
Livingston Farms and Jan Smith's Garden
Season 2026 Episode 10 | 56m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Amanda and Terasa welcome Davis Sanders, Jackie Jordan, and Dr. Brandon Huber.
Amanda and Terasa welcome Davis Sanders, Jackie Jordan, and Dr. Brandon Huber. Our featured segments are Livingston Farms and Jan Smith's garden.
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Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Making It Grow is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Funding for "Making it Grow" is provided by: The South Carolina Department of Agriculture, The Boyd Foundation, McLeod Farms, The South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance, and Boone Hall Farms.

Livingston Farms and Jan Smith's Garden
Season 2026 Episode 10 | 56m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Amanda and Terasa welcome Davis Sanders, Jackie Jordan, and Dr. Brandon Huber. Our featured segments are Livingston Farms and Jan Smith's garden.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipNarrator> Making It Grow is brought to you in part by Certified South Carolina.
This cooperative effort among farmers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture helps consumers identify foods and agricultural products that are grown, harvested or raised right here in the Palmetto State.
McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina, family owned and operated since 1916.
This family farm offers seasonal produce, including over 40 varieties of peaches.
Wesley Commons, a full service continuing care retirement community located on more than 150 wooded acres in Greenwood, South Carolina.
Additional funding provided by the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance and Boone Hall Farms.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Amanda McNulty> Good evening, and welcome to Making It Grow .
We're happy that you can be with us tonight.
I'm Amanda McNulty.
I'm a Clemson horticulture agent.
For many, many years ago, I love coming here because our guests always teach me new things.
Because a lot of things Terasa Lott also a Clemson person have changed over the years.
Terasa> They have and things will continue to change.
If there's one thing that's constant.
It's changed.
But we do our best to be continual learners and then share that information with our viewers.
Amanda> Yeah.
Thank you for coming over and, and bringing questions.
So...our very impressive panel.
could give answers, right?
Terasa> Yes.
Okay.
Amanda> Dr.
Brandon Huber.
Big deal.
Anyway, over at South Carolina State University, and we're so happy that you come, but your garden at home is just phenomenal.
It's so much fun to come and see you.
I can't wait to come and see all the things.
>> Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
That'll be... it should be a fun show we could probably do later in the Fall when all the figs are ripe and show all the different varieties we grow.
Amanda> Yea.
I love Fridays.
My mother used to peel figs before she ate them.
Can you believe that?
But.
And then, Edward, like, peeled tomatoes, so I like, I like to peel them.
How about you, Jackie Jordan?
Do you peel your tomatoes?
Jackie> I don't know.
No.
Amanda> Yeah, yeah.
And you're a hort agent for several counties.
And you have those wonderful flower farms.
I want you to, go and do a segment for us.
>> We will, we will.
We've got a few.
Amanda> Yeah, I think that's terrific.
Yeah, yeah.
Davis Sanders, thank you for coming down from Greenville at South Pleasantburg Nursery and, you always bring fun things from all over the nursery.
Davis> Well, thanks for having me.
It's always a pleasure to come down and, I frequently say I go back home with a lot more than I come down with.
Because I learn... Amanda> That's due to these other people, not me.
But I'm happy you come.
All right.
Davis> Glad to be here.
Thank you.
Amanda> Gosh.
So we're also going to have some fun things for you to learn about, Livingston Farm.
Hannah Mikell went up there for us, and then Carmen Ketron went to see Jan Smith in Florence, and she's got aloes, cacti...and mangaves?
Did I say that right?
So how about that?
New things to learn about always on Making It Grow.
And Terasa Lott, I think we also have Gardens of the Week, which shows beautiful things that people are growing.
Terasa> You are correct, Amanda.
Gardens of the Week is where we spotlight what you're doing in your yard, your garden, or perhaps you've captured a beautiful place in South Carolina or a neighboring state.
So let's see what our submissions look like today from John and Teresa.
See or say, I apologize if I got the name incorrect.
They sent some lovely peonies which are part of their family history at Lake Wateree.
And that's one of the special things about plants, is that they can hold treasured memories.
From Cheryl Winston, she called this clematis a plenty in Summerville, South Carolina, from Terri Looper, Rhododendron in her parent's front yard.
And it is absolutely magnificent.
Susan Rivers shared the bright red orange pomegranate flower she has in Cherokee County.
And wrapping up, near where I live in Darlington, Veronica Gallo Bamberry shared a view of her pollinator garden.
So we thank all of you for your submissions.
We look forward to seeing more whenever we put out a call for Gardens of the Week.
And I happen to have one of my own.
Only this you get to see the real thing instead of a photograph.
Recently on our Home and Garden information Center, Ginger put out a fact sheet about creating an arrangement from Linton Rose or Hellebores that would be, that would live for a long time.
So the instructions were to cut them and bring a tub of water with you outside.
Submerge the whole thing.
flowers, stems- Amanda>-The tops and everything, Terasa> -all of it in cold water for at least an hour, and then to, gently score two sides of each stem with, like, an old knife or scissors, and then, then make your arrangement so it says it should last for a week or more.
I just made this last night and we shall see.
Amanda> I don't understand scoring two sides of the stem.
Can you explain that a little bit more?
Terasa> Yes.
If I had some scissors, I could show you better, but to take one stem, All right.
And then gently score down.
With a knife or some scissors, probably not your best kitchen knife, but something maybe you don't want to use on food anymore.
And, and that should help, keep it long lasting for at least a week.
Now, I will say I am not, I'm not good at arranging flowers.
I think I put them in and took them back out four times.
And I said, well, it just it's going to be what it is.
Amanda> I think it's lovely.
Terasa> But nice to bring the outdoors in.
Amanda> Yes.
And I think it's going to last a week.
Terasa> I hope so.
Amanda> Isn't that fun.
Terasa> Yeah.
Amanda> Golly Pete!
Okay.
Terasa> We'll have to let you know.
Amanda> All right.
Okay.
Terasa, thank you.
Brandon, I think you've got something pretty cool for us.
Brandon> I think so.
Well, I was looking around the garden and I said, you know, I grow a lot of unusual plants.
And so I said, well, this seems to be blooming today.
And this is almost in bloom.
This is Amorphophallus henryi, the corpse flower, the genus, corpse flower.
There's over 100 species of corpse flower, but I have I probably grow and collect about a good 40 or 50 different species.
And this one is probably about this one is about to open in a day or two.
There's no stench yet, but, classic arrowhead with the spadix and spath, <Yeah> kind of like a peace lily.
<Yeah.> But this will kind of, this spath will flex back and look kind of like a toilet bowl, and, it will start stinking of and drawing flies and beetles, and it will, heat up.
They have the thermogenic property.
Amanda> It'll heat up?
Brandon> It'll actually release additional heat with that, with that corpse rotting smell.
Amanda> Also, it's like a dead.
Brandon> Yep.
So it'll draw it's pollinators and brings flies and different things.
Besides, like, unlike most flowers that are drawing bees, this one's drawing flies.
And it's really just a one day occurrence that happens every year.
Sometimes it takes a year off, but following this flower, a leaf will come up and it'll look like this leafy tropical plant.
<Really?> This is hardy.
It's actually...it's hardy here in the ground.
It's from, it's from Taiwan, but it's, it's hardy in this region.
It's a tuberous plant, you know, you can actually can even eat the tubers.
It's cooked.
They cook the tubers in Southeast Asia.
Amanda> Oh, because it's so prolific there?
Brandon> Yeah, yeah.
It's a starchy tuber...like a potato.
It's a cool plant.
Amanda> So you haven't eaten one?
Brandon> No, I haven't eaten one.
I had the candy from the from the tubers.
They make konjac, the...konjac candies.
Amanda> This is too crazy.
How bad does it smell?
Brandon> Oh, this one's terrible.
This one- <Really?> This one.
I bloomed the titanium, the giant corpse flower, and this one packs a really strong odor for a small flower.
I mean it- Amanda> Did the neighbors complain?
Brandon> Luckily, they're far enough away to where- (all laugh) -they shouldn't so... This will.
I'll have to, send the photo in when it when it blooms.
Because, in probably in another day or two this will be open wide open and, but really cool plant and likes shade.
It grows in understory in the, in the jungle.
So- <Amanda> That smelly?
Brandon> Yeah.
Amanda> Golly.
Brandon> An easy plant to grow, otherwise.
Amanda> Okay.
Yeah.
Just not an easy to love most days.
How long does the flower live?
Brandon> Just the smell, that's one day.
<One day.> And luckily, it's outside, you know, so it's not like you have this blooming in your house.
It's, it's, (all laugh) But it's such a cool plant.
It's such an interesting plant that, <All right> makes you want to grow.
Amanda> That's fun.
<Yeah> Okay.
Amanda> Well, thanks for sharing that with us the day before it blooms.
Terasa> We might be happy that it wasn't open today.
Brandon> Yeah, yeah, I would have been on the fence to bring it if it was actually blooming, because it would stink the studio up.
(all laugh) Amanda> Whew!
Well.
All right.
Well, thank you so very, very much.
Ah.
Terasa> Now it's time to move on to questions... Amanda> Yeah, Terasa.
(laughing) Terasa> Let's see who we can help.
How about- Amanda> Brandon, you can move that back because it's right in the middle of Terasa's face.
Brandon> Poking.
Sticking up.
Terasa> Oh, goodness.
Let's see if we can help Ted in Columbia.
We've got a photograph.
And Ted would like to know, "What is this orange growth on my quince fruit?"
Amanda> Oh my goodness.
Oh la, la, la, la.
Well, Jackie, see if you could help us out.
Jackie> Yeah.
He's got the cedar quince rust.
Yeah, that's one of the neat funguses that requires two different plants.
So it's got to go between the junipers, the red cedars, and these other plants.
And it can go between quince.
There's another species that can go to apples.
There's another species that can go to Mayhaws.
So when you see that orange growth on the fruit, what you really have to do to control it, unfortunately, is either decide if you're going to get rid of the cedars, or you're going to get rid of... the other plant to break that cycle, or use a fungicide and use a fungicide on your quince or your apple or your Mayhaw.
Amanda> Gracious.
That's a lot of work.
Jackie> It is a lot of work.
And so usually, it's easier just to say break one or the other and get out of the cycle.
Amanda> But where I am there's cedar trees everywhere.
Jackie> There are.
Amanda> I mean- Jackie> It would be hard to.
Honestly, I would say if you if you were really trying to grow like apples.
That's where you would really have to get rid of them.
But, you know, it's one of those things.
It's always going to go back and forth between the two plants.
Amanda> And I guess if you had a commercial orchard, you're probably putting fungicides out for other reasons, as well.
So you wouldn't have to cut the cedar trees down, because I will tell you, I have a female cedar tree.
And when the birds wouldn't come through to eat those little fruits, it's just the most wonderful thing.
And I think I've probably told you that we, bring them inside and chop them up and put them in hamburgers and things.
They're real tasty.
Jackie> Oh, okay.
Yeah.
Amanda> Cedar berries.
Yeah.
It's not a berry.
It's some kind of weird thing, but I'm just going to call it a berry.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay, well thanks for telling us that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Davis, I think you've got something for us.
Davis> I do have a few things here.
Amanda> I'm not surprised.
Davis> It's hummingbird season.
Amanda> Let's do one at a time.
This is gorgeous.
Davis> These are- Amanda> Oh, these are, the same thing.
Davis> Yeah.
These are, these are two different types of fuchsia, which are very popular, hummingbird attractors.
A lot of people- Amanda> I can see why.
Davis> Yeah, yeah.
It's got the tubular flower.
Although, although that tubular flower is a bit of a myth.
People think that, that they need that long tubular flower for that long tongue of theirs.
But actually, hummingbirds are attracted to anything that, that produces a lot of nectar.
<Oh.> I've also got some Mealycup sage here that they will actually fly pass this plant to get to the Mealycups.
But, but this one is also a very nice ornamental plant.
It will grow in the shade.
It doesn't need a whole lot of water.
In fact, it likes to get a little dry between waterings.
The only drawback to attracting hummingbirds for us in the upstate is we only have Ruby throats up there.
We don't have any of the other, the bee hummingbirds or the occasional rufous hummingbird might come through, but the, the Ruby throat is the most territorial of the hummingbirds.
Amanda> They are so mean.
Davis> So if you, if you ever see, a Ruby throat, chances are you're not going to see another one.
And if you ever do see two of them together, they're either fighting.
Amanda> They're fussing.
Yeah.
Davis> Right.
<Yeah, yeah.> So, that also, is, a little bit of advice for people who do put out hummingbird feeders in addition to planting plants for them.
Don't get one of the big half gallon hummingbird feeders, because you're only going to have one hummingbird there at a time.
And, that nectar that you've got in there is probably going to ferment before, before it's... Amanda> And you, you can space them out, though, if you have, if you want to have several, just space them out.
How far apart?
I wonder where'd you want to put them, Terasa?
Terasa> I'm not sure.
I have seen photographs where people seem to have multiple Ruby throats in an area at one time.
But what I have not... I have observed that territorial behavior, as well.
Amanda> I've see them trying to get in and somebody else is trying to run them off.
Davis> Right.
And that's, that's usually what happens.
There's, there's a dominant one in the, in the population, and, and he will defend that territory.
I would say probably 40 or 50 feet apart, like, maybe on, on either side of the yard.
Amanda> Okay.
All right.
Okay.
Davis> Yeah.
Amanda> Well, I just think this is lovely.
Terasa> Those are magnificent.
I have never seen Fuchsia.
I remember we had a Fuchsia hanging basket, growing up.
And funny enough, a hummingbird made a nest in it.
So this was in upstate New York.
Amanda> No.
Come on.
Terasa> The tiniest, and they will cover it with, like, lichens to camouflage it.
Amazing.
But- Amanda> What a treat you had to see that.
Terasa> It's usually more of a fuchsia colored flower.
I haven't seen that kind of orangey coral.
Davis> Yeah, this is a little bit different type of Fuchsia.
This is not the kind of the Trailing Fuchsia.
It's one of the upright mounding ones.
This one is called, Gartenmeister And, the variegated one is called oddly enough, firecracker.
Amanda> Firecracker.
Yeah, well, thanks for showing us those.
I think that's great... Brandon> I have not seen that variegated one yet.
So, I remember Gartenmeister.
But yeah, that's, that's really cool.
(indiscernible) Amanda> You got something else you going to show us?
Davis> Well, I did bring several other types of Salvia because I mentioned, I mentioned that they, that hummingbirds are attracted to things that do produce a lot of nectar.
And the Mealycup sages and the hybrid sages that are hybrid between the Salvia farinacea and some of the other varieties of Salvia... These do produce a lot of nectar.
And if you look really closely, you can see that the flower is tubular shape, but it's a very small tube, tubular flower.
And it's, it's more...in a cluster.
And I have seen... Amanda> They can come back day after day And, and they'll, they'll just bounce around these until they've hit every single flower.
I've, I have watched hummingbirds feed on one plant for, you know, as long as 15 or 20 minutes just going, from flower to flower.
Amanda> Isn't that exciting.
Wow!
So how...are these going to get tall enough?
Or do you put them in a basket or-?
Well, they're, they're different varieties.
The, the most of the Mealycup sages, the Salvia farinaceas will top out, maybe, maybe 18 to 24 inches And, they- Amanda> Will the hummingbirds come that low?
Davis> Well, they, they bloom on new growth.
So- <Oh, okay.> -in order to produce more flowers down there, you just have to cut it back a little bit.
And these are typically offered as an annual, but in most of South Carolina, the Salvia farinacea the Mealycup sages are pretty dependable perennials.
<Okay.> Some of the hybrids, such as the, the Misty, may be a little more tender, but if they're in a sheltered location, most of the upright Salvias that bloom in the whites and mostly, lavenders and blues, are relatively hardy.
Amanda> Okay.
Isn't that delightful?
Okay, well, thanks for showing us.
And telling us all that.
<Thank you.> Now, let's go to Livingston Farms.
And Jordan Hodgens is the proprietor there.
It's going to be a lot of fun.
(folk music) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Hey, Hannah Mikell here, Agronomy Agent with Clemson Extension.
I have the pleasure of visiting Ms.
Jordan Hodgens with Livingston Farms here in Woodford, South Carolina.
Right?
Jordan> That's right.
Hannah> We're right here off of 321.
Super easy to find.
<Yep> So, Jordan, you're a female, you're farming, and you're doing what?
Vegetables?
Jordan> Vegetables.
Hannah> I mean, I'm used to working with some of these row crop guys, but, so you are a totally different change of pace for me.
>> Yeah.
Everything hand picked.
Obviously, we do use tractors and everything to prep the land.
And, I do all that start to finish, you know, get the land ready and set the plants out- Hannah> Girl, you are busy.
Jordan> Handpicked... everything is handpicked.
Hannah> Really busy.
Goodness.
So what made you so interested in this?
Or did you major in agriculture?
Jordan> No, I actually majored in retail fashion merchandising.
Not that you can tell now.
Hannah> Very fashionable.
I like it, go ahead.
(laughter) Jordan> And I worked retail for a little while, and it just really didn't feel like a good fit.
I realized, that I was going to have to spend every holiday away from my daughter and, just kind of through a turn of events, I started working some odd jobs trying to figure it out.
Ended up meeting Mr.
Sidney Livingston.
Hannah> Mr.
Sidney Livingston, that's the farm owner.
Jordan> The owner here.
Hannah> And you're the farm manager.
Jordan> Yes.
So I met him while I was working at a restaurant.
I had some potbellied pigs at the time, and I knew from his shirt that he did vegetables.
So I asked him- Hannah> Potbellied pigs?
Jordan> Yep.
I asked him what he did with the stuff that, you know, they threw away or that he couldn't sell.
He told me to come out, that he'd load my truck up with whatever I needed.
And I think within a week I was picking squash.
And, so I started, you know, just as farm laborer out in the field and fell in love with it and, never really left.
Hannah> Yeah, I get it, I get it.
I used to work out some, in like some of the fields growing up back home, and I loved it.
But getting back to those roots and being able to really, you know, get up early in the morning, go out in the field, see the sun come up and and work the land... there's a lot of reward to that.
Right?
Jordan> It definitely is rewarding.
I, probably work harder now than I used to, but I don't feel like, you know, I have to get up and come to work.
It doesn't feel like that anymore.
I definitely found my purpose, and I just love being out here, and it's something different every day.
It's not the mundane- Hannah> We're right here at the farm shed.
There's people in and out all day long.
<Yeah> So, just beyond vegetables, I'm seeing cut flowers here.
Jordan> Yeah, we just got into doing cut flowers.
There again, just to kind of change things up.
I thought it'd be fun.
And I've had some pretty good success with it.
I'm still learning, but, I enjoy it.
Hannah> Yeah.
So that's just an added bonus here.
If they come to get produce, they can pick up some Zinnias maybe, and sunflowers.
Jordan> Yep.
And we do U-pick as well if they want to come and make their own bouquets, they can do that.
Hannah> Cool, I like it.
So Jordan, all these vegetables I got to go out and view and watch y'all pick and pack in the fields.
Which of those are your favorites?
Jordan> Probably corn.
Hannah> Me too.
(laughter) Jordan> And then in the Fall, collards.
I really, yeah... collards is my... Hannah> Are you maybe, the "collard queen?"
Is that a thing?
Jordan> Self-proclaimed.
But nobody's ever challenged me on it.
Hannah> Okay, okay.
Well, that's all right.
We can't take your title away.
(laughter) If we give it to you, you got it right.
How many acres does the whole farm encompass here?
Jordan> So the total farm is about 250 acres, but we're growing on just under 20.
I think the pivot covers nine and a half acres.
So we typically keep all of that planted.
And then he added another four and a half acres under sprinklers, I think two years ago.
And then we've got some other areas that I'll run drip line on, and stuff like that.
Yeah, so the pivot is, that's a center pivot.
Jordan> That's right.
A tower you've got water pipe to it.
<Yep> And whenever the crop needs it, you just start walking that thing around and it slowly sprinkles water out.
Jordan> Rain with a push button.
Yeah.
Hannah> That's a nice way to put it.
Yeah.
And then the drip lines those are just running on top or you have those subsurface.
Jordan> Yeah.
So we'll run them underneath- I mean, some of it's on top.
But then obviously after the plant starts growing and everything like that.
But yeah, we'll do that for tomatoes mostly.
And then like I said, any of the areas that don't have the overhead irrigation, we can, you know, use those if we need the space.
Hannah> Yeah.
It's crucial in the Lowcountry, really any part of the South in general.
We got to have water.
Here or there.
Jordan> You're going to have either a drought or a monsoon.
There's no in between.
Hannah> Nope.
There's really not, is there?
Girl, where are you getting all your knowledge from on these vegetables?
Jordan> Mr.
Sid is a wealth of knowledge.
I definitely... you know, I'm new to farming, but I'm so grateful that I had him just to be able to ask questions and, you know, could rely on his past experiences.
Hannah> Have you found there's different niches in this atmosphere that you've enjoyed or you- Jordan> Definitely.
We do a lot of the odd stuff, mostly just, so that it's not quite so boring with picking, you know, instead of picking yellow squash, we might do zephyr squash, which is some of the two-toned that I was showing you earlier.
We go all over, we go down to the Lowcountry.
I got a lot of good partnerships down there.
We've got local grocery stores that we provide to, and then a lot of just smaller individuals that are supplementing what they grow and, just keeping their farm staying stocked as well.
So it's... it's good.
Hannah> Well, during peak produce season, our, you know, picking season, you really have multiple outlets.
And you're going what, 60 or 70 miles either way.
Jordan> Yeah.
We'll pick in the mornings we pack, wash, and grade and then I'm typically on the road in the afternoons or evenings.
Hannah> So, you're like, over here, over there.
Are you traveling?
Or you have some- Jordan> Yes.
Yeah.
My mom helps some with some of the local deliveries, but most of them- You know, if I'm going down to Mount Pleasant, I'll run that down usually later in the afternoon once we're done picking, and I've had a chance to clean up a little bit.
Hannah> The struggles of a small business, you know, family owned, but you're the one juggling all of it.
I'm sure that's kind of difficult.
Jordan> It is.
But, there again, I enjoy it because it's always something different.
I feel like I'm probably always on the phone.
Hannah> Yeah, it's rewarding.
Right?
<Yeah> But I'm sure there's times it is probably not so rewarding.
Jordan> Yeah.
Hannah> I did see... (laughter) so there's a video- Now tell me the back story of this video.
Jordan> So I had it was about 1,000 dollars I was taking down to the Lowcountry, down to Charleston.
We had, you know, packed them.
I'd already, like, paid all my help, you know, to come and do it.
They were beautiful.
I love growing heirloom tomatoes.
And and he wanted them all.
He said, "I'll take all you can, all you can bring me."
I said, "Okay."
So we packed them, boxed them and everything was set to go.
That next morning, I came to load the van and they were all just cascading.
Hannah> What happened?
Jordan> The boxes, just, you know, they don't make anything like they used to.
And they just, I don't know, they, it just collapsed.
And so the bottom ones, obviously once they started, you know, crushing in the whole tower of them just fell.
So, most of the emotion was probably due to exhaustion because, you know, <That's okay> I don't know when the last time I've had a day off was.
(sobbing) But everything was fine.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it was, but yeah, it was kind of funny to look back at it now.
Hannah> Well, in those moments you can kind of see what helped you through.
And maybe getting back to work is a sense of therapy as well.
Right?
Jordan> For sure.
Yeah.
Hannah> That's awesome.
So I'm sure your, your local family, friends, I know you're very thankful to have them come in and serve.
Then you have maybe seasonal help as well.
Jordan> Yeah.
We always, hire a group of high schoolers.
And they have been phenomenal help this year.
Hannah> Hey, train them early.
<Yes> Get them right.
Let them earn a little money.
That's encouraging.
<Yeah> How cool.
Well, speaking of kids, how about your daughter?
Do you think in 10, 12 years, maybe she'll be... primed, ready to come back and take over?
Jordan> We'll see.
She's always said that she wants her first job to be at an ice cream shop.
So, I'm trying to push- Maybe we can get some ice cream at the stand.
<There you go> She can stay right here and work.
She does like to shell peas.
She likes the tedious little jobs.
She's not so much in to you know, <I do too> picking or anything out there in the heat.
But when it comes to tiny little, you know, tedious jobs- Hannah> My favorite memory was getting off the bus, and I would go and I'd sit down, and I'd start shelling peas in that big old silver bowl, and I'd watch The Brady Bunch.
<Yes> I'd just get to work.
<Yeah> I loved it.
But, so having those potbellied pigs kind of brought you to this farm.
Are you still dabbling with livestock at all?
Jordan> Yeah.
So now I've switched over to mini cows.
<No> We've got two new ones on the way, today.
So, I've got- They're mostly Herefords and, Highland crosses.
So they're all the little guys, and there's also videos of them coming in my house, <Oh no> on the front porch.
And they've got a pool.
Hannah> So, are we talking like many here?
Or like many here?
Jordan> Yeah.
They're... they're about this tall, yeah.
Hannah> Oh my goodness.
They have a lot of personality or they're just?
Jordan> Oh, Yes.
Yes.
Hannah> Really?
They have like what type of water source?
Like you mentioned something about a pool earlier.
Jordan> Yeah.
They've got a mini pool or a kiddie pool, I guess, we call it the "moo-l," that they get in.
And so typically my bull mostly he- Every day I come home, he's standing in it.
And they'll "moo" when we come home.
And so we just wave at them.
But they get all the fresh produce that a cow could ever want.
Hannah> That's so fun.
Jordan> They are definitely spoiled.
Hannah> So, Jordan, do you see this, farm stand up here?
Do we need to grow it?
Are you looking at any type of add-ons.
Jordan> Yeah.
So we actually recently got awarded money from the Acre Grant which is through Department of Ag.
And we're going to be adding some bathrooms.
Hopefully, so that the high schoolers and whoever else is working or doing U-pick, they don't have to travel so far to go to the restroom.
So we'll be adding that on and hopefully getting some internet so that we can communicate <Yay!> a little better.
Hannah> A little wi-fi going on.
That's cool.
Yeah, we can't live without that, can we?
<I know> So Jordan, the stands open year round?
Is that correct?
Jordan> That's correct.
Hannah> We can find you here most days?
<Yep> Unless you're on the road.
Jordan> We are here pretty much all the time.
But Monday through Saturday, like eight to five-ish.
I think our official hours are on the Facebook page.
But we're growing something year round, so we'd love to have you any time.
Hannah> Thank you.
Well, on behalf of me and so many other women out there, maybe not young women because I'm not young anymore- But I think you are so inspiring and I really appreciate all you are showing the world on your social media and then just your smiling face here.
Jordan> Thank you so much.
That means a lot.
Hannah> I really enjoyed it.
♪ ♪ Jordan> Well, thanks for coming.
We'll see you next time.
♪ (laughter) Amanda> I don't know if you could house train cows or not, but it was really fun to watch that.
So hats, hats, hats.
So variegated Solomon Seal is just so pretty to have.
I think it's just lovely.
And then I had an echinacea up there, because even after it fades, don't cut it off because the seeds, Terasa are going to be loved by certain birds, right?
Terasa> Yes.
But you've got to be able to tolerate leaving that in your garden.
People don't have to be- Amanda> And then I have a yellow native honeysuckle and, honeysuckle.
is...this... our native honeysuckles are fun because they have perfoliate leaves at the end.
And that means the leaves are clasping the stem, which I just think is fun to know.
Yeah, yeah.
Anyway, so, a fun hat for a cool look.
How about this?
Yeah.
All righty.
Woo!
Goodness.
So what have we got next, Terasa?
Terasa> Well, let's see.
We've got David in Darlington who said I have a sweet potato that is sprouting.
Can I use it to grow more sweet potatoes?
Amanda> Aha!
Brandon, what do you think?
Brandon> Yeah.
So actually, I, I brought an example... So, you know, if you have your sweet potato sitting in the house long enough, they'll start sprouting.
Amanda> Hold it still, so we can get a good picture.
Brandon> The question is, Is can you, can you propagate How can you propagate that?
Well, it's actually pretty easy.
And so, so what I like to do, and this is how farmers do, to produce a lot of cuttings, you know, what we call slips in sweet potatoes is to plant this sweet potato shown here and planted early.
So in March, you're actually going to plant this and, and I like to just because I'm growing, not growing a whole farm of them.
I'm just growing a few.
But I put them in a pot around March to encourage these sprouts.
And so from there I'm going to take these shoots, Amanda> So, so, you put the whole... tell me what you do.
Brandon> I'm going to plant this whole sweet potato.
It's already sprouting I'm going to plant that in a container that's large enough.
And I'm going to... I'm going to start watering it and grow it about two months ahead of when I want to plant, which is around May here.
And so and I'm going to plant these shoots.
So I'm going to take these and cut them and stick them directly in the garden at the spacing of one foot in a row.
And I'm going to grow... my sweet potato starts that way.
These, these are going to become the slips.
You can, if you plant this sweet potato and you leave it, you're, this sweet potato, all it will do is grow a bigger potato, a bigger of this.
Amanda> And I like big sweet potatoes But I don't need one that big.
Brandon> So you're actually planting these cuttings, and, that's an easy way to produce your own slips every year.
Amanda> And interestingly, sweet potatoes are just naturally, always genetically moving around.
And so, I was one, someplace, one time, Terasa and this gentleman came up and said, I used to get like 1,000 pounds of sweet potatoes, and now I just get 600, and I'm growing my own slips.
And it turns out that really, eventually you need to not do that because it's going to become another... It's going to just change a lot.
So you might want to occasionally get some from a nursery, that's, where they're growing them, specifically and they have new genetic material.
Brandon> That's right, because they'll pick up viruses.
They pick up viruses in the field just through this process.
These are just... propagated from cuttings.
So, and I brought, you know, there's a lot of other sweet potatoes.
I brought some other ones.
This is a... This is a white one.
This is called Bonita.
Terasa> The flesh is white as- Brandon> Yeah.
We're going to, to cut it open and show you.
So they come in all shapes and sizes... <Look at that> That's Bonita.
And I got a really fun one here.
This is, this is, purple splendor.
Brandon> A purple fleshed one.
Really great, color in this one here.
Terasa> Oh, wow.
Amanda> Look at that.
Brandon> And so that's... Amanda> Now cut the other one, so people can see that one.
Brandon> Oh, yeah.
So this is, this is... Well, here is your, here's your Covington.
<Okay.> This is the classic.
The Covington is kind of like the icon.
<Uh huh> And then this is, this is a different, this one.
This is also this is also a different this is like a Japanese, form of white sweet potatoes.
Amanda> Now some of them have a, the texture can be a little different to taste.
I...really like the old yellow one...I mean the, the orange one that, that's, that's just me.
Brandon> The Covington, you know, the Covington or the Beauregard are really sweet.
They're...kind of what people expect of the sweet potato.
One thing about the purple one is, it is more starchy.
It doesn't have, it's not as sweet as it's still a sweet potato, but it's so not as sweet.
So sometimes people say, ah, I don't like them.
You know, the white, the Bonita is really good.
It's still sweeter than the purple in my, my experience.
But, you know, it depends.
It's a little lower in sugar than the purple one, but certainly fun to, to cook with and, and do all that.
So a lot of great varieties.
Amanda> Does it stay purple?
Brandon> It, it does, it does.
So if you can make a mashed or baked potato, It, it stays that, keeps the purple color.
Amanda> That'll be kind of fun.
Brandon> A lot of anthocyanins have good health qualities and they're like a blueberry.
So.
<Okay.> Pretty cool.
Amanda> Yeah.
Well, I do love sweet potatoes.
And people used to keep them out in their yard.
I mean, you need to kind of let them cure a little bit before you start using them.
Is that right?
Brandon> Yeah.
There's a cooling process.
You're supposed to keep them cool, and...almost, like, leave them in the ground in the Fall.
But then you also have to go.
There's a heat treatment, as well.
They're supposed to... so in North Carolina they have these big curing facilities.
Amanda> I mean people sometimes would like, put them out on- <Put them out.> the porch or something, and then they would make a mound out in the yard and, put pine straw and stuff on it.
And if you needed something, you just went out there and got yourself a sweet potato.
Brandon> Yeah And sometimes when you, you know, if you're growing them, they will over winter.
If you miss some, I, every spring I have some sprouting in the garden from last year.
So I, you always, you always forget a few.
Amanda> Yeah.
But you said if that happens you're just going to get a great big potato under the ground.
Brandon> That's right.
But I'll, I'll take those cuttings and I'm going to plant my row with these cuttings and not directly from... So it's a two step process.
Amanda> Sure.
Okay.
Yeah.
That was so much fun.
Thank you.
Okay.
Well, Terasa?
Terasa> Ready for another question?
We've got one from Jane in Columbia who shared a photograph with us and said, What is wrong with my cherry trees?
Amanda> Oh my goodness.
Well, Jackie, what's going on?
Jackie> Unfortunately, this is herbicide damage on the tree.
Yeah.
One of her neighbors, because there were several trees around the property that were showing signs of damage.
And so it's really important to highlight how important it is to check the label of your herbicides.
Companies switch the products that they keep in there.
And so, you know, we've seen companies switch from using glyphosate to using Imazapyr, and Imazapyr moves through the soil.
And when we think about trees those roots extend.
Amanda> They go forever.
Jackie> Three to Four times.
And so... it does deflate the tree.
It looks terrible.
Luckily though they can come back and so, I have seen where you know, two, three years later, the tree looks completely normal.
So I wouldn't do anything to it, except make sure there's plenty of water.
But it highlights the importance of always reading the label, checking the ingredients in a herbicide before you use it.
Because I've talked to several homeowners who've used a product that they used for five, ten years don't realize now that the chemical has changed and now they can see some resulting damage unintended in their own plants.
Amanda> Oh goodness gracious.
Terasa> And that's really one of the reasons why if someone calls an Extension office or calls H.G.I.C., and we give out a recommendation that we will typically give the chemical name and not that trade name.
And I know it's frustrating for that homeowner because they feel like it'd be easier if I just went to the shelf and I looked for that.
But that's part of the rationale behind that.
Amanda> Yeah.
You need to take your reading glasses if you need them.
So that you can read the label before you buy something and take it home.
Isn't that right?
<Yep.> Okay.
Well, thanks.
That's kind of important to know.
Jackie> Yeah.
Yeah, definitely.
You want to look for things like Imazapyr or Triclopyr, any of those -p-y-rs.
Those could be pretty bad Amanda> Or glyphosate.
<Yeah> Yeah okay.
Oh goodness gracious.
Well I'm going to cross my fingers.
Jackie> You know, I went to a garden in Camden, and saw a lot of damage from Imazapyr applications, and two years later, everything recovered.
So, it's a, it's a waiting game.
Amanda> That was fortunate.
Jackie>Yeah.
So you just have to wait it out, make sure you give the plants plenty of water.
But they can recover.
Amanda> Okay.
Well, thank you very much.
Davis, let's talk about something that's... happy, right now.
Davis> Okay.
We have one of the most popular new offerings of hydrangeas to come along in a long time.
This one is called Eclipse.
It is one of the macrophylla.
One of the big leaf hydrangeas.
Some people refer to them as French hydrangeas, although they're all Asian in origin.
But, I think the French are the ones that developed the flower forms, to the point that you see them now.
This one has this really dark, dark foliage.
And, it does have the pink flowers.
As long as the soil is neutral to slightly alkaline- Amanda> Well, that's not going to happen here.
Davis> It's, well, if you, if you add a little bit of aluminum sulfate or even, even, even just some elemental sulfur to, to get- Amanda> Okay, but I just meant normal Yeah, that's a lot to do to grow a flower.
Davis> Right, right.
But, but this one, this one probably will change.
In fact, I have seen the flowers starting to take on a little bit of a purple cast after they've been in the ground for a little while because of the acidity.
But, but just sprinkle a little bit of lime around it every, every spring.
You can, you can keep these red flowers going.
And, and it offers just such a nice contrast to the foliage.
It also will stand out in the garden.
If you've got a lot of bright colors in the garden, this would be actually a good one for a focal point, if you have a lot of chartreuse foliage.
Amanda> How much shade does it want?
Davis> It's, it is a macrophylla, so it will perform in, everything from deep shade to probably a half a day of sun.
And they will adapt to more sun than that, over time.
But it will probably struggle for the first couple of years.
Morning sun, afternoon shade is ideal for it.
Amanda> That's perfect.
Isn't it.
Yeah.
Isn't that something.
<Yeah> Yeah.
Golly, Pete, They just keep coming up.
This is really a pretty color.
Davis> Well, that's one of the things.
Yeah.
It's a beautiful color.
It's one of the things that.
Amanda> It's kind of tinged around the edge.
Everything about it is fun.
Davis> Yeah.
And all the new color introductions and things are largely in part to tissue culture, you know, 20, 20, 30, 40 years ago, all we could do is propagate from what we have growing.
But now when, when a grower sees a plant with a particular characteristic, they can actually clone it through tissue culture.
<Yeah.> And, and keep- Amanda> Have it in the market pretty quick.
<Uh huh> Okay.
Well, thanks for telling us about that.
All righty.
(laughing) Amanda> Terasa.
Terasa> Well, hello.
You are down there.
Amanda> Yeah, I am.
(laughing) Terasa> That was me.
We're ready for another question.
Amanda> Yes we are.
Terasa> Let's see if we can help Jessie in Orangeburg.
Jessie reached out and said, I'd like to grow some cactus, but they seem a little boring.
Are there any that flower?
Amanda> Well, Brandon, I think you are the expert on things like this.
Brandon> Yeah.
So, well, all cactus flower and they typically flower in the Spring, you know, when the rains start.
And so in the past, I'd say 2 or 3 weeks.
It's been really fun to see all my cactus come into bloom.
I have two blooming today.
This is a Gymnocalycium It's kind of like the ones you see grafted on top of, in, like, box stores.
You see them like the red ball grafted on the green one.
Amanda> Is from the greenhouse?
Brandon> This one?
Yeah.
This is from the greenhouse.
And so that's actively flowering.
Amanda> It's a pretty flower.
Brandon> Yeah.
They have really great flowers.
And I have some that... they cover the whole top of flowers and you know so they're really amazing when they come into bloom.
This is an Astrophytum.
Amanda> That's the funniest looking thing I've ever seen.
Brandon> So this is a mutation form.
So it's, it's been selected to look mutated.
Right.
So, but it's an Astrophytum I have these really great flowers, that come up in Spring.
Amanda> Who pollinates them?
Brandon> That's a good question.
I guess, things of the desert, you know, different bees and what not.
I know that prickly pears are blooming in my yard right now, and, the... and they're honeybees, I'm seeing on them and bumblebees.
And so, I guess whatever.
A lot of different pollinators.
So, yeah, they have these great flowers, produce a lot of pollen, and, they seem to be loved by a lot of pollinators.
Amanda> Is it worth sticking your nose in and...getting...?
Brandon> Oh, yeah.
These are soft.
There's no scent really, that I can detect.
Amanda> Okay.
Brandon> Yeah.
No scent that I can detect, but, they're quite nice when they're flowering Amanda> I wonder where these are from.
Brandon> Yeah, that's, that's a good question.
Some of them range.
I mean, they range in all different regions.
There's cactus in Bolivia.
There's cactus in through the southwest and Mexico down in those drier regions.
All right.
Amanda> Those are fun.
Yeah.
<They sure are> Thanks for bringing them in.
Yeah, that was a lot of fun.
Terasa> This is, these are just two.
But, I think you have quite a collection.
Brandon> Yeah, I have a few.
You know, I got into cactus growing when I was really young, you know, like 7 or 8 years.
I was like...(laughing) getting cactus and, and, have quite a collection now.
They're, they're quite fun.
They come in all different, shapes and forms and, colors.
Amanda> Are you can run out of greenhouse space pretty soon?
Brandon> It's, it's getting pretty full already.
So we'll see.
Terasa>When that happens, you just build another greenhouse Brandon> I might have to extend...or some sort.
Yeah.
Amanda> Okay.
Okay Brandon> We'll see.
Amanda> Those are really fun.
Funny looking.
So, how prickly are the cacti?
Brandon> This one has no... Amanda> That's nice.
Brandon> But this one, this one is.
Amanda>That one looks pretty dangerous.
Brandon> Sharp to the touch, but they're not sticking in you like a prickly pear.
Amanda> Oh, God.
They're just- Brandon> Yeah... you're a couple days later, you're itching and Amanda> You're still going to be there.
Brandon> Yeah.
You'll be pulling them out.
A lot of the time, but these are just more will just like, let you know, to stay away.
Amanda> Okay.
All right.
So we can look.
<Yeah.> Thanks a lot.
We enjoyed looking.
Brandon> No problem.
Amanda> Okay, Terasa.
Terasa> Who is up next?
Bob in Columbia shared a problem with his lawn.
He said, I have a large dead patch in my centipede lawn.
What is going on?
Amanda> Okay.
Jackie, you tickle me because when you first you became a law... a turf expert, because you said people would call and say, can I talk to one of those men who knows about turf grass?
And you said, well, how about if I help you?
Jackie> I know Bob did the same thing too.
(All laugh) He wanted to talk to the man.
And I was like, well, I can help you with this.
So the important thing when it comes to defining what's going on with your turf is to really take a look at the time frame.
So, you know, did it die out in the summer beforehand or was it green all the way through and just not greening up this spring?
<Okay.> Because that can help us pinpoint the problems or diseases that are active different times of the year So, there are diseases that are going to be active through the Summer months.
There are diseases that going to, the infection happens in the Fall, and we see the resulting damage in the Spring Amanda> Oh because it's, when it's putting out new growth?
Jackie> Right, right.
So that's, that's the first thing we want to do is get a history from you.
And in this particular instance, they had stop putting new turf grass in, in the summer months.
And we're watering it to get it established.
And what you would think because of the big circular pattern, that it would be a disease, actually, Bob went in and got a bunch of topsoil.
Amanda> Oh my goodness.
Jackie> He dug down about ten inches and removed the natural clay soil and put ten inches of topsoil.
Amanda> Topsoil, whatever, topsoil, whatever.
Jackie> Right.
And that's the thing.
With topsoil, we think of it as always being good, but it can vary greatly.
He did not get the soil tested on that topsoil.
And the pH of top soils can vary greatly.
We went one time to three different large.
You know, you get those ones where you get the bulk topsoil, the bulk compost.
Went to three different ones in the Columbia area, and did it.
Ran a test on them.
And one the pH came back at a 4.7, and another one, the soil pH came back at like a 7.8.
So it can vary greatly.
And that can have an impact on your turf grass.
So whether it was the pH was too high or a pH was too low, those are things that when you think you're getting topsoil that you have to take into account.
Amanda> So, just whatever somebody wants to call it.
Jackie> Yeah, exactly.
And just based on the color of it, you think the color looks good, but there's things that they can do to make it look darker than it really is.
So the best advice to go forward is if you have an issue in your lawn, you know, we can always test for it.
If you want to improve your lawn, put down compost as opposed to just topsoil.
<Okay, okay, okay.> And then in this case.
Amanda> A little compost could go a long way.
Right.
Right.
And in this case, you, you know, we're looking to get the results of the soil sample back so we can see if there's an adjustment needed for the topsoil.
We didn't see any signs of disease.
So this is more where it looked like it was disease.
It was really more cultural things.
<All right.> So, just a point of view that you have to look at everything.
Amanda> Yes.
Thank you so very much.
I appreciate it.
Well, now let's go to Jan Smith and learn about all these fascinating things she's growing.
>> Hi, I'm Carmen Ketron, the urban horticulture agent in Florence and Darlington counties for Clemson Extension.
We're here in Florence, South Carolina.
At Del and Jan Smith's beautiful urban oasis.
Jan, we met at a fabulous plant swap years ago, and you had some of the funkiest plants and just being here today, It was just a small portion.
Wow, do you have some funky plants!
>> Yeah.
I just love collecting the funky stuff.
I mean, because it's not what everybody else has.
And the first time I laid eyes on any of these aloes or cactus, I said, oh, those are cool.
And it just goes from each type of plant.
You know, I just keep trying to get more and more different kinds.
So that's how I got started.
Carmen> So tell me about your aloes.
Janet> Okay.
I have some aloes right here in front of me.
And every one of them is different.
I have a great big one over there.
You'll see that later.
These I bought from a little lady that had a plant stand along the road up in North Carolina.
Carmen> And it just spoke to you?
Janet> And I thought, those are the coolest thing ever.
I had no idea that the blooms were going to be so incredibly beautiful.
Carmen> When do they bloom?
Janet> These bloom in, sometimes in December, but mostly in January.
And there are very large stalks on them with very brightly colored red and yellow flowers.
Carmen> And after they bloom, what happens?
Janet> They just grow more.
And I cut the bloom stalks off, and these do bloom year after year.
Carmen> I love it.
And is that where you get some of the giveaway plants that I see at all the swaps?
Janet> That's correct.
Aloes will reproduce out the bottom.
They get little pops on them.
These have a stem on them, so they go all the way up and down the stem.
And you just most of them don't have roots.
Now, the ones that are on these type of particular plant, those will have roots on them.
These do not.
You have to pick them off the stem and start them in dirt.
Carmen> Nice.
And I've noticed a bunch of spiky cacti.
When did you get into the cacti?
Janet> I just like the way they look.
I mean, they're just awesome.
And when you get them to bloom, it's just amazing.
The flowers are incredible.
They're so gossamer and they're so colorful.
And the collection that I have over on the other side of the house, they bloom all winter long in my garage.
I enjoy them so much because they're so pretty.
Carmen> Now, when I first met you at one of our first plant swaps, I was drawn to your mangave collection.
Tell me about how you got started with your mangaves.
Janet> I guess it's been about.
Well, probably six or seven years now.
A work colleague of mine brought one in, it was a pop off of the one she had, and I said, "Oh, you know what?
"I saw that in the catalog the other day, "and I was going to buy it, but I didn't want to spend the money."
And here it was, you know, no roots on it, because when you break the pops off of mangaves, they don't have any roots.
You stick them in the dirt and just keep them watered.
And so now I've got huge.
That was the huge one.
That was a start.
And I saw, they got more in one day that were completely different.
I said, oh man, those are so cool.
So I had to get those and it just kind of snowballed along the way.
And not all of them get pops either.
I'm finding that out.
There's just one or two, the Pineapple Express, that one gets loaded and the one that's in front of you, there the cherry chocolate chip, that one gets seeds on it and I have some seedlings coming along.
Carmen> Oh that's fascinating.
When are you putting all of these beautiful tropical plants back in the garage for winter?
Janet> The first few frosts, not so much.
I'll cover stuff, but when we're starting to get below, like 20 down into the 25 or so, it's time to start because we, it takes us a week to get everything in the garage and the greenhouses up in the back.
Carmen> As we walk around the yard, there's a lot of stuff that's also in the ground, especially in the raised beds.
You have quite the vegetable and fruit collection.
Tell me about that.
Janet> Well, my husband has grown up with a vegetable garden a half an acre or more every year.
So when we got married 40 years ago, that was one of the first things we did when we bought our house was built this huge garden in the back.
That's pretty much his project.
And then when we moved down here, we sort of got interested in citrus trees, for some reason.
Stan McKenzie came and talked to the master gardeners at one of the meetings, and I brought the Satsuma tree home.
I planted it out there and we didn't get any oranges for the first few years, but ever since then, it has been bearing like crazy.
It has it's years when it doesn't bear, but that's normal for citrus trees.
But the oranges are incredibly good.
Oh, they're just delicious.
And they're sweet and seedless and easy to peel.
Carmen> Oh, see, everything that you would want in a good orange.
I did notice that we have that, very cool greenhouse structure around the trees.
You use that in winter?
Janet> In the winter time, usually about the end of November.
And it's got fruit on it then, which makes it hard.
We put plastic over that, those hoops, and that keeps my, some of my bromeliads that are on the planted around the base of the tree.
They survive there too.
And we have an Angel trumpet in there which is just starting to come back.
But that keeps the tree.
It'll get nipped if it gets real, real, real cold.
But that little in-ground pond that's in there kind of keeps the air moist and it doesn't freeze as easily.
Carmen> And I love your pond.
Tell me a little bit about some of the plants you decided to put in there.
Janet> We weren't going to have a pond when we first moved down here, because we had one up there.
But I came home from work one day and he was out there digging.
(laughs) So I said, well, how big are you going to make it?
He said, well, about 11 foot by 11 foot, so.
<Oh!> So then we went, we got, the water in it and the goldfish.
And then it was time for the plants.
We found a place that is, no, it no longer is there, but I don't even remember the name of it.
But they had Lotus in there, so that was one of the first things.
And then the water lilies came soon after.
And the ones that are around the outside, I just love the carnivorous plants and my husband does too.
So we have about five or six kinds of hardy pictures and Venus Flytrap out there.
Carmen> Now, I will say that one of my favorites is your, porch of succulents.
Now that's fun.
Janet> Those kind of got started because I, I really thought they were cool.
And, I got all these little pots and I thought, you know what?
Nah.
So I put them in the window boxes, and each time I got new ones and they spread like crazy.
So I keep adding more.
And my husband as a boy planted Haworthia because his grandparents owned a greenhouse.
So I've got two or three pots of just the Haworthia, in the different varieties and they spread too.
So that makes more plants for the plant swaps.
<Yeah.> And they're small and people like small windowsill plants.
Carmen> I will say that one of my favorite things looking around your yard is some of the tropical feeling, but not so much native plants.
Like, I love your Oakleaf Hydrangea.
That's fabulous.
Janet> That's one of my favorite plants.
And when it's got full bloom and lots of flowers on it, you could smell it clear out here into the yard.
It's wonderful.
And it gets really, really big.
So almost every year I have to cut it back.
Carmen> And I love all of your palms.
That just gives a fun, like I said before, oasis feel.
Any tricks to your palms?
Janet> Well, when I was up north, I loved to have palm trees in the house.
I was a palm tree nut, every different kind imaginable, but they don't do well in the house.
So when we moved down here, I decided I was going to have as many different kinds that would grow out here.
I started out with the Pindo palms and, Carmen> Classic.
Janet> graduated next to, the Palmetto tree and then the Windmill palm, we had a little problem with because we had some ants that were eating the roots and then the, Needle palm, that was just a scrawny little thing when I planted it.
And they're all, they all just add to it.
Carmen> You have so many.
It's really cool.
Janet> I forgot about the Saw.
Palmettos back in the back.
Carmen> Oh, yeah.
Janet> Now, those came from Florida.
I bought them at a flea market.
(laughs) Carmen> Jan, thank you so much for having us and letting us tour your garden.
For anybody who would want to maybe swap plants with you or tour the garden themselves, how can they get a hold of you?
Janet> They can email me at Smith2261@BellSouth.net , or they can contact this Clemson office and I'll be glad to show them around.
Carmen> Fabulous.
Well, I really appreciate you letting us come here.
Thank you so much.
Janet> You're quite welcome.
I've enjoyed every minute of it.
♪ (closing music) ♪ Amanda> Well, thanks for being with us.
We hope you had a good time.
We'll see you next time.
♪ ♪ ♪ Narrator> Making It Grow is brought to you in part by Certified South Carolina.
This cooperative effort among farmers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture helps consumers identify foods and agricultural products that are grown, harvested or raised right here in the Palmetto State.
McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina, family owned and operated since 1916.
This family farm offers seasonal produce, including over 40 varieties of peaches.
Wesley Commons, a full service continuing care retirement community located on more than 150 wooded acres in Greenwood, South Carolina.
Additional funding provided by the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance and Boone Hall Farms.
♪
Support for PBS provided by:
Making It Grow is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Funding for "Making it Grow" is provided by: The South Carolina Department of Agriculture, The Boyd Foundation, McLeod Farms, The South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance, and Boone Hall Farms.















