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

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

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.

Family owned and operated since 1916.

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

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

♪ opening music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <Amanda> Well, Good evening and welcome to Making a Grow.

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

I'm Amanda McNulty a Clemson horticulture agent, and um, you know, Terasa, we're supposed to stay current with things that happen.

This is how I get to stay current.

How bout you?

<Terasa> Oh, yes, I look forward to trying to learn at least one new thing every day, and I feel like maybe I get more than one new thing each time we come to Making It Grow.

<Amanda> Of course, Terasa Lott is my co host.

Thank you so much for all you do us Terasa and also in charge of the Master Gardener program statewide, and they do so many things to help people.

<Terasa> They really do.

They are truly an extension of Extension, helping us to reach more people doing everything from being at community events, farmers markets, hosting some.

Some of them will have #*symposia, where they bring in speakers for a day, helping Extension offices.

So we really appreciate their valued service to Extension.

<Amanda>...Cory Tanner, you're the head of the hort team, and I think most of the hort agents have a master gardener program every year every other year, don't they?

<Cory> A good number of us.

Yes, we're a pretty good size team and they have different responsibilities on the team, but yes, you know, certainly our urban centers in the state are very active in the master gardeners and in some of our more rural counties also offer it so just check with your local Extension office if you're interested in becoming a master gardener <Amanda>...and you never have to put on stockings or high heels.

Regardless of, well, you wouldn't do that anyway.

A lot of times, people join garden clubs and things, Terasa.

They have to get dressed.

I don't think the rest of the gardeners, could do that.

<Terasa> No, I think when the Extension first started, you would often see pictures of the county agent in a suit out on a farm property which might seem strange to us.

but yeah.

<Amanda> Things have changed.

<Cory> There's also black and white pictures.

<Amanda> That's right.

<Christopher> You'll see the sweat.

<Amanda> Christopher you're the hort agent down in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester, and I really appreciate your coming on, and coming up from the coast.

How are things down there?

Y'all been having?

A pretty decent summer?

<Christopher> Yeah, well, obviously, it's been warm.

Which is not to be the you know, surprising, but no, it's been very good.

Thankfully, a lot of that rain in the early summer has made I think gardening a little bit easier, at least.

<Amanda> Yeah, and um, of course, you rely on master gardeners.

I know because you've got three counties and I think they like to be active and helpful.

<Christopher> They do, and I think that's actually the key with having a good consistent group of master gardeners is having plenty for them to be active in, of course, being you know, some very large counties.

We have plenty of things for them to do.

<Amanda> Yeah and if you don't want to be outside in the summer, sometimes there's some indoor things you can do.

<Christopher> Oh, there's plenty of indoor stuff.

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, Terasa, I think little later in the show, we're going to show something from Kalmia Gardens, which is going to be really fun, and Jackie McCauley from Jarrett's Jungle.

She does fun things, doesn't she?

Then we're going to have Rowland Alston because this is the 30th anniversary of Making It Grow.

30 years is going to go and visit in 1997 with a man who grows poppies.

So that'd be fun.

Yeah.

What Terasa I have something else that we'd like to start off with because it is great fun and it kind of lifts our hearts is Garden of The Week.

<Terasa> Yes, Amanda, you know, I can't remember whose idea it was to implement Gardens of the Week, but it has become so much fun.

I look forward to seeing all of your pictures where you show us what you're growing in your yard, your garden, perhaps an indoor plant or maybe you've captured a beautiful place in South Carolina.

There sure are a lot of them.

Today we begin with Theresa Goewey, who was so excited to share her yellow Plumeria flowers.

She reported she's been waiting 10 years for that plant to flower.

So what an exercise in patience and it's too bad we can't share the fragrance over the television.

from Andy Melanson, a three year old bed that he reports is filling out nicely, and that's important to remember that sometimes things do look a little bare when we first plant them but we need to give them time to mature.

From Libby Breitenbaugh a Ruby-throated Hummingbird visiting a Firecracker plant.

Robin Kinsella shared a lovely garden spot with prominently displayed Black Eyed Susans, and we finish up with Sampson Pound.

Sampson is the 12 year old grandson of a viewer Sandra, and it seems he has quite the eye for beauty as seen in this photo of a Tiger Lily.

Sampson, keep up the wonderful work admiring the beauty all around you in the natural world.

I look forward to seeing more of your photos and other viewers as well.

<Amanda> Well, those were fun.

Well, thank you, Terasa, and you usually bring some questions for our guests.

So shall we see if they brought their thinking caps, as well?

<Terasa> Oh, yes.

Let's put them to the test.

I don't think this one's too hard.

Delores in Piedmont says <Amanda> Oh my goodness.

Well, it's nice when things do root in water, but I don't know that that is often the best way to do it.

Oh, Cory.

I guess it looks like you've got an answer for us.

<Cory> Yeah, it - <Amanda> Yeah.

Okay, great.

<Cory> So yeah, Thanksgiving cactus cacti Christmas cactus, Easter cactus.

There's a bunch of them that are related, but different bloom times as you might guess from the names, but they're actually very easy to root from cuttings.

<Amanda> Are they?

>> So they're one of these great pass along plants.

A lot of people get them from family members, but here's some that I've rooted, Thanksgiving Cactus.

Probably about a month ago, I stuck these in some - <Amanda> Gosh, it looks like I'm seeing some new blooms.

<Cory> Yeah, just some regular potting soil.

We definitely do have some new leaves emerging here.

So that indicates that it was successfully rooted?

<Amanda> Did you have to use a hormone on them?

<Cory> I did not use any hormones.

So...the way to propagate these is each one of these leaves we call, a lot of people call them leaves, but this is actually a stem that's known as a phylloclade which means leaf stem, and so each one of these is a little section of stem and you can break those off at the joints at the nodes.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Cory>...and then they will form roots there.

So you can actually root a single one of these.

I usually do two or three, and the one I do with a lot of cactus and succulents, you actually break those off and let them sit for a day or two, to let it callus over.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Cory> So that cut kind of dries out and then you can insert it into soil.

Probably wouldn't do water on a cactus.

They will tend to rot.

<Amanda> Cactus and water don't sound like they go together all that well.

<Cory> A well draining potting mix or sand even, They'll root very quickly during warm weather.

<Amanda> It looks like you've got some gravel on the top though.

<Cory> I do.

I don't know how well you can see this.

This is a material it's called PermaTill.

You used to could buy this as VoleBloc.

It was a brand name for it.

It's just gravel that has really rough edges.

It's hard to find this particular brand anymore, but any broken gravel that has rough edges, like pea gravel, I like to use to keep critters from digging in my pots.

So I live in the upstate where we have chipmunks and squirrels, and they really irritate me digging in my potted plants, and so I like to use a rough edged gravel to prevent them because they have tinder paws.

They don't like to dig in the gravel.

So I like to use that to discourage the varmints.

<Amanda> Okay.

Do you - Now my main varmint is an armadillo.

Do you have those yet?

<Cory> They're getting close.

Right.

Some in Easley.

They're definitely around Anderson and up towards Clemson.

So there'll be.

<Amanda> They're on their way.

>> Yeah, I don't think this would have any effect on armadillos, unfortunately.

<Amanda> They're very peculiar.

Well, that was that was fun.

You know, Terasa, I'm always looking for Christmas cactuses, and apparently they're real hard to find.

Maybe one day, you know, we'll find one and Cory can propagate them for us.

<Terasa> That sounds good, and I love his advice about you know, sometimes they're like pass along plants, and so I have one that's very near and dear to me that I gave to my grandparents a number of years ago and I have propagated from it as well.

So if I lose the main plant, I still have pieces of it.

<Amanda> It is nice to have those connections with family.

They become more and more important.

Don't they?

All righty.

Well, ...whom else can we help?

<Terasa> This is a somewhat similar question, but moving down the state, we're going to try to help Hank in John's Island who said, <Amanda> Hmm, gosh, orchids are so beautiful and the bloom lasts a long time, and they're - and they're often relatively expensive.

I'd hate to throw it away.

Christopher, do you have any idea?

<Christopher> Yes, I do.

So orchids are a fascinating group.

So one thing right off the bat, when you say the term orchid, It's kind of like just saying the term dog.

There's a lot of different types.

So, we have to be a little bit more specific so - <Amanda> I had the best dog.

<Christopher> Of course, but what I have here is a Phalaenopsis.

Phalaenopsis is also known as the moth orchid.

Moth orchids are of course, a very popular group.

They bloom for probably the longest, almost the longest, and the big thing is, is they're really good for low light areas.

Hence the reason why we use them indoors, but the big thing with most orchids is they're actually what's known as epiphytic and so they are actually air plants, and so I am going to re-pot this one, but one of the first things you have to do is, is get rid of all the old material, and one thing I want to point out is if you notice there's not much soil like there is root.

Exactly, but there is a lot of bark in so because these plants don't grow in soil, you don't want to re-pot it in soil, and so the first thing you would do when near the bloom is done, and you can see <Amanda> This one came from the, when you got it it was in a pot.

<Christopher> Correct.

<Amanda> Apparently, it was kind of root bound.

So you've taken it out.

<Christopher> Exactly, because one of the things I'm going to do now is I'm going to cut off.

<Amanda> Put it on the desk so people can see it.

<Christopher> So what I'm actually going to do is, you can see inside here, there's a lot of kind of brown shriveled roots in there.

and so the first thing you would want to do is you cut off the flower stalk.

Once it's done, just cut it off, don't- right at the base, and then after a while, you are going to fertilize it probably about monthly with a specialized orchid fertilizer, because orchids do not like the same types of fertilizers that other plants do.

They're a little bit more specific.

So you're going to - <Amanda> They don't grow in the soil.

<Christopher> Exactly, so they don't need- water soluble, and you don't want to overdo it.

Make sure you flush it out, if you fertilize it.

That's why you only do it monthly, and then of course after it's been in the pot a while you do need to re-pot it and you want to clip off all the old dead roots, and so you want to pull it out, and you can see a lot of these older roots start to turn brown.

You cut those off to open it up kind of like you would with a with a rose or something.

You want to get rid of old branches to open it up because airflow is just as important for the top as it is for the bottom.

<Amanda> Whoa!

>> Hence, the reason why we're putting it in bark basically, is because those roots need to have air to breathe, because too much if it gets too clogged in there, too wet, it will start to rot, and unfortunately, it's the quickest way to kill an orchid.

<Amanda> All right.

So give me, show me how you would, how far back you would go to cut it.

<Christopher> So when you go in - <Amanda> Because everybody's shy about cutting roots.

<Christopher> So these you don't want to necessarily be shy on.

A lot, you can actually see a lot of these new roots coming out.

Some of these are starting to die off, but you would want to basically get as close to the base as possible, and so I'm almost you can see I'm taking off the entire root there.

So I'm going to the base.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Christopher> You don't want to necessarily cut into the crown, but you're cutting off.

<Amanda> Okay, <Christopher> - those roots as close as possible.

So that way and you can see they do like to latch on, but you can take off quite a lot.

<Amanda> So be - don't be shy.

<Christopher> Don't be shy.

Again.

the more you do, the more it's going to again, like <Amanda> and then you're going to put it in bark.

<Christopher> Correct.

So obviously this container is probably not ideal.

You'd want to use plastic or even clay, but this is the pot that I prefer because it, of course looks nice.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Christopher> So what I'm going to do is as I put it back in, I'm going to slowly put bark around it, and that will help me of course straighten it back up.

Yeah, but also refresh it and of course I'm going to cut off more of the roots before I do so, but once you get it in, you want to water it well don't over water it of course, once you water it, let it dry out, but once you get it in, water it well and kind of let it refresh it.

<Amanda> Alright, well that was a lot of fun.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hope you get a beautiful bloom.

Wonder how long you'll wait for a bloom.

<Christopher> Usually they bloom really about once a year but that bloom last for several days.

<Amanda> They do.

Yeah, they really do.

That's one of the joys of having them.

Well, that's fun.

Okay.

Kalmia Gardens in Hartsville is just a very special place, I do love to go there, and we went and had an unusual trip, not staying on the top of the bluff, but actually going down towards the Black Creek ♪ ♪ <Amanda> I'm in Hartsville, South Carolina, speaking with Dan Hill, and you are the Director of Kalmia Gardens.

<Dan> I am indeed!

I'm glad you're here.

<Amanda> And this area, which is a wonderful place to come to, you have the Hart House, which is from the 1730s, and a beautiful upland area here that's just planted with all kinds of things.

And how did Kalmia Gardens come into existence?

<Dan> Well, Kalmia Gardens has been through many families, and it ended up finally with the Hart family and the Coker family, and Miss May actually started the gardens, and she started it in the Great Depression, and people called it "Miss May's Folly."

This area had gone into disrepair and had become a dump site.

And people referred to it as Miss May's Folly, because this lady was going to build a garden on a dump site.

<Amanda> But she did, and I know I get your newsletters and it tells me what's in bloom, or has beautiful color, all the things to look for when you come.

And, of course, you're open every day of the year, and it's free.

<Dan> We are!

She wanted it to be an open garden, an open green space for people to come, explore and learn about nature, and that's exactly what we do.

<Amanda> And, of course, right when you get here, you see this incredible beech tree, and then you've got a sycamore that just knocks your socks off, but if you walk back from the house, you come to a place that is just so incredibly special, and it's got a wonderful way, way, way, way, way back history to it.

So tell me what we're looking at as we stand here on this observation deck.

<Dan> We're looking at ancient geology, basically.

In the Pee Dee region, where we are, we're pretty much flat as a pancake.

There's not much topography, not much change in elevation, but here, we have topography, we have change in elevation, we have the 60 foot bluff that drops down to Black Creek, and that bluff enables our namesake Kalmia latifolia, mountain laurel to grow.

It's a north facing bluff, the temperature's just right.

So it enables this plant to have a special area where it can grow and flourish.

<Amanda> Well, and we have Kalmia latifolia all over the state.

I mean, it's called mountain laurel, but we have it at Fort Jackson, on deep sands.

I mean, it's stunning, the adaptability of this plant, but you said that the ones here have a very special history.

They're not like the ones in the rest of the state necessarily.

<Dan> These are an old group of mountain laurel.

So when you travel to the far end of the gardens, basically you've become a botanical time traveler.

You're traveling back in time, thousands of years back in time on how southeastern forests used to look.

Basically, when the glaciers came down, they stopped at Pennsylvania, that big climatic change forced northern species southward.

thousands of years elapse, glaciers retreat, northern species retreat, back to where they came, except for ones that had a special niche, a special spot, and this is that spot.

So we have Mountain laurel, we have Galax and we have witch hazel at the far end of the garden, and all those are what you would expect to find in the mountains.

<Amanda> They're what you call glacial remnants.

<Dan> Glacial remnants.

Absolutely.

<Amanda> It's just stunning, isn't it?

<Dan> You can be a botanical time traveler here at Kalmia Gardens.

<Amanda> And so we have, as you look out, I see incredible white oaks, you said there's almost a line of them as you start this journey down towards the creek.

<Dan> On the edge of our bluff that drops down to the Black Creek floodplain, if you were to look straight down on the garden, you would almost see a straight line of white oaks, and I think that's fascinating because in nature, you know, nature doesn't like straight lines, really.

So to see that is really, really interesting.

<Amanda> What other plants are interesting that we are going to encounter as we make our way down?

<Dan> Well, we have multiple habitats here because we have different elevations and we, who are in the upper surface, are really a winter garden.

We have lots of camellias blooming and it's just absolutely gorgeous in the winter, lots of flowers on the upper surface, which is more of a formal garden, and then as you go down the bluff, you start entering a beach habitat.

We have lots of magnolias, couple of different species of magnolias, mountain laurel, of course, horse sugar, so it's really a diverse habitat that is supports a lot of our neotropical migrants, a lot of our bird population.

So you can hear today, just a plethora of birds species singing.

<Amanda> And y'all have put in a way to make it accessible for people who can do stairs to get all the way down to the bottom.

<Dan> Right.

Dr. George Sawyer, the garden's first director, put in a set of stairs going down the 60 foot bluff, so it's a lot easier than traversing just raw dirt, you know.

And he did that with the help of AmeriCorps volunteers.

<Amanda> That's a pretty nice story.

And then Black Creek itself is, is kind of a beautiful body of water.

<Dan> I love black water ecosystems.

I'm from the southeast, I've done a lot of traveling, and when I travel, I really miss that black water ecosystem that's unique to home, to the southeast where we are.

<Amanda> And what gives the water that color?

<Dan> That's a really neat story.

It's the needles off the conifers.

It's the tannins that are in the bald cypress, the pond cypress and some of the pond pines.

When they fall into the water and decompose, it releases the tannins, and that tans the water.

The same thing happens with tea.

That's why tea is the color that it is.

<Amanda> And if I, when you get to the bottom, if you want to, that provides the only access to a very important area, a heritage preserve.

<Dan> Exactly.

We are the gateway to the Segars-McKinnon Heritage Preserve, and both properties together are as large as Central Park in New York.

<Amanda> Gosh!

<Dan> It's a giant green space.

<Amanda> Yes, it is.

And I think there, there are even some other plants that are of interest to those who are botanical seekers.

<Dan> There are some really unique plants over on the heritage preserve, and one of my favorites is Atlantic white cedar.

There's a nice stand of Atlantic white cedar left over there.

<Amanda> And that's an unusual member of that family because it likes sandy, kind of damp soils.

<Dan> It does, it does have a unique habitat that you typically find it in.

<Amanda> Yeah.

So I just think it's a wonderful time to come and see all the things.

There's always something in bloom, but the mountain laurel, I was particularly interested in talking about.

The flower itself is just fascinating.

It's a little fused petal.

<Dan> They are gorgeous, and the stamens are tucked in.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Dan> And I love it because it's like a spring loaded trap for pollinators, so to speak.

When they land on it, the stamen will fling out and tap them on the back to ensure that the insect gets pollination on it.

<Amanda> And when I was little, we would, we had some property in the country on deep sands and there was mountain laurels that grew there as well, and um, because it is a very diverse plant to find around the state, and when we held it upside down, it kind of looked like ballet dancers.

<Dan> Oh, absolutely.

Yeah, I love to see it on Black Creek to remind me of something out of a painting, you know, just the white on the dark.

What a beautiful contrast.

<Amanda> And then here, I think y'all brought in some hybrids and kind of specialized cultivars, so that when people are in the flat area, they can see some of the different colors that have been produced.

It can be very varied.

<Dan> It can be, yep, in our upper surface and in our parking lot, there are some really unique ones with some really pretty splashes of red and some deep colors in 'em.

<Amanda> People always try and improve on the natives but um, I just think the regular mountain laurel we're going to see here is one of the loveliest features of South Carolina, and a larger area, as these are, because, as you said, they came down ahead of the glaciers.

What a wonderful story.

Thank you so much!

<Dan> I love it.

Thank you for being here!

♪ ♪ <Amanda> Dan Hill is a wonderful person to take a walk with over there, regardless of how, what elevation you're going to be.

We had a grand time with him and appreciate his spending that time with us.

Yeah.

Well, I was looking for something for a hat and I went out in the back and Terasa, I planted some elderberry, and it really takes off.

It's gotten very, very, very, very large, and so here's some of the fruits, which I thought were kind of fun, and then of course that's a native and so to go with the native, I had some Oak Leaf hydrangea and you know, even after they finish blooming, you have such a long period, don't you think of their being attractive?

<Terasa> Yes.

Yes, that will last quite a long time, and you can some people even will bring in kind of that dried flower head and use it in an indoor arrangement.

<Amanda> Yeah, I think they're attractive, and I didn't bring the leaves but they do have kind of an oak shape, and um, and then the bark in the winter is exfoliating.

I just think it's got- what do you say, all seasonal, multi- seasonal interest.

Is that the correct term?

<Terasa> Yeah.

>> I think it is.

Well, have you got another question we can help someone with?

<Terasa> I think we do.

We are going to try to help Chris in Rock Hill who has seen an unusual onion, he says, (Amanda laughs) <Amanda> Well, obviously people walk away from you if you eat too many onions on your hamburger.

Cory have you got something?

<Cory> Oh, I happen to have some I like to experiment with unusual vegetables, and so this is the top of the, what's commonly known as the Egyptian walking nymph.

<Amanda> Hold it real still and we'll get a good picture of it.

<Cory> So these are onions, you could, they're kind of like scallions or multiplying onions that people might be familiar with.

They're multiplying onion in the...landscape, and these are getting a little bit older.

Of course, most onions are cool season plants.

So they grow through in our region, they grow through the winter, and then produce their bulbs in the spring and early summer, and so they're really kind of going dormant now, but what you're looking at here are the tops of the onions, which you would normally -<Amanda> You think of an onion as being on the bottom.

<Cory> Right.

So you normally think of this as being the flower, and so the flower actually develops into these little bulblets, and so each one of these- I put the wrong one down.

Each one of these little bulbs would produce another onion, onion plant.

<Amanda> -but it's up in the air.

<Cory>-but it's up in the air.

So what happens is the walking onion gets tall, and then it gets heavy, and it falls over.

When it falls over that cluster roots downs, <Amanda> That's funny.

<Cory> a few feet over, and so it's like the onions are walking in the garden.

<Amanda> That's a hoot.

<Cory> They're quite prolific.

I've had these for at least 10 years, and every year I have to go in and dig out and remove a large section of them.

It's more than I want, and we use them like green onion or scallions during the cooler months and the tops are a little bit strong in flavor, but you can cook with the tops themselves, but usually I just let these produce the next season's crop.

<Amanda> Okay, so there is an onion at the bottom as well.

<Cory> Yes.

and so there's a normal cluster of onion bulbs at the base that can be dug and eaten as onions or scallions or whatever.

<Amanda> Well, that's kind of fun.

Yeah.

<Cory> I brought another one too.

That's kind of similar.

It doesn't do the neat Medusa head like the Egyptian walking onion does...but this is one that's called commonly known as a potato onion, and so most people think of like a Vidalia onion.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Cory> But there's lots of other onions that we can grow here that aren't necessarily like that.

So these are known as potato onions, and they're really like shallots, in flavor and use.

So they're a smaller onion, but you plant an individual bulb in the fall.

<Amanda> Oh, so you start with one.

<Cory> Start with one.

Plant in the fall, it grows through the winter, and then it multiplies into a bunch of little onions kind of like a little bunch of potatoes or almost like a nest sitting right on top of the ground.

So that's a fun one as well.

Both of them are pretty easy to grow don't require a lot of care and can be used.

<Amanda> So the ones that you get at the end of the summer, you're going to save a couple of those.

You have to do anything special when you're saving them?

<Cory> Just keep them in a cool dry place.

>> Okay, <Cory> So doesn't have to be refrigerated or anything.

It just mostly needs to be dry.

So, a storage building, garage, something like that just because you really only need to store them- These, you know, harvested in June or July.

You really only need to start to store them until about September, October and then they can be replanted.

<Amanda> Okay, well that's really fun.

Do you and your daughter Emma enjoy finding these strange things in the garden?

<Cory> Oh, absolutely.

It's always fun to play with different crops.

<Amanda> Well I appreciate you bringing in and peaking our curiosity too.

That's a lot of fun.

Well, Terasa is there's someone else we can try to help?

<Terasa> Yes, we're going to move to Lexington and try to help Jessica who has a question about deadheading plants.

That's a really interesting question.

Lots of people like sort of a neat landscape.

So I'll be interested to hear what the panel says.

but sometimes It's I think It's going to depend on kind of your motivation for gardening.

So like I like to see birds enjoying seeds from the things that I'm growing and so I need to leave that flower on to produce the seeds.

So yeah, I'm interested to hear what others have to say.

<Amanda> Well, Christopher, y'all have a new addition to your family.

So you may be trying to simplify your landscaping.

What would be your answer?

<Christopher> So I absolutely agree with Terasa.

It depends.

So it really depends not only on the plant, but it depends on what your preference is for the plants themselves.

So I like cheetahs.

I like to have lots of wildlife, lots of pollinators, but lots of birds as well, and so I try to do a combination of things.

So I'm going to have the flowers that require deadheading.

You know, things like your salvias, things like your roses, and then I'm going to have things that don't require deadheading things like your Echinacea, your Rudbeckias.

Your native plants that are going to be that food source, those are going to bloom for long periods of time have a long interest, and then of course, the other plants that are going to have much shorter blooms that will of course, rebloom, and that's kind of the main focus, and so we cut the flowers because that signals the plant to then put out new growth or new blooms, and so when I go out and I deadhead, that's what's going to happen, I'm going to get a new set of blooms.

<Amanda> You do roses, so that's.. <Christopher> Yeah, so they're kind of the prime example, but there's a lot of other things that you can do with that, but I kind of do a little bit of both.

So it really does depend on the plant and the actual purpose of the bed.

<Amanda> Okay, and then, Cory, you know, we're trying, we think of pollinators and over wintering sites for insects and all and some of the stems of certain plants that are hollow, I guess when they after the plant finishes its work for the season.

Aren't there some wasp or little bees or things that sometimes use those plants?

<Cory> Oh, absolutely.

There's a lot of habitat left in those stems, even from, you know, your normal flowers - think out like black eyed Susans and salvias and that sort of thing, but also, I think about roadside plants, like golden rods are really, there's a ton of species that over winter in Goldenrod stems.

<Amanda> Are there?

>> Yeah, there's- It's always a good idea that we've those stems up if you can, and, you know, leave them as long as you can.

You usually want to cut them down before new growth begins in the spring, but even then, those insects could still be in there.

So instead of putting those stems down by the side of the road, or burning them or something, just, I usually just pile them up in a kind of got a out of the way place in the back of the garden that I can just kind of pile them up and leave them and then anything that over wintered in there can escape.

<Amanda> Okay.

Terasa, I was reading an article in the Post and Courier from a while back about somebody who really wanted to have a lot of native plants and the homeowners association fussed at him or something, and what some people are doing is they're have, they'll mow and they'll have a grass like area in the front, that they keep mowed, and so that way you can kind of I'm sending a signal, I'm not ignoring my yard.

It doesn't look this way, because I'm lazy and you know, watching TV all the time.

So I thought that was kind of a cool way of kind of sending a message.

You know, there's a reason for this, and I still have a wonderful lawn mower and a pretty little piece of grass out front.

Anyway, I think that was kind of fun.

As I said earlier, our friend Jackie Macaulay came to be with us and she has lots of talents and let's see another one of the things that she can do as we visit with her now.

♪ <Amanda> I'm happy today that my friend Jackie Macaulay from Jarrett's Jungle has come down to see us.

Jackie, thanks for coming in.

For years, I've come to you because you, Jarrett's Jungle kind of talks about the kinds of plants that you specialize in.

<Jackie> Yes, jungle plants from tropical regions, and they're all very good house plants, with few exceptions.

<Amanda> Okay, and so one of the things I've enjoyed over the years is you can make things that will last a long time and so if I'm going to do something on a Monday, and then on a Friday and have people over, I can have a centerpiece that I don't have to redo.

<Jackie> That's correct.

All you have to do is water it.

<Amanda> Okay, well, I can do that.

<Jackie> Usually, we recommend watering every, maybe three to four days, check 'em but once you get used to it, it'll be weekly.

<Amanda> Well, let's start on this is something that you frequently do.

So explain to people the dynamics that we'll start with.

<Jackie> Okay, this is a European basket, the basket is just made of willow, and it's got a plastic liner in it, and I have filled it up with some newspaper.

and so the next thing that we're going to do, I've chosen some plant material.

<Amanda> All right.

<Jackie> And the next thing I'm going to start is putting them in there.

I usually like to have something that complements the handle.

<Amanda> Tell us what each one is.

<Jackie> This is a peace lily.

This is the dwarf peace lily, though.

It's called Wallisii.

And Wallisii is a dwarf, and then this is a calla lily, the purple one that I'm putting in right now, and then I like really bright colors.

Some people do not, but I happen to.

This is a Gerber daisy.

Now that'll go in your garden later along with the calla lily.

This is a rose begonia, beautiful plant.

<Amanda> Ooh, that's a pretty color too.

<Jackie> It's a really great one for in the house if you don't tend to over water.

And then this is a Kalanchoe.

<Amanda> So these bloomers are going to bloom for a month, probably.

<Jackie> Yes, at least a month.

If you keep it watered, you'll probably get a lot longer than the month out of them.

I've done them in my house before and had them last couple months.

But, you know, the good thing is with them being in a pot like this, all you have to do is swap it out.

You know, if you have one plant that goes out of bloom, or some didn't like your house, which that happens sometimes, then you can switch it out with something that you do, you know.

<Amanda> So it's not that different from doing, it's like a container in the yard because you have something a little taller, and then you're going to have some things that tend to spill over as well.

<Jackie> Exactly, you've got your spillers, thrillers and whatever it is.

So that's, that's it.

<Amanda> And this is the darlingest little thing.

<Jackie> This is a little mini Phalaenopsis.

This was a Kalanchoe, I think I forgot to mention, but the little teacup orchids are great.

They will last like six to eight weeks in bloom, even if they're fully open when you buy them, so don't let that discourage you because it will definitely be there when you need it.

So this is a little Wandering Jew, These things will grow like crazy anytime that you have some, you can stick it in a vase.

<Amanda> This little orchid, I could put that in my toothbrush cup and have it in the bathroom.

That would be a lot of fun.

<Jackie> What I like to do is put them on the end table underneath a lamp.

And, you know, I have a tea cup and just sit it in the tea cup and put a little moss around it and then my lamp kind of keeps the light going so I don't have to keep it near the window.

And if you're going to use an orchid in lower light, you probably should pick one that's all the way open.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Jackie> Because if it has a lot of small buds, they probably won't open but if it's fully open, you're good to go for a couple months.

<Amanda> Isn't that something!

<Jackie> It doesn't even need a whole lot of light.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Jackie> This is African Violet.

African Violets are one of the things that I love.

I think I got it from my mom.

She always had them in her windowsill.

And so, I kind of came up, you know, started that and, you know, she died in '83 and I really couldn't grow violets before then.

She always had grown them, and then all of a sudden when she died, I was able to grow violets so she passed it on.

<Amanda> What are some of the secrets about African violets?

<Jackie> Violets like a sunny window.

So, you know, if you're growing them in the house, you need an east or southern window and you need to have them right in the window, not three feet away.

<Amanda> Oh, so they like some sunlight.

<Jackie> And they also will grow under fluorescent lights or artificial lights and particularly like the fluorescent and so she had a set-up in one of our bedrooms where she just had the lights on chains so she could lower them down and on a dresser she had her violets.

<Amanda> Cool.

<Jackie> So she didn't even have hers in a window but I grew mine in a southern window and sometimes in the wintertime, I'll have to move them a little bit.

<Amanda> How do you decide when to water because you don't want to over water.

<Jackie> Right, well, instead of just sticking your finger in, Sometimes that will work, I like to look at the soil color.

It'll be a lot lighter colored when it's dry, and when it's dark, it'll be wet.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Jackie> And then I'll also go by the weight.

So if the pot is very light, like this one needs water, and you can see the soil is real pale colored, and it needs water.

<Amanda> It is pale.

<Jackie> And so, that's how I kind of go by it.

<Amanda> All right, now, but you don't disassemble the whole thing, you've got a good - <Jackie> I don't.

I get a spouted watering can, one that has a long spout on it, just a small one.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Jackie> And then I just go to each plant and I'll move the moss back and I'll pour some on each plant.

<Amanda> Okay, so now you want to tuck in some Spanish moss?

<Jackie> Yeah, I'm just taking some locally grown Spanish moss.

And I'm just going to kind of hide the pots so that it looks like it's planted.

<Amanda> I've told people, people tell me they put it in the microwave and they do this and that, but if you put it in the freezer, you know, overnight, there are no insects that are gonna make it through being overnight in a freezer, and that's not gonna hurt the moss.

<Jackie> Yeah, I appreciate that because we've been spraying it.

You know, when we see chiggers, you can always see them when they come in.

<Amanda> But I just think that's a much better way to do it.

and then you can take the moss and keep it fresh outside in a tree.

You might have to, when it's hot and dry, you might want to water it.

<Jackie> Yeah, yeah, I've planted some around.

<Amanda> It's finicky sometimes about where it likes to live.

<Jackie> Yeah, to get it started, it kind of needs the right situation, doesn't it?

Just like we do.

I'm always comparing plants to people, because I think they're very similar in a lot of ways.

<Amanda> You can't just ignore them.

<Jackie> No, you can't ignore them and you have to take care of them.

<Amanda> You have to give them their basic needs.

<Jackie> And they're not going to be very - <Amanda> Let's move all this aside so people can see just how pretty this is.

<Jackie> All right.

So this centerpiece should stay together just like this and last you for six to eight weeks, and if something goes out, like probably the Gerber daisy will be the first thing to go out of bloom, you can take that and plant it in your yard, and then just get another plant to sit in there or move your other ones around.

<Amanda> Yeah, move them around, probably.

<Jackie> Yeah, but it's usually on a weekly schedule, but when you first get it, I would check it every three or four days just to make sure that you're not drying out quicker.

<Amanda> Oh, okay, because conditions vary from home to home.

<Jackie> Right, and if it's in the dark, it might not dry out fast.

<Amanda> Okay.

I just think this is perfectly lovely, but some people maybe want a slightly more formal container.

So let's do one of those.

<Jackie> Okay, let's do one of those next.

Just move this over here.

<Amanda> There's an attractive one.

<Jackie> Okay, and if you hand me the light orchid.

<Amanda> Okay, and again, you've just built this up a little bit with some newspaper.

<Jackie> Right.

<Amanda>...this doesn't have a hole in the bottom.

<Jackie> Yeah, it has a plug so you can plant in it, if you want, but just leave the plug in.

<Amanda> Okay, and I'll hold that for you while you get - <Jackie> And then, you're gonna pass me - <Amanda> Oops.

There we go.

(plants rustling) <Jackie> The maidenhair fern.

This is a little mini Phalaenopsis too, so it's a mini orchid.

The maidenhair fern, they can be kind of fuzzy inside, but they look so pretty with the orchids that I like to give them a chance.

They may not last for you very long, but that's okay.

<Amanda> That's one we can switch out.

<Jackie> Okay, yeah, you can switch it out.

For company, it's just very special to have something like that.

Oh, this was a cyclamen.

Cyclamen lasts till about the end of May, and then it's a bulb, so you'll have to change it out, but usually the foliage stays well into June so you should be fine.

<Amanda> Foliage is pretty too.

<Jackie> Oh, I think I had him in the back.

<Amanda> Whoops.

<Jackie> It's... you need a few hands, you know, because it falls where it wants to go.

<Amanda> Because we're really stuffing them in and they're holding each other up once we get finished?

<Jackie> Yeah.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Jackie>...and one thing that I like to, you know, have something that kind of spills out the side and something that kind of gives it texture.

<Amanda> A lot of different textures here.

<Jackie> Texture always helps, because - <Amanda> Look at the two, I mean, two things that are green.

<Jackie> Phalaenopsis there.

And then I had this guy over here.

<Amanda> Another spiller.

<Jackie> Oh, I've got to make room for him.

Boy, he's long.

<Jackie> It's gonna be hard to get in there.

<Amanda> I can help you shove.

<Jackie> The pots do bend, so it's really okay.

(laughter) But you can also take them out and put them in a plastic bag, and plastic bags aren't bad or Saran wrap, because if it's something that you're putting together for the holidays, for instance, then you'll just take that apart and you can still water them in the plastic bag just like you do.

You just use a rubber band to hold it on or tape, and then you come with your watering cans, spouted watering can, and give them a drink and they don't dry out near as fast in the plastic bags either.

<Amanda> Okay, well, I just think that is perfectly lovely.

<Jackie> Kind of crooked, but there, is that's better?

<Amanda> Yeah, standing up straight.

<Jackie> And you don't have to have something this wild and crazy down there, but I think it's really good to have something coming over the side, something going up and something to kind of cover the mouth of your vase.

<Amanda> And when you're looking across the table, if you want to see what, if you can see, then you just put your elbow on the table and see what's... And I can see well, because even though this is a little bit taller, it's not wide.

<Jackie> Right.

<Amanda> So, I can happily see my dinner companion across the table.

<Jackie> Yeah, and if you use a bowl, you know, it'd be lower.

<Amanda> Yeah, okay.

Jackie, thanks so much for coming.

<Jackie> Oh, I enjoyed it.

<Amanda> Jarrett's Jungle is out there on Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia.

<Jackie> It sure is.

Thanks a lot.

♪ <Amanda> I want to thank Jackie for coming down and spending the day with us and making segments several segments for us that we hope you're going to enjoy.

Well, Terasa whom else can we help?

<Terasa> Well, we have a question from Robert who has a plum tree that is not producing fruit like he wishes.

He said he has three plum trees.

Two produce prolifically, but one does not.

It produces only on one branch and it's the same branch every year.

He says he treats all of them the same and wants to know is there something he can do to force that tree to produce more fruit?

(Amanda laughs) <Amanda> Oh my goodness gracious.

We'll Cory you know how to propagate maybe you should just propagate that one branch... <Cory> I was going to say, maybe there's...a lot of factors that potentially at play here.

It's so, we need to know a little bit more.

Knowing the variety would help certainly to help maybe understand if there's a pollination issue.

It's not blooming at the right time or not.

It doesn't have the right pollenizers or, or whatever... it's really... <Amanda> Are they kind of like apple trees?

Does the plum tree sometimes need a different species?

<Cory> Some of them benefit from cross pollination like that So it depends on the variety.

It's really odd that one branch would be producing and not the rest unless there was some sort of grafting experiment that went on where one variety was grafted.

So it's hard to know exactly what's going on.

It could be a location issue, could be a temperature or like climate issue maybe that tree is in a lower spot in the landscape and so more subject to frost or freeze damage.

So there's a lot of, a lot of things that could be but it's hard to say for sure what it is, <Amanda> Well, that's just one of those curiosities.

Unfortunately, it's got two others that are producing fruit so it's not critical and he's given us something to think about.

Maybe one of y'all at home has an idea.

<Terasa> I did leave out, he sent a photo of the what he described as the recalcitrant plum tree that's not doing... You really couldn't see much, but I suspect it looked like it was on the border of some woods, and I don't think it was next to the other two.

So that may have something to do with it.

<Cory> Shade can be a factor.

<Amanda> Yeah.

Okay.

Well, that was still kind of fun to have a puzzle I thought.

Well, is the next one as peculiar?

(giggles) <Terasa> This one comes in from Lisa in Charleston, and she said, I've heard that bats eat mosquitoes.

Is this true?

And if so, what can I do to encourage bats to visit my yard?

<Amanda> Okay.

Well, Christopher, what do you think?

<Christopher> So, bats are of they do, of course, eat mosquitoes, but they eat most other insects as well, and they are very beneficial to the garden, The first thing to do is to plant lots of natives.

So obviously, bats, like all our other pollinators are going to be attracted to native plants, but so are their food sources.

So planting native plants, having a good water source is going to be key, and probably the one thing that we don't want to do, unfortunately, is we probably shouldn't be treating for the mosquitoes themselves, and so a lot of times, especially somewhere like downtown Charleston, where they have a mosquito abatement program, that's a main food source, especially at night.

They're eating the moths.

They're eating the mosquitoes, the flies.

and so unfortunately we're treating for all these things, a lot of times that can reduce their population as well, <Amanda>...You know, Cory, I, think that people are too tidy, and they're always wanting to tidy up their Palmetto trees, and I've read that if you leave the fronds on till they're completely brown, that that's, you know, that lets the plant use all the green photosynthetic area, but also that sometimes bats like there's certain bats that like to take refuge back there.

So I think there are a lot of reasons sometimes to not tidy up quite so much.

Maybe <Cory> That's right.

Yeah, I mean, it would stand...

It would make sense.

You know, palm fronds are great at repelling water, so it'd be a nice, secure place to rest, if you were a bat, I would think <Amanda> Yeah, and if I needed an umbrella, I guess I could go and get one.

Hold on... Well, again, since it's our 30th anniversary, We're doing lots of little quick glimpses back at the time and Rowland Alston went to visit the poppy man, and his name is Toby Richardson up in Heath Springs, and I think you're going to enjoy the visit that they had a number of years ago.

♪ <Rowland> How do you add color to a foggy, dreary day?

With your Toby the poppy man Richardson?

You plant pockets.

We're in the Pleasant Hill community of Lancaster County, South Carolina on highway 521.

Toby it looks like you've got a lot of poppies in your backyard.

<Toby> Well, I've been planting poppy since 1977.

A few years ago, I ventured out a little bit trying to get a few perennials started and I've indulged in a good bit of those and things are beginning to look real good.

I have about half and half poppies, and half and half other perennials and annuals.

Naturally people that plant annuals they don't expect to have to plant every year but I plant every year because in annuals, the seed gets scattered all over everywhere and I like to put seed where I want to plant.

<Rowland> How did you get interested in poppies?

<Toby> Well, I had open heart in 77 and retired, and I went up to Banff, Alberta, Canada and I saw a beautiful sight of poppies...I called my wife I said come here I want to show you something and we went out and looked.

I said when I get home I got to get me some of these.

So I... want some poppies.

<Rowland> Well, I'm sure many Carolina gardeners aren't aware there's so many different types of poppies and you've got a lot of them right here in Pleasant Hill <Toby> Well I have three kinds.

I have a Shirley Poppy, and then it also has pastel colors has doubles and singles, and then I have a paper Poppy Iceland, Paper poppy, and also red corn poppy, and then I have California poppies.

I do have a few of those in fields.

They are annuals and they do real well.

<Rowland> Let's talk about pest because I know gardeners in the Carolinas face pest just about every year.

You don't have many pest on your farm.

<Toby> I don't have any pest, not even deer.

Deer won't even eat them.

I have a whole grove of deer back here behind my house.

They won't even eat them, but nothing...bothers poppies as far as I know as insects.

<Rowland> Your poppies communicate with you because they tell you when they're hungry.

and also when you approach it.

<Toby> I can walk by one and if he waves at me.

I knew he wants water.

He wants some something to eat just like children... hungry all the time.

<Rowland> Give me some of the names of your favorite annuals and also your perennials.

<Toby> Well, for perennials, I'd say Foxglove would be number one, and Toadflax Blue Flax.

Blue flax is a new one I just started this year.

Hollyhocks, Hollyhocks is an old favorite your grandmother used to grow those many years ago.

One of my favorites now for annuals.

Poppy is number one.

<Rowland> I know the poppy man in Pleasant Hill is really proud of the highway departments in both North and South Carolina for all the wildflowers being planted along our interstate highways.

>> Some years ago, I was in Columbia and I met a landscape artist, Mr. Edwards at the highway department.

I gave him, that fall, I gave him three gallons of poppy seed, a quarter of a teaspoon holds 1640 seeds That gives you some idea about how many seeds in three gallons.

I walked in his office me and my wife and his eyes got about that big around and three jugs, milk jugs full of poppy seed.

He said I've never seen nothing like this in my life, but he planted them on a highway and they were just beautiful.

He painted them all around.

This past year, he had some beautiful flowers on them.

<Rowland> I know you really think that to cultivate a garden is to walk with God.

<Toby> It is.

I was in my front yard, last year one day I was pulling some weeds out a bed there.

A lady pulled up and stopped on the highway.

She walked across to me off the street and she said are you praying or are you working?

I said I'm doing some of both.

I really too, because I had a lot of weeds and I was praying prayers, maybe they would die out, illegal poppies.

<Rowland> Your poppy garden has received a lot of media attention.

You've been written up in the Electric Co-Ops living in South Carolina magazine, and I believe the Charlotte Observer has run an article on you.

<Toby> That's right, and then a couple of the local newspapers have written up several articles on my gardens.

I have lots of people come in busloads.

Come in and visit my garden each year.

My ambition is to see more people growing poppies and all the publicity I can get more people growing poppies and making South Carolina pretty.

Help the good Lord, do it.

It'll all come out real good for us.

<Rowland> Well, thank you for being with us, and good luck to you and your flowers.

<Toby> Thank you a lot.

I enjoy your program.

It's real good.

♪ <Amanda> Mr. Richardson had certainly got excited excited about poppies and the Icelandic poppies that some people plant.

You have to go and plant them every year, but they're quite beautiful, but we just have the red poppies Terasa, you know, and so they dry and in the seed head, you know, are all these little poppy seeds and gosh, I don't know how many are in them, but Edward says, "Oh, leave them all.

I'm going to... collect them all."

I mean, he went out there one time I got like a jar this big full of poppy seeds, which we could have gone from my house to yours two or three times.

with poppies.

(laughing) They are kind of fun, you know.

<Terasa> They are.

I think of our other agents Mary Vargo really likes them.

She'd written a blog about corn poppy, so a specific type of poppy.

Really?

>> Mmm hmm.

<Amanda> Yeah, so there are good many.

Yeah.

and um, none of the ones that we grow here are the ones that people have bad associations with.

I must say.

So feel free to get poppy seeds and scatter them all around if you can.

Okay, well, I want to thank all of y'all for coming so much.

It was fun to learn.

Thanks for y'all.

Terasa and I say everybody comes and brings their own special knowledge and it's such a treat and I know y'all have enjoyed it at home, learning from these smart folks, as well.

So tune in next Tuesday and who knows, who we'll have and what you'll learn then.

Night night.

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

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

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.

Family owned and operated since 1916.

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

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