amanda: And uhm sunflowers, sunflowers, sunflowers.

I think y'all let them kind of scatter in the fields but Selvin told me that he plants them in rotation.

So there's always something there for the pollinators, I believe.

Edwina: That's right, Yeah.

and they're beautiful.

and the pollinators love them.

and when you growing vegetables, you need pollinators to help you know, get the plants going.

Amanda: And then I think you were kind of surprised at one of the sunflowers that came back this year.

That was gigantic.

Edwina: That was a surprise.

I think one of the birds.

We feed the birds.

So I think one of the birds planted that sunflower for us it's a giant sunflower that came up by itself in the field.

and It's been great.

It's been beautiful.

Amanda: But then y'all have also been very interested in growing vegetables.

Edwina: Yes, we have always grown vegetables just For the first parts of our marriage, we always had a garden.

We grew up with gardening, our grandparents, our parents, all had gardens.

And a lot of our great grandparents had big feed... big farms.

but we always had a vegetable garden for our needs.

but when we retired, way back when, for 20 years ago, we said we were young, we need to have something to do.

So we decided we would start a farm and grow on a big scale.

Amanda: And you are particularly interested in things that taste good.

So are so are you trying new things sometimes?

And what are some of your favorite things to grow?

Edwina: Well, we grow a lot of new things.

But now we've kind of settled into what everybody likes.

But our main crop they grow in the summer, is this Cherokee Purple tomato [laughter] and that's our signature tomato that we grow here on our farm.

Amanda: And in the summer, you can get things started early, you have a greenhouse.

<I do, yeah.> and so you'd like to start things early, because you've got a clay soil.

Edwina: We do.

I like to start my own seed.

I found that with starting my own seed and growing out my own plants, they just seem to do better.

They are more acclimated, I think to the surroundings and environment, plus a baby much all of my seedlings when I'm growing them in the greenhouse, I'm touching them.

I'm talking to them all day long.

and I think they respond to that, you know, and they do.

Amanda: I mean, I think plants do respond.

Yeah, they have feelings, too.

Amanda: Yeah.

and then y'all are very conscious about things like water use, I believe Edwina: We are we we have a well and sometimes it rains really good and then sometimes some years It's no rain, our water source is our home.

Well, we have drip irrigation that we do in the field.

and in the raised beds, we're putting in drip irrigation now the flower beds and borders in the yard.

No drip irrigation yet.

Amanda: You have a garden shed and it has air conditioning, which I'm sure is wonderful.

and he because you tell me how you like to do your your cold crops how you like to start them.

Edwina: Brassicas like the collards and the cabbage and the brussel sprouts and the broccoli, which we grow.

They like to have a cool germination temperature.

So in the summer when you start them, Ju... July is not cool here.

So we built this garden shed or garden, we call it the garden cottage and we put air conditioning in there so that I can start my seed inside under lights in the air condition.

and that helps them not to stretch and get Leggy.

Amanda: So that when you put them out, they're less likely to lodge or fall over it.

Edwina: they're just so nice, compact little plant, and you can just do better.

Amanda: and then I think in there too, also, with all of these wonderful flowers that I see.

Some people like to come to you and get bouquets.

Edwina: Yes, we are.

We started the cut flower part of the farm about two years ago.

And so we just make flower jars, which are just small, like jelly jars or whatever kind of jar I can find, and then I'll also do the wrap bouquets.

I do buckets of flowers.

So we people come and we have those available.

Amanda: And as we were out there in the back part where y'all actually have the little farm.

It was Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba because as if you didn't have enough, you've got chickens.

Edwina: Oh, yeah, we have about 50 laying hens.

<Uh huh.> and they're, they're fun.

They're special.

and we we sometimes have pet ones, but right now we don't have a special pet one.

but I imagine we will.

Amanda: I bet you will, too.

So um, so you're collecting eggs every, every day, and we offer those to the public also.

Amanda: Okay.

and so people like to come out here and take advantage of the things that you have.

Tell me how people find out about what's available.

Edwina: Okay, we send out an email each week or sometimes twice a week.

and also I posted it on Face Book and Instagram.

Amanda: Well, I think that I went around this morning, I didn't have breakfast.

and I pinched and grazed as I was here and had a wonderful time doing that.

And It's just been a glorious experience coming and seeing <Thank you.

I appreciate it.> What y'all have managed to do.

Thank you so much for coming.

♪[gentle music]♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ We had a delightful time that crocked cedar farm and it was made even more pleasant by the sounds of the chickens cluck clucking around, and it was just a wonderful day we had such a good time.

Well, the roadsides are interesting to me, that's where I get a lot of stuff.

and I try not to get run over by the logging trucks so far I've been careful.

And uhm right now, there's a lot of yellow stuff out there.

Crotalariais a species that was introduced, It's in the bean legume family.

So it enriches the soils, but after they brought it in, they found out that It's has poisonous compounds for cattle and all kinds of animals that might eat it.

So but it was already here so here it is to stay and when they dry, the seed heads rattle and then make so It's kind of rattle box sometimes and it has a lot of seeds and it can grow very well on in fertile soil.

So you'll see big patches of it because it seeds down but it is kind of pretty.

And then this time of year wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Goldenrod that people think makes them sneeze but it doesn't It's because the ragweed is coming at the same time and ragweed has little tiny flowers but the golden rods and you know we have about 22 that had been identified in the state and I just thought were golden rods were just golden rod.

and uhm one of the couple of them there's a beach golden rod Terasa, that's a host for a larval host plant about that pretty cool.

Terasa: And golden rods are really great for supporting wildlife, you know, flowering late in the year when some of the other things have already gone by and and then of course we want to leave them and and let the Let It Be wildlife habitat over the winter.

Amanda: Yes as well.

Yeah.

So It's a nice thing to have in your yard.

I would encourage people to plant it.

And there's some cultivars that are a little bit different.

I think if you wanted to be a little bit fancier, you could just do that.

And then I've got some Bronze fennel that is good.

Another host plant, I think isn't it.

Terasa: larval host plant for black swallowtail soy, dill, parsley, fennel, Amanda: And fennel, we were talking earlier before the show, we make spaghetti carbonara that has fennel seeds in it.

and I'm Carmen You said you like to make it.

Carmen: I love it.

I love a fennel seed.

I think It's fun.

A lot of people think it tastes too much like licorice for them and they got a bad taste of black licorice as children but I love it.

Amanda: I do too.

and Christopher you got a story too.

Chris: Oh, yeah, that was one of the first meals that made my wife when we started dating.

Amanda: But anyway, spaghetti carbonara is a lot of fun and easy to make if you have bacon already cooked.

So I get a pound of bacon and cook it in the oven, save the bacon grease, and get if you to you want to put it in cornbread and things like that.

And then you've got bacon pieces you can use to make spaghetti carbonara real quickly, which is just fun.

Give it a try if you haven't.

So we are now going to go back to Terasa because she's got more questions that people have posed and y'all have been so good at answering them.

Thank y'all.

Terasa: And this is definitely not related to anything edible.

So we're totally switching gears from spaghetti carbonara.

Okay, Mike, in Florence has a problem with his crape myrtles.

He says: There are a lot of things that can cause I suspect the black is is sooty mold.

But I think we might be able to delve a little bit deeper.

Amanda: Oh, Carmen, I think this is a very, very, very sad thing to talk about.

Because we'd like to be able to give people an answer that you know is going to keep something from coming back.

but this is something that a lot of people still are unaware of that's out there.

Carmen: Yes.

So the first clue was like Terasa said, the almost sooty mold on the leaves that a lot of people experience.

And sooty mold is found on a number of different Um, I have the front of my house, I have some plants and it is actually the honeydew or the excrement from insects that the honeybee will fall down and then a fungus will actually take over and create what looks like a soot on the leaves on the mulch on the bottom and the understory plants, but that means It's some type of specific insect.

And for the longest time, crape myrtles the only big one was aphids, that crape myrtle aphid.

but now over the last couple of years we have the crape myrtle bark scale and like you said, a lot of people are not familiar with this one.

and it almost looks like little tiny white over sacks and they like to primarily hit on the stems and branches.

So you won't really see him on the leaves like you would on aphids.

So that's your first one.

and a lot of the times these little guys If you crack them open, they have almost like a pink set of little eggs that can come out.

and that's a good indication as well.

but It's diagnosis to diagnose it and to identify it.

but man, I get three calls a week right now on these and we were talking earlier, everyone's getting it from Columbia down a low country.

And fortunately, some of these crape myrtles are so big that you can't do a physical like horticultural oil spray.

and these are only coming out of these white over sacks and crawling around maybe two to four weeks a year, and you got to be real on the ball to catch when It's happening.

So you really need some type of systemic insecticide to do it something like a diet difference, probably your best bet.

but like in the middle club route, or bifenthrin, that is you can put around the plant into the soil.

So those roots can actually take up the insecticide and get all the way through the plant, the tree, sometimes 10 15 feet tall.

And I would say right now, we don't want to do it.

Right, this moment, we want to do it in spring, when they're really taken up all of the water and therefore the insecticide to get all the way to the tips.

and let these little bloodsuckers suck the suck those branches and take up the insecticide that way.

Amanda: Um, I have the front of my house, I have some crape myrtles that are there that I planted kind of as a screen almost, they're 30 feet tall, and.

<Gorgeous.> Amanda: They are because you know the truck is what so pretty bad, sadly.

and so I've been It's costing me about $200 a year, just to treat those with one of the systemics.

And the rest in my yard, I'm just gonna have to let go, but It's just going to transform the landscapes of South Carolina.

This has been such a go to tree and um, It's very, very sad.

This is an exotic invasive.

And uhm, It's sadly up here now.

and if I'm not mistaken, these they don't fly around the the crawlers are just kind of moved by wind is that correct?

Carmen: Wind or what it looks like also some type of creature squirrels, some type of animal, but you know who's the worst humans.

If you go to chop on your crape myrtle that's infected and then go to another one, or you go and you trade one.

The worst one that I've seen is a lot of neighbors were trading their snips and transferred it.

So make sure you're doing really good sanitation.

and honestly, like you said, it can get really expensive, so I would call a professional to do it right the first time.

Amanda: That's a good point.

Yeah, yeah.

It's it really is stunning how this is just going to change the way the world around us looks because a lot of people are going to have to remove their crape myrtles and in downtown cityscapes too.

Where they've been such a go to tree.

Carmen: Exactly, because It's, It's just so wonderful.

and It's almost the first thing you think of when you think, oh, I want a beautiful, nice hair, midsize shade tree that can go a lot of people put them under the power lines, because you can cut them.

Amanda: So many to choose from you can get there's I mean, your heart's desire but now yeah, anyway.

Oh, well.

Jackie McCauley is a great friend.

I love to go and visit her and her kitty cats.

They're in the shop at Jarrets Jungle and she does tremendously beautiful and often fun things.

And she came down graciously and did some things for us.

So let's enjoy spending some time with her.

♪ My friend Jackie McCaulay from Jarrett's Jungle on Sunset Boulevard in Columbia is here again.

And this is so cool because you've got an arrangement that is mostly begonias and you say they're just one of your favorite plants.

<Jackie> They are, I've been propagating them for years.

Just the ones that I'm allowed to.

We've got like the beef steak is a real popular one.

It ends up, the leaves on it ends up being huge.

So, I mean, yours will grow.

<Amanda> Beefsteak!

<Jackie> Yeah.

It gets big.

<Jackie> Easy to grow.

The rex begonias, they come in lots of different varieties.

Probably over 500 different cultivars of the rex begonia.

<Amanda> Beautiful, oh!

<Jackie> And for summer, their color is beautiful.

And then in the winter, you don't have to water 'em much at all.

This one is one of my favorites.

This is called Begonia crestabunchii, or the lettuce leaf begonia.

<Amanda> Oh, it does kind of look like that.

<Jackie> Yeah.

And lettuce leaf begonia, very easy to grow, it's a rhizomatous type.

And you can take cuttings easily.

<Amanda> Oh, okay.

<Jackie> And then over here, this is an angel wing.

And I think the prettiest part of this is is the back of the leaf.

When they're hanging up, you can see this pattern of the cross on the leaves.

So I really like that.

And then this is a favorite.

This is a pinwheel rex begonia.

And you can see that curly-q in the middle of it and it makes it kind of playful.

This, of course, is your pearls and jade pothos.

And in the middle, I've got an angel wing begonia.

That's one I got from Mr.

Parks, who was an old grower that lived behind me.

And I've never seen them really for sale anywhere.

But I propagate this one all the time, and it gets up about three feet tall so it can get tall, but you can put this in a sunny location in your home.

<Amanda> So this is a foliage arrangement, but I can put this in a sunny window.

It actually likes a sunny spot like a florida room.

<Jackie> Yes, this likes the sun, it sure does.

This is the this is maculada.

It has the big old leaves.

And they're really funny looking when they grow up.

<Amanda> (laughing) It is pretty funny looking.

And then.

Okay, so I've got a florida room.

If I did, it would be great in there.

And then how much water do begonias need?

<Jackie> Okay, they like to dry out really well, so it makes it kind of a maintenance free plant.

And so we go around it for once a week.

If something's wet, leave it, because they rot easy.

<Amanda> Now, if you want to take it outside in the summer, what kind of exposure then?

<Jackie> Well, in the summer you need it shaded, because it's too hot.

If it was cool here, we could grow it in more sun.

But since it's so hot, you have to put it in the shade.

<Amanda> All right.

But if, and then, I actually don't have a florida room.

I have a screened, a glassed in back porch that isn't heated.

But if, could it stay there and get plenty of sun there, and then if it was going to be a real cold night, I could just bring it in?

<Jackie> You could.

And they'll take down to 45 with no problem or on down to 36 degrees if it's a short burst of cold and then warms up the next day.

<Amanda> So I could even do that on my own back porch.

<Jackie> They're very hardy plants.

I've had some of mine for 45 years, you know, very hardy.

<Amanda> Well, I don't know that I need one for 45 years since I'm 72, but I think this is something I'd like to add to my house.

Thanks a lot for coming.

<Jackie> Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

♪ Amanda: It is fun to go and visit Jackie and her shop.

and we really appreciate the fact that she came down and visited us here at Making It Grow Well Terasa I bet somebody else is having something that they'd like for us to give them a help some help with if we can.

Terasa: True Bill in Awendaw, has a critter problem.

Bill says I planted several plants this year that were supposed to be deer resistant, but I still had significant damage.

You know, the problem is the deer don't read the tags.

Amanda: Well, and Christopher, we've had such a huge influx of new people coming to South Carolina, and that's changed their habitat.

So the deer have have much smaller areas that are natural areas where they would be and they they're hungry.

So um, they're coming into our yard.

Chris: Yeah, It's.

So that's actually a very common problem that specifically where Awendaw is that Mount Pleasant area.

It's growing so fast.

I mean, we're just building and building a building.

and unfortunately, what's happening with that population, It's getting compressed.

And not only is there less food for them to eat now, but they're also having to kind of go out of their natural areas.

Amanda: Unfortunately, rather just stay away in the woods.

Yeah, things to eat there.

Chris: And unfortunately, what's happening is, is we're not necessarily planting things for the deer.

and so they're having to get a little bit creative on what they eat.

and so a lot of the plants that are deer proof are deer resistant.

These are plants that they don't like first, they're gonna go after other things that are much tastier, It's like having to eat their spinach.

Exactly.

Problem is, is that all that's left and so now they're getting really, really desperate.

I've even had some reports of deer nibbling on some oleanders which are, are poisonous.

and so unfortunately, there's really no such thing as a deer proof plant.

What we're going to have to start doing especially in these types of areas is we're gonna have to rethink how we landscape and we're going to have to rethink how we build.

Unfortunately, only one of those things we can control and so we do have to change how we landscape.

Just buying deer proof is not going to be enough.

What you have to do is also utilize things like smells, barriers, you're going to have to utilize repellents, basically anything that helps to keep the deer away use them all, because if you just use one deer will learn Are your will figure it out.

and then of course, that becomes something you have to take off the shelf.

Amanda: I was talking to someone who grows citrus and sometimes citrus seems to give you It's not a favorite thing.

and sometimes things that have prickles on them or spines can also be a useful choice.

Chris: They can be, but It's that new growth in the early spring, that tends to be where they love roses or particular favorite.

I mean, roses are actually very edible for a lot of animals.

And they have prickles on them.

but unfortunately, that new growth comes out and It's just completely soft.

I get a lot of questions about things like Camelias, and azaleas, which are generally not very edible for them.

They have very waxy leaves or pubescent leaves.

But that new growth tends to lack a lot of that.

and so they go after that significant.

Amanda: Well, thank you.

It's not a problem that we can solve.

Okay, well, Terasa, Terasa: oh, this is a weed question.

And I think this is one that you personally battle with.

the question is from Karen.

She didn't say where she was from, but she said: And it has an interesting another common name?

Amanda: Yes, I call it things that you're not allowed to say.

Gripe weed is one as well.

[laughter] Oh, Jackie.

[laughter] Jackie Jordan: Well, first off, gripe weed, chamber bitter, the seeds need light to germinate.

So I would ensure that you have a good three inch layer of mulch in your landscape bed, because that's going to help to control a lot of it.

Secondly, you can use a preemergent herbicide, It's Isoxaben, we have a fact sheet that has different trade names on it.

So putting that out in April is going to help to prevent a lot of that from coming up.

Amanda: and I'm not, I'm gonna interrupt you for a second because we often say we've missed the chance to put out your preemergent because for your summer, weeds you have to put it out so much earlier than you'd ever think that this is this plant, I believe has delayed germination.

and so we put it out this particular preemergent after you would put out the other preemergent.

Jackie Jordan: Rright, right, right.

So when we think about preemergent, we think about controlling things like crabgrass that starts early in February, maybe early March, depending on where you are in the state.

but yeah, chamber bitter.

Much later things start to germinate much, much later.

and then also, as you're bringing in new plants, as you're bringing home stuff from the nursery, you really want to get into the practice of removing that soil and washing the plants.

Because there's a lot of stuff that comes in that not only chamber bitter, but that's how you get a lot of Florida Bettany and other weeds brought in.

So put that to the side, you know, planted in your prepared soil bed, top it with some compost, and then make sure you come in with that good three inch layer of mulch.

If you, hand pulling up, because there's so if Okay, and if you then hand pulling, I mean, many seeds on each individual plant.

Amanda: Well and to add insult to injury on another level, the seed pods which contain like a dozen seeds, explode and spread it so it could have started here.

and before you know it, It's gone around the whole house.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

and if you cut it, it just makes it shorter stem and continues.

Amanda: So gripe weed is really being very moderate, in coming up with names.

Terasa: to appreciate, like, all of the adaptations that has no I mean, as much of a problem as it is.

It's fascinating.

Amanda: And I've got a new puppy, you know, when I got the new dog, I wouldn't out, you know, putting out the I didn't get the preemergence put out.

I mean to tell you it is just stunning.

I mean, It's like a carpet because I've got parts of the yard that don't have much growing there.

And Boyd has been so happy.

and so anyway, so I've just have to resolve to be a much better person next year.

Jackie Jordan: Anyway, I'll fill in those areas with new plants.

Amanda: Yeah, this is about three quarters of an acre.

Yeah, because you know, I've got this huge yard.

Anyway, that's just what it is.

Yeah.

All righty.

As we said earlier, this is our 30th anniversary year.

and so, Sean Flynn, our producer has been going back through old old things and pulling up wonderful things for you to enjoy to see how things used to be done as we as we is this program has evolved and and come around and so now we're going to Old McCaskill Farm, and uhm Rowland Alston, with much darker hair is going to lead this visit.

♪ Rowland: Kershaw County, South Carolina.

Is the home of Old McCaskill Farms, it started out with a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

and It's really turned into a diversified sustainable farm.

Kathy, I know you pride yourself in the animals, specifically, you don't use any antibiotics and that's really important to a lot of people who are looking for meat.

It's antibiotic free, Kathy: Yes.

They are pasture raised and don't no medications, no vaccinations and the feed as well.

I have ground It's the corn soybean cottonseed meal, and that's what they're fed and there's no additives, no hormones or antibiotics to that.

Rowland: Well, you're involved with a unique project.

I understand you're using chicory but Now You arn't using chicory and make coffee.

Tell us why chicory is on Old McCaskill Farm.

Kathy: Well, in conjunction with Clemson they did a study and we're doing this together to see if chicory would be an alternative grazing as far as controlling the parasites.

There's the tannins in the chicories.

It also helps but they gained on average more weight.

and if I can keep them grazing high enough, I won't even have to worm them.

and if we can do the rotational grazing between that and the chicory I won't even have to do that.

Rowland: It is good that you have one of your local veterinarians, they kind of check the fecal material to make sure that the parasite numbers down and this chicory works out could be a whole new way of controlling parasites with sheep in South Carolina.

Kathy: That is the idea that's the idea we we check our animals to firmata where you check the eyelids and the degree of the redness and and according to that we only selectively worm the ones that need it and like I say if the chicory works then we won't even have to do that.

Rowland: I know everyone's interested in the dogs you have because these dogs bring the sheep into the barn right before they get sheared and it appears they really know what they're doing.

What kind of dogs are they?

Kathy: They're border collies and they kind of have their own instinct and they know exactly what to do and they just know that they need to bring the animals to you and they balance and and work them up.

It's just an instinct in them.

Rowland: Well, you sheep get one good haircut a year and it looks like to me they'd been at Parris Island marine base down in Beaufort when you get through with them because they really get a crew cut down when the shearer takes the wool off by how much will you get off one of these sheep?

Kathy: A good.

A good pelt should have good fleece should should yield about 10 pounds.

and then I have blankets of all sizes from a lap blanket all the way up to a queen made out of them and beautiful washable blankets.

Rowland: So these blankets are actually derived from wool that come from old McCaskill Farms in Kershaw County Yes, yes.

and that Sheerer when he really goes across the top of that sheep, it looks like that wool just opens up.

Kathy: Oh, he can take it and look like you just had a zipper on the bottom and just lay it out and pull thing sitting down on the ground.

Rowland: You've got some goats and I know a lot of people get more and more interested each year in goat meat.

Tell us about these two breeds that you have and why are they best for goats in South Carolina in terms of meat production?

Kathy: Well, I kind of have a smorgasbord I have the Bowers, the Briars and Nubian Nubians are your milk goats.

But everything here just kind of just happened here.

But the bower is the one that that is the meat goat, they're they're more muscular.

They're more chunkier, goat.

And those are the ones that people really like to use for the meat.

Rowland: Every farm in South Carolina years ago, had lots of chickens and it looked like Kathy McCaskill is maintaining that tradition.

Birds everywhere.

Kathy, what are you doing with all these chickens?

Kathy: I just love the chickens the chickens are just the thing that there's just something about a farm and chickens that you know are there but you know, the the eggs are so much better.

and same thing with the feed with the chickens.

There's you know, there's nothing in that as well.

Rowland: But you've got some birds confined in a house and understand this house moves around in the pasture and and why don't you move it around, move it Kathy: around to give it new ground.

I can't let them free range because of the predator problem.

So we move this thing around, you know, on occasion when they exhaust the ground beneath it and It's just as if they were free range and new ground and there's no antibiotics in the chickens either.

No, there's no antibiotics in their feed is is ground for them as well with, you know, the artificial motion for the eggs.

but yeah, I have their feed made as well.

So there's no medications in it either.

Rowland: You got an incubator, and this incubator, I imagine produces a lot of biddies each year doesn't it?

Kathy: Yes, that incubator will hold 200 eggs at a time and it only takes 21 days for an egg to hatch out and I have them at all different stages.

Yeah.

<Well, when> Rowland: we talk about agritourism in South Carolina, I'm proud to say that McCaskill Farms is participating in it because I understand you have a bed and breakfast and when people participate with your bed and breakfast, they actually participate on a lot of these farm activities.

Don't they?

Kathy: That's right, how we're trying to get it up and running.

And yes and you know they can actually work on the farm if they'd like to or or not just watch the the animals and enjoy them but then the breakfast will be, you know the pork sausage in the, and the eggs from all McCaskill farm the next morning.

Rowland: Well I know you travel around South Carolina understand you participate in the farmers market in Camden and also one over at Sand Hill I imagine it's exciting seeing all the people around South Carolina but not many people realize that agriculture in South Carolina is really becoming somewhat confined because we're specializing in locally produced products now.

Kathy: Yes, yes.

A lot of people they the markets that I go to the people are so appreciated to know that their food mine, you know, for the Kershaw County one is just five miles away.

You know, they can ride by and see, you know, their what the animals and how they're cared for.

and the local move has been really, really important to the people.

Rowland: Kathy I smell something cooking on that grill.

What's your husband got on it?

Kathy: He's got some lamb chops going, and then the lamb chop and then he's got some goat burger, and some goat stew and then he's got the garlic brats and some pork chops all raised here.

Rowland: Well, before we visit him, I know we've got some individuals I'd like to contact you about Old McCaskill Farm, you're busy all during the day out in the field.

So how can they reach you?

Kathy: Well, I have an email and also they can give a call leave a message because I'm not in house the lot.

Rowland: Well, thank you for letting team Making It Grow visit with you.

And we certainly congratulate you for really improving sustainable practices.

We have an agriculture in South Carolina.

Kathy: Thank you very much.

I enjoyed it.

Rowland: Let's get a bite to eat.

♪♪ Amanda: That was a great trip and my cat... Old McCaskills Farm is still a great place to visit.

I talked to Kathy the other day and she said that they couldn't get a good enough stand of the chicory to really find out if it had been successful or not.

But they still have the same wonderful animals that have not had any antibiotic if you're interested in that and they have a bed and breakfast still.

and they have Friday lunch, so It's just a lovely place to visit and, It's real close to Sumter.

So if you're in this area would be a great place to go.

and if It's not, you could go and spend the night if you want to do it, the B & B so Old McCaskill Farms that was fun to see McCaskill farm.

You know, we were talking about fall is the time to plant people, mostly you want to plant in the spring.

But Jackie, there are a lot of advantages to planting in the fall.

Jackie Jordan: Oh, yeah, definitely.

You get to take advantage of more of our rainfall that happens through the fall and winter months, It's a lot cooler, the roots still continue to grow, the trees and shrubs can get well established before they have to deal with that heat.

Amanda: I know.

and Christopher, you know, when we're talking about, I mean, common talking about the crape myrtle bark thing.

If you've got a crape myrtle that you want to take down, you might just decide this is what I'm going to do it and look for some alternatives.

So what are some things that y'all would think of trees, maybe in that size, maybe some natives that you could plant instead?

Chris: Well, one of obviously one of the favorites is the native red bud which is a beautiful, It's a smaller tree, which a lot of crape myrtles are as well.

and it does extremely well oftentimes likes a little bit of some shade.

So especially that afternoon shade it is an understory tree, similar to the dogwood but it has a lot fewer problems.

Yeah, but mostly exactly now.

and It's an excellent tree obviously because It's because It's a host plant for specific caterpillars.

You do want to make sure you try to get the wild type so you know you want the actual species type the Cercis canadensis and not necessarily one of the cultivars.

Amanda: Not one of the fancier ones.

Everybody always wants to get the fancy fancy and sometimes It's good just to get the plain old regular.

How about you Jackie Do you got some things are favorite you go to sometime?

Jackie Jordan: Oh, I love red Buckeyes.

Granddaddy, gray beard serviceberry trees, crab apple.

So there's lots of great choices out there.

Amanda: Okay, and um, you know, you get a tree and you want to get a small one because they really establish faster so don't feel like you should spend $100 to get the biggest thing.

Jackie Jordan: No I would get a smaller size tree.

Definitely.

the smaller size trees actually spend less time in the container so you're probably going to get a much healthier adult tree in the long run.

Amanda: Yeah.

and um, and then don't be afraid to pull the roots out if I'm not mistaken in that right.

We've got good things about how to play In a tree, don't make a $50 hole for a $5 tree.

You've got to plant with that root flare right at the top right.

<Yes, yes>.

Well, thank you all so much for being with us.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

and we'll hope we'll see you next week.

Right here on Making It Grow.

Night night.

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

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

McLeod Farms in Mc Bee, 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.