Making It Grow is brought to you in part by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Certified South Carolina Grown helps consumers identify, find and buy South Carolina products.

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.

This family farm offers seasonal produce including over 22 varieties of peaches.

Additional funding provided by International Paper and the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance.

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

I'm so glad that you can join us tonight.

I'm Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension, and our program is a collaborative effort between SCETV and Clemson University and tonight, we've got a couple of exciting segments for you.

We had a great trip up to Denver Downs, and then we also went to an event honoring our dear friend Tony Melton, Terasa Lott, thanks so much for being with us.

And you've tried to keep those Master Gardener Coordinators and the Master Gardeners all kind of slightly going in the same direction, giving back a lot to the community.

<Terasa> Our Master Gardeners really do, and it's been a tough time with COVID precautions.

But things, I think, are finally getting on the right track, and folks are beginning to feel safe getting out and helping our horticultural agents like Drew and Jackie give advice and provide that research based information to the citizens of the state.

<Amanda> And we here are able to sit like this because everyone here has been completely and fully vaccinated.

<Terasa> Very important that we're always safe.

<Amanda> We're doing our very best.

Yes, we are.

Drew Jeffers, we've missed you.

You are in Spartanburg and had pictures of your little girl who's almost two.

<Drew> Yep, growing like a weed.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Do you still call her Peanut, or have you gone to Caroline?

<Drew> I still call her Peanut.

<Amanda> Oh, I'm going to call her Caroline so she doesn't grow up with just a nickname.

<Drew> No, her grandmother and her mother take care of that.

<Amanda> That's good.

But you've got another new project going besides the two year old, I think, that's pretty exciting.

<Drew> Yes, so a team of agents that I helped with - Jackie was on that team.

Also Teresa was on that team.

We call it the South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional.

And what this program does is provide kind of a basic horticulture education.

It's kind of like a mini Hort degree in a 10 week course.

And it's a 10 week course that provides landscape management information, education, as well as turfgrass management basics, soils basics, environmental topics such as water conservation, and storm water conservation and pollution.

And what we also focused on was having a re-education component for these landscapers, and what this program does is, like I said provide, helps the landscapers set themselves apart from their competition.

So, it also shows their customers that they're going above and beyond.

So, this is good for the homeowners because what they can do is they can actually go on their website and look up.

If you just google South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional, it comes right up on the Clemson website.

You can actually look up a certification, and you can also see how many re-education hours they're getting that they have to maintain to maintain that certification.

So it's been a really great program.

Jackie's turf, and Terasa's water section is actually the most popular modules that we have, and it's really been a great program, and we're getting a lot of good feedback, and we're hoping make it better.

<Amanda> So instead of just having someone who has gone and maybe gotten a pesticide application permit and done some work, of course, then that's very, very important.

These people have really come and done a mini horticulture course.

And how is it offered?

<Drew> So it's offered online spring and fall.

It's a 10 week course, but it is self paced.

They can do it at their own pace.

It's designed so they can do it while they're working.

And again, it's not meant to take the place of a hort degree or something like that.

It's meant to complement it.

So this would be like the first step for an employer like Casey who wants to invest in someone, but maybe they don't have the resources to send them to a community college or a university.

They can get this as their first step.

<Amanda> That's just wonderful!

And to find out all they need to do is just reach out.

<Drew> They can reach out to me or to your local Extension office or they can just google South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional, it comes right up.

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, I think it sounds like a wonderful program.

And thanks to the three of y'all for help, and I'm sure others who helped put it together.

<Drew> It was about 10 of us, I believe.

<Amanda> Great.

And I imagine that you're going to change the content occasionally too, so it really is new information.

<Drew> We're updating it.

We're looking to update it in the next couple of years.

And we're also coming out with a new advanced program, advanced South Carolina landscape professional program that's going to be called IPM School.

<Amanda> Isn't that something?

And IPM, Integrated Pest Management is something you have a big background in and gosh, it's so important environmentally, because so often people over apply fertilizers or pesticides, and it causes more problems than if you just didn't do anything sometimes.

<Drew> Correct.

<Amanda> And harms the environment.

Thanks.

Thanks a lot.

Well, Jackie Jordan, thanks for helping with that, because you are a turf specialist, and I think that's kind of a fun thing.

I think you told me that one time, people would call the office and say "Are there any smart men agents, who can help me with turf?"

And you'd say, "No, but I'm an option."

Right?

<Jackie> Yeah, I can help you.

<laughter> <Amanda> But how did you get interested in turf?

<Jackie> Honestly, I'm an environmentalist at heart, and it was the best way that I could have a huge impact helping people understand that they don't have to put as much onto their lawn.

And if you give plants what they want, they will be healthy.

So it's all about proper management.

So teaching people those proper management skills.

<Amanda> And particularly the homeowners, I think, are often some of the worst offenders of a little bit is okay, a lot is better.

>> Right, and just helping them understand how the plants work.

<Amanda> And particularly with turf, they have so many different requirements.

<Jackie> They do, they do.

They're vastly different.

Bermuda is vastly different in its requirements from centipede.

<Amanda> Okay.

And then also, when people are applying pesticides, they really need to read those labels, because some of them you can use on one type of grass, but you can't use it another type, <Jackie> Right, and even in the labels, it will get down into specific varieties.

So some pesticides are safe on particular varieties of zoysia or Saint Augustine and cannot be used on others.

So you really do need to read the entire label.

<Amanda> And even at different rates.

<Jackie> Yes, and even at different rates.

<Amanda> Okay.

Whew, it's a complicated subject.

My favorite thing is to tell people to have less lawn and more other things.

<Jackie> Now, you know, that's funny, but I definitely do tell people that when you're having an issue with grass from shade, just go ahead and extend those beds.

Put in more beautiful landscape plants.

Don't fight it.

<Amanda> Well, Casey Cooper from Cooper's Nursery in Columbia.

Tell us a little bit about your nursery.

<Casey> Yep, so we've been there about 60 years.

My grandpa started it pretty much in his backyard, and then it just grew and grew.

I'm the third generation.

So we're on 8244 Parklane Road right across from the State Archives and DHEC.

<Amanda> So Columbia has expanded out your way.

<Casey> Yes, it has.

<Amanda> You have retail there, but I think y'all also have other services that you provide as well.

<Casey> Design, so yes, ma'am.

<Amanda> And you brought some plants, so maybe we can talk about some things later on that might be things to use in shady areas of your lawn.

<Casey> Yeah, where you can't get grass to grow, we've got some plants that can brighten it up.

<Amanda> Okay.

And I have a feeling looking at the shirt you picked out to wear that maybe you're a Clemson graduate.

<Casey> Yes, went to Clemson.

Yes, ma'am.

<Amanda laughs> <Amanda> Well, thanks a lot for joining us today.

We really do appreciate it.

Terasa, we usually try to start off with something positive and we start tackling difficult questions.

And that would be a Garden of the Week.

<Terasa> Yes, this has become such a fun part of the show where we get to look at what you are doing in your yards and gardens across the state.

We're going to begin with Carolyn Duggan who shared a lovely bouquet that she created from her garden, followed by Gene Jeffries.

He shared his jalapeno pepper plant.

He said jalapeno peppers galore.

Velma Jackson shared a sunset over a cotton field and it is just perfect.

That's exactly what I imagine fall in South Carolina to look like.

Caroline Vaughn shared two little tree frogs nestled on hydrangea leaves, and the picture was actually submitted by her mother.

And then finally a fall scene shared by Kenneth Hood.

So thanks, everyone, for sharing your yards with all of us.

If you see us post on the Facebook page, we're looking for pictures.

Don't be shy.

You're welcome to post them in the comments or you're welcome to send them to me via email just do make sure it is terasa@clemson.edu.

<Amanda> And Terasa, one nice thing about - well, there's nothing nice about the pandemic - but one positive aspect of having a lot of disposable gloves at home is that so many people are doing extra canning and pickling now.

There's been an interest and resurgence in that, and if you're ever doing anything with hot peppers, jalapenos even, which are kind of the mild end of the spectrum, always wear some protection on your hands.

<Amanda> On our honeymoon, we went to my aunt's house in the mountains, and there were all these tomatoes, and we decided to make ketchup.

And I did not know.

I had never done anything with hot peppers before, and I had to sleep with my hand in a bucket of cold water because I didn't wear gloves.

So please encourage people to use protection.

<Terasa> I don't know if fun is the right word either, but you should share that I had a similar experience with jalapenos, where I seeded them with my hands.

I was careful and didn't wash right away.

I was making salsa, and sure enough, as soon as I finished, I thought my hands were on fire, and I needed to get my contacts out, but luckily those gloves do come in handy because the last thing you want to do is touch your eyes if you have a jalapeno residue.

<Amanda> You're exactly right.

Yeah.

Whew, gracious goodness!

Well, those were fun to see, and thank you so very much.

Well, now I guess we'll get on to the helping people part of the show.

Do you have a question for us?

<Terasa> I do.

Maryanne sent this to our Facebook page.

She's in Greenwood.

She said, "we moved from Chicago about two years ago.

In Illinois, I successfully converted our entire property to natives over an eight year period.

This clay has me over the edge.

How can I amend the clay in order to provide the best environment for more natives I plan to put in this fall?"

<Amanda> Oh, well, Drew, really, I mean, if you had to pick between clay and pure sand, you might not be so sad about the clay because I think there are ways to amend it where you don't have to bring in huge amounts of material.

<Drew> Correct.

Yeah, and we tell people all the time, don't fight the clay.

Work with it, because it really has some benefits because clay does have some water holding capacity the sand does not.

So again, use it to your advantage.

So, what we talk about is amending the clay with organic matter.

Now, organic matter can be anything from compost to manure, what animal that comes from is your choice.

We don't really recommend human manure, but we do recommend that you can get cow manure or chicken manure.

You also want to make sure that you're not putting too much down, because if you put too much, you can actually get too much organic matter that actually can really cause some issues.

Now, we normally tell people to amend the entire bed or the entire site before they plant, but if you're just doing a hole, a planting hole, you can really amend that top two thirds of the hole or the top one third to half, and you can add organic matter in it.

What I do is about two shovel fulls of clay to one shovel full of organic matter.

That's usually a pretty good ratio.

If you're amending a whole bed, you can do about a 25 pound bag per about 500 to 1000 square feet roughly.

You could up that a little bit if you needed to, but that's a good place to start.

And what is best to do is start small and add more over time, because you can always add more.

You can't take away.

<Amanda> And too much organic matter, I know sometimes we've had people who've started raised beds, and they'll put a bag of potting soil on a bag of compost and it just won't drain because it's got such a huge ability to hold moisture.

<Drew> Correct.

I won't say where it's from, but there's places where you can get raised bed mixes.

Steer clear of those.

Use the clay you have.

Use the soil and amend that clay and use that simple recipe, and you can really have a better garden and much, much more long term sustainable garden.

It's cheaper too.

<Amanda> Well, when we look at those soil charts, when you hear your soil type, you can't bring in enough sand to make a difference.

But if you can change the organic matter by even one percent, that's enough to make a difference.

<Drew> Well, and the idea is to...you know, the soil is naturally in layers, and so the idea is to encourage that layer of growth and to mimic what nature already has.

It's not meant to replace everything and then just replace it with just potting soil or something like that.

<Amanda> Okay.

And then, of course, there are places out in the Midwest where it freezes and their organic matter doesn't go away as quickly as ours.

Here, where the microorganisms that feed on the organic matter are active all the time, we do have to reapply periodically.

<Drew> Correct.

That's why I said it's better to add a little bit and then add it over time - <Amanda> Okay.

<Drew> - because hopefully you're gonna be mulching, so that's adding organic matter.

So, like I said, a little bit over time.

<Amanda> Okay, and we do admire, Terasa, we do admire them for their interest in native plants.

<Terasa> Yes, and that's what I was going to say.

So when we think about native, Maryanne might also think about what is native to the Upstate.

So we don't always think about that.

We say, "Oh, well, it's a native of the southeast."

But where in the southeast?

Does it like to grow in the coastal plain that's very sandy, or is it going to be happy with having some clay soil?

So really doing that research and choosing the right plant for the right place.

<Amanda> One of them that seems to flourish almost everywhere, is that pycnanthemum mountain mint.

<Terasa> Pollinators love it.

<Amanda> Yeah, and if you want to share with friends, it's a nice one have too, isn't it?

Okay, well, thank you so much.

Well, Terasa, is there somebody else we can help, please?

>> Oh, of course.

You know, there's never a shortage of gardening issues or challenges.

Leo in Lexington says, "I like the idea of having green grass year round.

Can I overseed with rye grass?"

<Amanda> Well, I guess it depends on what type of grass they have, and let's go from there.

<Jackie> Definitely.

So if you're going to overseed with rye, you probably have a warm season perennial turf grass.

So it's going to go dormant in the fall and winter months.

But it's not always the best idea, because the rye thrives in temperatures that are like 60 to 85 degrees.

When we get to April, that is when the Bermuda or centipede or zoysia starts to wake back up and green back up, and if you don't manage that winter rye correctly, you can really cause a lot of damage.

It will compete for water nutrients with your permanent lawn grass.

I've seen where people have lost large swaths of their permanent lawn grass because they left the rye in too long.

<Amanda> Is there an annual and a perennial rye?

<Jackie> There is.

Annual rye is not as finely textured, so it doesn't look as pretty, but it does die out quicker, so it's going to really persist until maybe early May.

The Perennial rye is a lot finer, it's better lawn quality, but it can persist up until June, and depending on where you are in the state, it may persist a little bit longer.

<Amanda> Gosh, so if you need to get rid of the rye, how do you do that?

<Jackie> Well, a lot of times in sports situations, which is where they do overseed a lot because that will give stability to football fields and other athletic fields, they'll come in with a herbicide and they'll determine whether they're going to slowly kill out the rye over the course of two weeks, or they're going to come in and do a quick kill and have it die off within a couple of days.

So they'll make the decision based on what the game schedule's like and apply the particular herbicide that they want.

<Amanda> Well, what about a homeowner?

<Jackie> A homeowner would have to come in and really start to scalp the rye.

So you're slowly dropping the lawnmower down lower or you come in and just scalp it completely to allow enough sunlight to get in there for your warm season turf grass.

<Amanda> Goodness!

It sounds like an awful lot of trouble.

<Jackie> It is and I only recommend it for homeowners if they're facing an erosion issue or if they're trying to establish a new lawn and we're in November, December.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Jackie> Otherwise just leave it to the professionals.

<Amanda> Okay, I think that's what I would do.

<laughter> <Amanda> Okay, thanks a lot.

Well, Teresa, sometimes people have more than just one nice thing to send a picture of and they get to have a whole spotlight garden.

Do we have one of those this week?

<Terasa> We do, Amanda.

This comes in from Travis and Lisa Dayhuff in Columbia.

We are going to begin at their gate and Travis says they have a strategically placed pawprint representing their alma mater.

You can see there's great texture in the photos with trees in the background and swamp sunflowers in the front.

Travis says the sunflowers give a golden glow and they're bracketed by the white ginger lilies.

Travis and Lisa also shared a beautiful pink flowered rose and their cute Sealyham Terrier, Renfro - how appropriately named - beside a potted begonia.

Now they did note that Renfro rarely does any yard work, and I understand that because my dogs are not very helpful in the garden, either, but thanks, Travis and Lisa, for sharing a little part of your yard with all of us.

<Amanda> Well, thank you Terasa.

One thing a pet can be is good company in the garden, I think.

Don't you?

<Terasa> Oh, yes.

<Amanda> Yeah, my pet chicken was the best company in the garden because it was so excited.

Whenever I would come up with a grub or something, it would really be pleased.

We talked about having less lawn because turf grass, all turf grass prefers full sun.

And shade doesn't have to be boring, does it?

<Casey> It doesn't, it doesn't.

There's a lot of options now, dwarf plants, such as this.

This is your Soft Caress Mahonia.

It gets three by three.

>> Soft Caress, because it's not in the least bit sticky or prickly.

<Casey> Exactly, it's almost kind of got a ferny look to it.

It's got the pretty yellow blooms in the fall, great for cuttings.

No trimming really needed at all, just, you know, unless desired.

It grows in a nice, thick, round shape.

So just a great all around shade plant.

<Amanda> And if you do go in and decide you want to use some in an arrangement and bring it in the house, it will resprout from that cut, won't it?

<Casey> Oh, it will.

<Amanda> So you don't have to feel like you're gonna hurt it.

<Casey> Yeah.

<Amanda> And I've often found that the pollinators enjoy these flowers when they open, don't you think?

<Casey> Oh, they do.

<Amanda> Gosh, imagine brightening a shady area and when you finally can go outside and enjoy the fall, having this beautiful color to look at.

<Casey> Oh, yeah, yeah.

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, I think that one looks like it meets your muscle requirements a little better than mine, so I'm gonna let you pull that one down while I get another one.

How about it?

Okay, and isn't this shiny and handsome?

<Casey> This is.

<Amanda> I'm gonna tilt it so they can see how shiny those beautiful leaves are.

<Casey> So this is your giant Farfugium.

Some people call it Tractor Seats because it looks like a John Deere tractor seat.

Leopard plant's another name for it.

<Amanda> It used to have another name, didn't it?

<Casey> Probably so, yeah.

<Amanda> They change 'em all the time, yeah.

<Casey> Wherever you're from they call it... <Amanda> Ligularia for a while... <Casey> Yeah, exactly.

But this is a big grown variety.

It gets, you know, four by four, at least.

<Amanda> Whoa!

<Casey> You'll see 'em a lot in Charleston and, you know, tight spots where you can't really get anything else to grow in the shade.

You got a nice yellow sunflower type look on it.

When it does mature, it's usually got to be two or three years old before they start to bloom.

<Amanda> That happens pretty quick.

<Casey> And they come in variegated varieties, dwarf, like the parsley leaf one, so there's other varieties of it also available.

<Amanda> So this one is going to get pretty tall and then have those yellow, daisylike flowers.

It's in the aster family, I believe, even though you'd never know it by looking at the leaves.

In Columbia, I think it's completely evergreen.

<Casey> Yeah, completely evergreen in Columbia, and no trimming needed, no thinning out needed.

It kind of takes care of itself.

<Amanda> And then if you're in a colder place, or if we happen to get an unusual freeze event, it will come back the next year.

<Casey> It will come back the next year.

<Amanda> Let's try yet one more.

<Amanda> Ah, already I get that wonderful fragrance.

<Casey> Oh, yeah, and so this is your Sunshine Anise so it'd kind of brighten up a shadier spot, sunwise shade to part shade, no more than half a day, even though some people, they see sunshine and they think full sun.

<Amanda> That's really referring to the brightness.

<Casey> The brightness, exactly.

So don't get fooled and put it in full sun, but they're nice bright yellow earlier in the year, and as the year goes on, they kind of go a little greener, but just a nice shade plant to use to brighten a spot up.

<Amanda> The old anise that we had got so big, but I think this one's gonna be more manageable.

<Casey> Yeah, this one's more manageable.

It only gets about four to six, so not very aggressive.

<Amanda> And that wonderful fragrance.

<Casey> Yeah, and it does smell good.

We recently had a wonderful visit to Denver Downs, an agritourism spot, not too far from Clemson and it was quite a day.

♪ upbeat music ♪ <Amanda> I'm speaking today with Catherine Garrison.

We're right down the road from Clemson at her family farm, Denver Downs.

Catherine.

I'm just tickled pink to be here with you today.

And tell me a little bit about going back in generations and generations how this farm started.

>> Certainly, Amanda, we're so happy to have you here today.

This is a dream come true.

Love having y'all here.

Our great, great grandfather, W.D.

Garrison.

He came back after the Civil War with $1 in his pocket.

So he went to work just like everyone and worked for a local cotton mill and he was a farm manager for many years for a cotton mill.

Back then cotton mills had their own farms and he saved up money and he bought his own farm.

He bought 200 acres on a little dirt road called Old Generals Road.

And fast forward 150 years and it's no longer a little two lane dirt road.

It's a four lane, very busy, Clemson Boulevard, Highway 76.

<Amanda> You're skipping several generations.

Your father came back from the Second World War and he really changed the dynamics of the farm, I think.

So, let's talk about a little bit - the things he implemented.

<Catherine> T.Ed Garrison is my dad and it was my dad.

He passed away in 2013.

He was part of the greatest generation.

So he came back from the war and he moved back to the family farm and he bought six dairy cows.

<Amanda> Six dairy cows.

<Catherine> Six dairy cows, and he built it up over the next 50 years.

And we were one of the largest dairies in Anderson County.

And Anderson was one of the largest dairy counties in the state.

So we had a successful run with being a dairy farm.

<Amanda> But eventually, y'all decided that dairy wasn't really the right mix at that point and so y'all started thinking of other ways to have a successful farm.

So what were some of the things that you did?

<Catherine> Yes, we've always wanted to evolve with the times, starting out as a cotton farm and moving into the dairy farm and then in the 1996.

We did went back to General Purpose farm.

We had Black Angus cattle, hogs, row crops, some produce, and our mother started giving tours of our farm back in the 1960s when we did have a dairy.

So we've had school groups coming for many years; and about 20 years ago, we decided to plant a little corn maze.

From that corn maze, we've just grown and grown each year.

We've turned into an agritourism farm in addition to a regular production.

So we have a Fall Festival with tons of pumpkins and the corn maze and all kinds of fun activities.

In the spring, we have a big Easter egg hunt and that's lots of fun.

While we're open for Easter, we decided to go ahead and be open for spring break.

So families come out and enjoy being at the farm and seeing our little farm animals in the spring for spring break.

And in the summer, we have our South Carolina Sunflower Festival, which this year, a farmer up in Long Creek had been having it at his farm, Pat Williams, and he asked if we would join him with that.

So, we had this past year at our farm and it was a big success.

We have people from all over the country coming to the South Carolina Sunflower Festival.

<Amanda> Right now we're in the Fall Festival and y'all have children coming in the mornings with their teachers and they learn about a little bit about farm life as well as having so much fun, playing on all the different things that somebody has so creatively thought of.

<Casey> That's right, Amanda.

We've got 35 barnyard activities, so including a hay barn, which we loved growing up and playing in a barn when we were children.

So, it's fun that kids can come out and have fun swinging in the hay barn.

Then we've got things like a jumping pillow and a cow train, because we love riding on the cow train and giant rollers.

They can roll in and giant tricycles a dodgeball court, a ball arcade, which has football, basketball, and baseball.

<Amanda> Rope courses, all kinds of things that my producers are threatening to make me do.

Zip lines and y'all worked so closely and cooperatively with other farmers and industries.

You even, of course, Michelin makes the biggest tires in the world at a factory near here and the ones that aren't suitable, they cut in half and you find ways to turn those into toys, as well.

<Casey> Those are our little test crops and we've got scarecrows presented in those.

So, it's great to partner with folks around the community.

We love that.

<Amanda> A sliding board that I think is going to give me vertigo if I have to go down it.

<Casey> We're not going to make you go down it.

That's okay.

<Amanda> And then of course, a corn maze.

<Casey> Yes.

So this year, we're so excited.

USA Today puts us in the 10 best corn mazes in the US.

So we're real proud about that.

And it's fun for folks to find their way through the maze.

We give them a little map, and there's 12 checkpoints.

They try to go through and find all the checkpoints.

And there's trivia about honeybees on each of the little checkpoints.

<Amanda> Oh, isn't that fun?

Yeah.

And I see that you've got - you've got daisies planted and they've got pollinators on them.

<Casey> Yes.

<Amanda> Also, before I talk about these beautiful mums that were standing in, I want to talk a little bit about the pig race, because that just sounds - I'm gonna come back up just to see this pig race.

<Casey> Yes, we call it the Pig Turkey Derby.

We have very talented and fast racing pigs that families love to come out and see them run around as fast as they can.

And there's a secret to our pigs being so fast.

<Amanda> What is that?

We have Oreos waiting for them at the end.

[Amanda laughs] <Casey> They run for sugar.

They run for the Oreos.

<Amanda> So, they get the pig out at the end.

>> Yes.

They get big.

<Amanda>- too crazy.

In the afternoons, families can come and with their children and have the same wonderful opportunities and activities.

<Casey> Yes.

<Amanda> Then, I think on weekends, it's kind of geared for people to come and stay a little later.

Yes, we love for people to come out and stay all day.

We're open late on Friday and Saturday nights.

We have live music, which is great to have on local entertainers here performing and people can gather by the bonfires and make s'mores and enjoy hot chocolate or adult beverages.

So, it's a nice little fall fest, tradition that families love to come out and enjoy.

<Amanda> There are opportunities for people to get things to snack on and cold drinks and all while they're here.

So if they want to bring a picnic, they could, but they don't have to.

<Casey> Yes, we allow picnics during the week.

Then on the weekends, we've got all our concessions, people love that fair food.

They love funnel cakes and corn dogs and barbecue and of course, our fresh squeezed lemonade, and kettle corn.

Got to have kettle corn.

<Amanda> Well, and then this I think, this beautiful palette of colors is a new addition to the Fall Festival.

<Catherine> Yes, this is our first year in the mum business.

So, we're loving planting it.

We planted all these mums, this year in the summer, and they've grown in, just a huge variety of color and we've been irrigating and feeding them well and they're just gorgeous.

<Amanda> They are beautiful.

Well, it just shows that this new way of thinking outside of the box, thinking creatively is the way for farms to stay viable, because we know that most of our farmers are getting older.

I think the average age is in the late 50s, perhaps.

And I think you're way on the other end of that spectrum.

This is still a family farm, because you've got sisters involved and brothers in-laws involved.

I mean, everybody here is involved in working.

It still has traditional farming, but it also has other parts, as well.

The house you lived in, I think, which one time was on a two lane road...was built, I think is where you grew up.

<Catherine> Yes.

It's the house I grew up in and my great grandfather built it in 1880.

<Amanda> In 1880.

<Catherine> So, we are working redoing it and I just feel proud that we're able to live there.

And it's on the national historic registry.

<Amanda> How fascinating.

<Casey> Yes.

<Amanda> As we look around and drive around the farm, on the old farm parts, we see some things I think there's even a structure that dates back to the 1700s.

<Catherine> Yes, there is a log cabin on the property that's from the 1700s so it predates my family being here.

And we've got an old mule barn that's just beautiful.

There's an old carriage house that was in the late 1800s.

So it's such a unique and important part of our farm heritage that we love having people come and enjoy.

<Amanda> Well, Katherine I know people's curiosity has been piqued by all the facets that go on here at Denver Downs and I think you even have a drive-in movie.

How in the world do you have a drive in movie?

<Casey> Yes.

We do the Polar Express drive-in movie the first weekend of December.

So, that's a great Christmas tradition for families to come out.

>> Since, there is so much that goes on, what's the best way for families to find out when you're open and all the things that are available.

<Catherine> They can see our website.

It's Denver Downs Farm .

com and also check out our Facebook.

It's Denver Downs Farm.

<Amanda> Okay, well I think that, that site's going to be getting a lot of hits.

>> Good.

Y'all come see us.

>> Well deserved tips at that.

This has really been just so exciting.

Thanks a lot.

>> Thanks you so much.

I appreciate y'all coming out.

♪ ♪ >> Well, I had a very exciting day there.

They had me doing everything.

I did balk at the giant sliding board, but I had corn coming out of my clothes for the next couple of days after I'd made corn angels in the corn sandbox.

And there many agri-tourism places around the state of South Carolina.

Check with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Lots of them have things that are going on at all times of the year.

It's a great thing to do with your family.

I would encourage you to start finding some that are near you and visiting them with your kids or just with yourself because as you see...I just turned into a kid since I didn't have a kid with me.

Well, Terasa, what have we got next that we can help somebody with?

>> Daniel and Susan in Moore, South Carolina would like help.

They said my wife and I were wondering when a good time would be to dig up and separate our cannas, calla lilies and day lilies.

>> Goodness.

Well, it certainly is always better to do something when it's not blazing hot outside, don't you think, Terasa?

<Drew> Yeah.

I can tell you.

Definitely, late summer to early fall is usually the best time to do that.

You can do it in summer, as well, but usually it's better to wait until the late summer.

I'll tell you the best way to do it.

You can do it by cutting the clump in half or in quarters, but you can definitely ...when I worked at Missouri Botanical Garden all we did was immerse them in a trough of water and just gently wiggle the words back and forth and you can separate them that way.

>> Yeah, and we've talked in the past about how often it's good to go ahead and get the soil off, because if you're moving it to a place where that soil type is slightly different, you don't want to have that incompatibility.

<Drew> Correct.

>> Okay.

Well, thanks.

I really appreciate that.

Okay, Terasa.

<Terasa> Well, we got a question from our friend, Jackie, who used to be on the show with the Department of Ag.

And it's funny, because I think this is a question that would be suited to Jackie.

So Jackie, to Jackie, but she said, we sodded our yard with centipede this spring and now it's been taken over by this weed and she sent a picture.

What is it and how do we get rid of it?

Oh, my gosh, they weren't all that expensive time slot in the yard.

Jackie, I mean, yes, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, what is the weed and is there any way she can get it under control?

<Jackie> There is.

Old World Diamond Flower is Old World Diamond Flower, in the matter family.

So, it's one of those weeds that definitely tends to show up when there is a lot of moisture present.

<Amanda> Oh.

>> So, one thing to do is to make sure that you've got your irrigation calibrated, you want to only give your lawn enough water to stay alive.

Extra is just going to encourage weeds, insects and diseases.

So calibrating your sprinkler system is one place to start.

>> And may I say, too, if you over-water and then you're moving the fertilizer, the nitrogen which is so leachable off site possibly and onto places it shouldn't be.

<Jackie> Right.

And for that weed, there isn't a pre emergent available, but there are a lot of weeds that have a pre emergent herbicide, so sometimes you can control them by putting that down before they start actively growing.

Since this weed doesn't have a pre emergent herbicide recommendation, coming in with a post emergent something with three... like a three way mix would be fine, as long as it says southern for southern lawns, it's safe on centipede.

So like such and such for southern lawns, alright, would be fine to use.

Another trick would be to raise your mowing height so that you can shade out those weed seeds, so they don't germinate as much.

>> If you make the pre emergent, when should that be done.

>> You definitely want to do it ahead of when the weed starts to germinate.

So, typically we'll have summer weeds, like this is a summer annual weed.

So, you're looking around an April application.

You want to be earlier for things like crabgrass.

Crabgrass is the first weed that germinates in the spring.

So, you're looking at a February application time for crabgrass, but later for some of those broadleaf weeds.

>> Okay, and then if I'm not mistaken.

You need to be certain that you water them in, correctly?

Is that - >> You do!

You want to...again, another reason to calibrate your sprinkler system is because if you're going to apply a pre emergent, you have to water it in with half an inch of water to get it to where it's going to be active and give you good control.

So it moves down into the soil.

And in different - different ones have different mechanisms by which they keep the seeds from germinating.

>> Right...a lot of them stop the root system from developing.

>> Okay.

>> So, >> So,... that's one reason to get a calendar and write down, because that means next year Jackie has to do this in April.

She's got to have everything ready.

>> Well, for this particular weed there is not a pre emergent herbicide - >> pre emergent, of course.

>> She could certainly make sure that she's not over watering, and that she is keeping her grass at the right mowing height.

All those go a long way in preventing weeds next year.

>> Okay, so since she's going to be using a post emergent, - these weeds start germinating early, though.

So, she shouldn't wait until May or June when they're big and - >> Probably around early to mid June is when she should go out there and learn to spot what those weeds look like when they're very small.

So, you get good control >> - Okay >> with them.

Once they begin to flower, They're hard to control and once... the end of the growing season for these weeds.

So, at this point, I really would not do anything for them, because the weather will kill them before the chemicals can >> Okay, so make a plan for next year.

Plan ahead.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay.

Thank you.

Well, Casey, it looks like you've got some more interesting things here.

What should we talk about?

>> I do.

So, these three I got here They're good for containers or in ground.

This is your big O Eucalyptus.

It's a Big Leaf eucalyptus, stays a little shorter, a lot of people use in containers, you know, people pick off of it to use it in the house.

You can also put it in the ground It only gets 15 foot tall.

<Amanda> Come on.

<Casey> So...then the branches aren't impossible to reach when you want to use them.

>> Okay.

>> So, good all around eucalyptus, very cold hardy to zone seven.

>> Good.

>> Winter won't affect it here, like some other varieties.

>> Alright, and it's...

I like it.

It's very bold.

>> Pretty pretty shade evergreen, >> Okay.

Alright.

You called this Big O?

It's called Big O Eucalyptus.

>> Okay, well, the leaf is kind of like a big O, isn't it?

I don't know exactly why.

Alright.

Well, let's see what else we got.

>> Alrighty.

Shall I bring this for you?

Okay, what a beautiful variegated leaf.

>> Yeah.

And this is your... the name Southern Living.

They have it patented, it's Angyo Star Fatshedera.

It's a type of Bush Ivy.

Cold Hardy, upright.

A lot of people use it as containers as their centerpiece.

>> Yes.

>> And, then you know, under plant around it, or it can even go in the ground places.

A lot of people kind of espaliate it on a wall.

>> Does it need some kind of trellising support in order to hold on to it, to be against a wall?

>> Yeah, against a wall, it'd be best to trellis it.

As it gets more mature, so it doesn't flop over.

And it does, it does want to be in part shade to shade.

So, just to kind of give you some color for your pots that's in the shade.

A lot of people have them...under porches.

So, it'd be a great thing this size to use in the pot and then when you want it to, when it got a little bit bigger, you could move it out.

>> You could move it out >> ...put it in the ground.

>> Exactly.

>> Beautiful.

Just a gorgeous leaf.

And then we have something that has a fascinating picture on it.

>> And so this is type of Satsuma orange called Arctic Frost.

It's one of the few popular ones we have, that's cold hardy.

This one's cold hardy to like five degrees.

>> Five degrees.

>> Five degrees.

Texas A&M came out with this one.

And then we have the Awori Satsumas that we've had for years that my grandfather had one planted in the ground and they're good until the mid teens to low teens.

So, a lot of people are starting to grow more citrus, cold hardy varieties around Columbia.

>> And we've, with climate change and extreme weather, we might occasionally get some extreme weather, you can always throw... >> Oh, yeah, you can always throw a cover over it.

Even a thick bed sheet.

So, our citrus stays out year round, We may cover them, maybe one night, two nights a year.

>> That's not too much trouble, is it,.

<Casey> As they get more mature, you know, they get really, really tolerant to it.

>> Now.

You've got a little boy, I think who runs around the nursery a lot, does he enjoy picking these?

>> Oh, he does.

I got a tree at my house.

And I had probably 100 on it last year, and he probably got 80 of them.

>> They're easy to peel, seedless.

>> So even though he was a dinosaur at Halloween, he's a vegetarian dinosaur.

>> That's right, yeah.

I guess he's a long neck.

[laughs] Well, this is just fascinating to see the work that's being done, and that we can have citrus in our own yards, here.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> And another thing great in containers, people love them around their pools.

<Amanda> That would be so pretty.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> All right.

Well, this is really fun.

I'm so glad, now.

We're in Columbia.

are y'all located.

>> We're on Park Lane Road 8244 Directly across from the State Archives Building and the DHEC.

>> Okay, okay.

That's pretty easy to find.

>> Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Alright, so you can find your ancestors and a cold hardy citrus at the same time.

>> That's right.

>> Alright.

Thank you so much.

As you know, our friend Tony Melton has retired due to health reasons and honestly everyone has wanted to thank Tony for his years of service to the state and we went to a lovely event at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center out near Florence and they planted a tree and put up a plaque in honor of Tony.

♪ light music ♪ <speaker> This is a ceremony honoring you and all that you have meant to us, here at extension, the R.E.C to the citizens of South Carolina.

You are a God send.

I think everyone in here could have at least one to 10 stories about all the good you have done for them.

Today, we are establishing this garden for you in your honor, all the work that you have done, not only for Extension, citizens of South Carolina <speaker> Serviceberry, and I guess, I don't know who chose that.

But I can't think of a better tree.

to honor somebody with the service you've given.

As a matter of fact, our rotary club, I'm a member of, the motto is service above self.

And I think you fit that very well.

Matter of fact, a shining example of that.

This serviceberry is, if anybody wants to know it's Amelanchier Arborea.

It...grows about 25 feet tall, but it'll fruit in June, which is a good time of year.

This tree has color, or interest just about all season.

In the spring it has white flowers and then of course, summer has the fruit and clusters sort of like blueberries, and then the fall color.

Guess What it is.

What color it is.

Orange?

What do you think just like your coat, Clemson orange.

It does have a little yellow in there with it.

But it's a beautiful tree.

But what an example, you've been to all the people in the agriculture and horticulture industry especially for Clemson Extension.

We're so thankful for the Clemson Extension Service and what they've done for our community, for our industry, and certainly for you and allowing you to serve us together.

But you know, this tree is in the rose family.

A lot of you may not know that.

But as I said earlier, not only does it bloom white in the spring and fruit in the summer, it has that pretty fall color, we're going to be thinking about you all the time, we come by here and see this pretty tree and watch it grow with the rest of this garden.

>> I think if you look around this gathering, Tony, you can see how much we think of you and what an impact you've had on this organization.

So, I can't think of anybody in extension, or at Clemson University, or in agriculture that's given as much of themselves to their profession, and the people of this state as you have.

So you've been a mentor to so many extension agents.

I don't know how many bosses you've had since in your 40 plus years with Clemson, more than you probably want to remember, but I'm happy to have - I don't consider myself your boss, never have.

I've learned far more from you than you've ever learned from me.

And so I just appreciate you've always been supportive.

When I came in, you helped me out and taught me things you probably don't even realize you taught about how to be an extension agent, most importantly And so many of our employees have learned that from you over the years, some of them that are still with us and others that have moved on.

But nobody deserves this recognition more than you do, and we can't thank you enough for what you've done for us and so happy that you're still going.

We wish you were still with us, as I know you do, but you got more important things to take care of right now.

And we're all behind you, praying or you, and we love you, and wish you nothing but the best and so glad to see you today.

And congratulations for this beautiful honor and thank you for all that you've done and meant to me personally, but to Clemson and South Carolina, as well.

It's really impressive and it means a lot.

Thank you very much.

>> Tony is dedicated to his family and he talks about his family a lot.

The other thing Tony Melton is the most humble person I've ever met in my entire life.

It's always, Yes sir.

No, sir, Thank you.

No matter if you give him a biscuit, he's going to thank you for it.

Now, the other thing about Tony is he likes to eat and if y'all have ever been with him anywhere, he's first in line and that plates about three times higher than it should be, and he still stays slim and trim because he works so much.

But your service to others and the way that you treat everybody.

It doesn't matter if Tony Melton is talking to a homeowner who has one little rosebush, he makes that person feel just as important as when he's talking to Kemp McLeod.

who's on a multimillion dollar farming operation.

His ability to take care of people, his ability to appreciate everything that he's ever been given.

His ability to have a desire to make the place better is evident in what Tony Melton does.

And Tony I can promise you, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service is a better place because of Tony Melton.

Not, because of Michael McManus or Cory Tanner or Tom Dobbins, because you have been part of our family for so long.

And what you have done, you have been a shining example of the way things should be done.

So thank you very, very much.

So at this time, Michael, would you take the cloth off?

It says in honor of Tony Melton in appreciation for Tony's lifelong dedication and service to Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, Pee Dee Research and Education Center, September the 9th, 2021.

All in.

And so, Tony, here is the same thing put on, and everybody, a lot of people here sign this for you to take home with you.

I've been the director here almost nine years now.

And when I first got here, I had this idea that I wanted to try to spur some farm to market some more vegetable work, some high value marketing to serve the tourist industry around here.

And I found out about Tony Melton.

And not knowing any better I asked him if he would maybe do some vegetables over here on some of the worst land we had.

And I didn't realize I was giving him a second full time job.

He epitomizes everything, I think of, when I think of an extension agent.

He's knowledgeable.

He's friendly, He's going to come do it, he's going to put down anything else to go to serve a customer that needs...his knowledge.

And I'm very grateful.

He took on a personal project to try to get us some warm weather butterbeans.

He's been working on that for a number of years with a few others and they're still - we recently replanted, so we get another season on them this year.

You know, we're just so glad that he's been here and he's going to have a long lasting legacy well beyond this tree, I hope, and this, you know, the brass sign and all of that because of his work on vegetables, other people have noticed and thought that Pee Dee ought to be doing some work on vegetables and we are now in the process of hiring two brand new faculty positions, one in vegetable breeding and one in vegetable pathology to be located here at the Pee Dee R.E.C and that is really all entirely due to Tony's efforts.

I'm so grateful.

I'm grateful to have him around.

He and I are almost exactly the same age and I keep - I've been calling him Old Man, then I realized he was my age.

But I'm just proud to have you and consider you a friend and you've done a lot for me in the Pee Dee R.E.C.

So, thank you very much.

And with that, I think you get to say something.

>> I'm the most blessed person on the face of this earth.

Thank you Lord.

I've been..I come from like Dr Dobbins said, barefoot and picking cotton and butterbeans on my grandaddy's farm in McBee through working with Kemp McLeod for so many years and I've been brought up from from the poorest to poor to got to go to Clemson University E.B.

Earl led me up that way and just really, really - It was amazing, when I first got there and saw the university.

We've always thought when I was growing up that Clemson University was our salvation.

It was a part of what was going to make our lives much better.

It's Clemson University.

And I know that Clemson University has done so much for the state of South Carolina and they going to keep going with good folks like they have here.

They going to keep going.

They going to keep telling and working and helping and getting armors to do much better and keep going.

South Carolina, because we really truly need Clemson University's help and assistance and knowledge everything that goes with Clemson University.

Now, as a county agent.

I didn't never work for Clemson University, or anything I've ever done.

I never worked for Clemson University.

I worked for you people of South Carolina and that's why I did.

I worked for people, and that's way we need to think about it.

If you work for Clemson University, you need to be working for the people of South Carolina.

You need to be helping people and be in there.

You know, I was nothing but an assist to the people of South Carolina, anything they ever needed, that's what I tried to do.

That's what we need to do as the university.

And as Extension service to do things that will give people of South Carolina a much better life.

And I just thank y'all so very much for being here.

It just has blessed my heart so much.

I just can't it's just above my dreams and that I have gone from rocking and have come to be nothing from me, but for the people of South Carolina.

That's where we need to be.

We need to think about people in South Carolina every day that do work.

I thank y'all so very much for coming.

♪ >> Well, thank you so much again for being with us and we will see you right here next week on Making It Grow.

Night, Night.

Making it Grow is brought to you in part by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture Certified South Carolina Grown helps consumers identify, find, and buy South Carolina products, McLeod Farms in Mcbee, South Carolina.

This family farm offers seasonal produce including over 22 varieties of peaches, additional funding provided by International Paper and the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance.