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 It Grow.

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

I'm Amanda McNulty and I'm a Clemson horticulture agent, and I get to come over here and have the most wonderful time because it's continuing education because such wonderful people come to help us out, Terasa Lott, don't they?

<Terasa> Oh, thank you, Amanda.

It really is fun, and education, all built into one package.

What could be better?

<Amanda> Terasa is, of course, you are my co host, and I could, we could not do the show without Terasa.

She's just the best, but also you keep the Master Gardener programs kind of organized, and there's some things that need to happen in common, but then you try to let the local coordinators do what they need to do to make the people there, the people who've signed up happy.

<Terasa> Absolutely.

So, that is the goal.

We want to have some general consistency and guidelines that we follow all across the state, but then also allow those local Master Gardener coordinators to craft, especially the volunteer activities that are going to then meet the needs of their clients, wherever they are.

<Amanda> ...they do so much in return.

We just couldn't.

I don't think Extension agents could do their job because so many people have come to South Carolina.

They have so many questions, and the master gardeners have had research based current information and they can answer a lot of questions.

<Terasa> They really can, such a huge asset to Clemson Extension, to extension services all across the nation by, like you said, extending that reach, it's that we train the volunteers and then they act as an extension of Extension.

<Amanda> Terasa, one of the other things that you do for us is Gardens of the Week and you said that Clay and Cindy Williams have often sent pictures.

<Terasa> They sure have.

<Amanda> One of the things that happened today was you walked in and said someone dropped this off at my office, and it's this incredible out- Look at this.

It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and somebody I'm gonna guess I shouldn't say this, because maybe Clay is the person who likes to sew, but they together created this exquisite vest for me.

Thank you so, so much.

That was so kind of y'all to do that.

<Terasa> Our viewers are treasures, aren't they?

<Amanda> There really are.

They sure are, and then Campbell Vaughn, you're from University of Georgia Extension, and I know Augusta, but what county is Augusta?

<Campbell> Richmond County <Amanda> Richmond County and that's right across the river.

<Campbell> My office is probably two blocks from the river.

So,North Augusta is right across the way in South Carolina.

<Amanda> So there's not much difference in the climates that we get here...Georgia's big.

<Campbell> Yeah, Georgia is a big, big state, and but you know, we're right on the edge, and so we try to cater to as many people over in South Carolina as we can.

We're just glad to talk to anybody.

<Amanda> Tell me, do master gardeners...

I know y'all you and Suzanne both teach master gardeners <Campbell> We do.

We have a good program in Richmond County.

We actually collaborate some with Columbia County and then some of the local, bigger the more rural areas come to us sometimes we have about 150 active Master Gardeners in Richmond County right now.

So we've got a big program and people are real active and y'all write about how what a difference these people make and how much time they put in and the volunteer hours they put in and it makes a big difference, especially for us in our office because we can focus on other things <Amanda>...and fortunately can occasionally steal away for the day.

We missed, y'all.

<Campbell> Occasionally.

That's for sure <Amanda> Suzanne Holmes and I were at Clemson together.

Susie, a long time ago.

<Suzanne> So long ago we can't add up the numbers, can we?

(laughs) <Amanda> ...and of course, you used to be in the Aiken office and now you are part time down there helping out Campbell.

>> I think I've been about as long at the University of Georgia now as I was at Clemson.

So I just can't quit.

I can't retire all together.

<Amanda> Sometimes... stories - sometimes when Susie comes up she'll spend the night with me and the last time she spent the night with me, she got in bed with Edward when she woke up.

(all laugh) Susie, I will let you explain how that happened.

<Terasa> I was going to say, you might not know what happens when we do get together.

<Suzanne> Well, you know, they both have white hair, and I got up and so the bedrooms are there, and I just saw Amanda laying there in bed, so I went and jumped in the bed and then the person turned around and it was her daughter and husband, who loves me, so we got a big laugh.

So I said,...I got in bed with her husband... he looks at me... (laughs) anyway.

Case of misunderstanding.

<Amanda> I know Yeah, well, I get in the bed with him when it's cold, because he warms up the bed so much.

It's just nice.

Oh, goodness!

Well, Bill Guess you and I just saw each other at the Lexington Master Gardener meeting, and you just brought the most wonderful plants, and so tell people where you are that you have access to these wonderful plants to bring and share at Master Gardener meetings and for us too.

<Bill> So, I am the buyer for BB Barns in Columbia.

I split my time between our store in northeast off of Two Notch Road and our store in Irmo on Dreher Shoals.

<Amanda>...and one thing I think that because y'all used to be Woodley's, or at least one of them did, and whenever I've been there, and I know even now that your staff is so good at being educated.

They can really help clients.

<Bill> We have so many people that are really plant people, and you know, we try to educate but they learn a lot on their own, and we have plants come in and they will take the time to look them up on their own, and because they're curious.

<Amanda> Yes.

>>...then they want to impart that to our customers and make sure that they're getting the right plants.

<Amanda> Well, this time of year, we're all getting excited about having peach ice cream.

Susie, y'all make ice cream and do wonderful things, and it's about time for peaches to start coming in, and we're going to talk to you later in the show, you get to see a fascinating segment on what they do with peaches up at McLeod's and of course, McLeod's is one of our sponsors, and we are happy for them, but we're just happy for every peach that comes in South Carolina.

Susie, since you live right down there on the ridge, what's the forecast for this year?

<Suzanne> From what I understand, a lot of the early peaches are not there, but the later peaches, they have a crop and they'll be a few early peaches.

<Amanda> Okay, so we can have... <Suzanne>They should start in the next three or four weeks.

<Amanda> ...I'm just gonna say I think all of us promote buying or South Carolina local, locally produced produce.

It's just so much fresher and the taste is so good, and it hasn't had to travel so long.

Has it Terasa?

<Terasa> You are correct.

<Amanda> Well and Gardens of the Week, sometimes we actually go a little bit beyond the state lines for those because we've got nice viewers in other places.

So let's see what we've got this week.

<Terasa> This is such a fun part of the show Gardens of the Week, which is your opportunity to show off what you're doing in your yard, your garden, maybe with houseplants or perhaps a beautiful place that you have visited.

So we begin our journey today in the upstate with Barry Strohl who's showing off his pineapple plant in a pot.

From Wesley Tyler, he's trying his hand at vegetable gardening and shared his greens patch with mostly cabbage and broccoli but says he also has summer veggies going as well.

From Dwayne Salley, a unique application for a satellite dish which has now been refurbished into a satellite garden.

(Amanda laughs) Andrea Schecter sent us her viburnum that is just bursting with flowers, and we wrap up with a window box from Cindy Fowler planted with calibrachoa, bacopa and sweet potato vine.

So thank you to everyone who shared your photos.

I think there were 70 plus postings on our Facebook page.

We obviously can't share all of them, but you can see all of them right there on our Facebook page.

<Amanda> Thank you, Terasa and thanks, thanks to everybody who sends them in.

<Terasa> Yes, lots of fun.

<Amanda> It's a lot of fun way, and Bill, sometimes we start with problems but we're going to come to you and let's start with something fun.

<Bill> I brought some Gerbera daisies.

<Amanda> Now, I've always heard gerber daisies, so why are we saying <Bill> - Gerber is baby food Gerbera are daisies.

(All laugh) <Amanda> -but normally you're not real picky about things.

<Bill> I'm not.

I want to use botanical names and common names.

I'm happy as long as we can talk about the same plant.

<Amanda> Okay.

<Bill> but in this case it's kind of a specific name Gerbera.

These are a little bit different than the Gerberas that you get at the grocery store or a florist.

This is a garden Gerbera, it's gonna grow a little bit bigger, the flowers are a little smaller.

They come in basically the same colors.

<Amanda> They're real pretty.

<Bill> It's a bigger plant, and it'll have 20, or 30 blooms on it at a time, and it's a little more hardy than those.

You can get a Gerbera from the grocery store to go plant in the ground and go through the winter, but this is going to be much better at doing that being perennial for you.

<Amanda> How big do you expect them to get when they get settled in?

<Bill> I've seen these more like two feet around by a foot and a half tall with 20 or 30 blooms on it at a given time.

It's a much more robust plant than your florist's Gerbera.

<Amanda> Now, how long is the bloom period?

<Bill> Most of the summer it tends to slow down a little bit when we get really hot, but then it kicks back into gear when it cools off a little bit <Amanda> Lord knows when a freeze is going to come.

So they've, you're just got to have a beautiful clump of flowers.

These colors are just beautiful, and so really no pest particularly to worry about.

It's just a carefree plant.

<Bill> It does really well.

Nothing that I've seen eat it and it seems to be a little bit more resistant to some of those powdery mildew that you get on the smaller Gerberas.

<Amanda> Well, it's just beautiful.

Thank you so much for sharing that.

<Bill> Thank you.

<Amanda> All right, Terasa.

Now we'll see what we could do.

<Terasa> Well, this is not a problem.

So we'll still kind of be happy and upbeat.

It's more of a mystery.

Carol in North Augusta said, can you identify this shrub for me?

...of course, she sent some photos along to help us.

So let's see if one of our panelists might be able to make an ID.

<Amanda> All right.

Well, Suzanne, it looks like you're ready to tell us what you think it is.

<Suzanne> Oh, yeah, it's a deutzia.

So he had new plants, and this is a very old plant.

It used to be found in old garden, you know, home places and stuff, and this one - most of the time, they're white with a little tinge of pink, but this one is more pink in my yard.

I did not remember where I got there or the name of it, but it is just in full bloom, and it starts off with the prettiest little buds and my grandson was visiting me.

He's six and he was visiting me and he wanted to pull off all "Granny can I pull off all those balls?

", and I said under no uncertain circumstances.

This thing is this thing going to be blooming, and I just think it's, you know, a really good plant, pretty disease free, and it's called Deutzia gracilis, and so it kind of arches over kind of like forsythia, but not as gangly and you can kind of prune some of them or gangling ones up, <Amanda> How big is yours?

<Suzanne> Mine's - It didn't do anything for two or three years, and then it just decided, I don't know if it was the cold weather.

It decided to grow like crazy, and mine's about four foot tall, three to four feet.

<Amanda> I've got one that I'll talk about a little bit later, and it is about eight feet tall.

<Suzanne> So I think this variety is going to be a little smaller.

<Amanda> I think I have the real old one.

It's a nice thing to have, and boy, when it blooms, it sure is pretty.

<Suzanne> Yeah, and there's not a lot, you know, the azaleas have bloomed and everything else blooming before the hydrangeas so it comes at a wonderful bloom time to have something in your yard.

<Amanda> Bill, is that something that's still in the terrain?

<Bill> Oh, yes.

<Amanda> It is.

<Bill> Yeah, there's several varieties.

<Amanda> Okay.

So we're talking about something that's still available.

All right, thank you so much.

All right, Terasa.

<Terasa> Well, this is another sort of mystery.

Not really an identification coming from Kyle in Salley, South Carolina.

I have one large circular area in my lawn that appears dead.

What could cause this and what should I do?

Of course there's a photo accompanying that as well.

Yes.

<Amanda> Otherwise, it's like, I don't know.

My grandchildren came to visit, which...happened to Suzanne ...Campbell looking at that, what do you think is going on?

<Campbell> I would guess it's fairy ring, and it's <Amanda> Tell people what fairy ring is.

<Campbell> It's a...actually a numerous fungi, but it gets in, and there's three different types of it.

So but usually the one that dead areas is a basically a circular pattern in the middle of, of grass.

They can be gigantic, or they could just be two or three feet in diameter, and there's three different types and the one that probably talking about is the type one and the type one essentially means that the soil goes hydrophobic, meaning that it repels water.

It's like a reverse sponge.

So you can water and water and water and it's actually not going down into the root zone so the actual area dies out and so it's pretty consistent with what the picture shows there, and treatment is there's several different treatments for it.

Fungicides are generally more preventative than curative.

So what you want to do is, you need to break the soil up.

Add some type of wetting agent which a wetting agent breaks down the fungus, lets the...moisture, get in.

Add composted material.

You can core aerate it.

Let the water be able to go down in there and then you soak the heck out of it.

Soak the heck out of it, and sometimes you can use a granular laundry detergent.

We were laughing a little earlier.

No, probably not the not one of those lavender scented ones, but just like a- You can extreme sprinkle it over there with a spreader and then that will help break it down and then get the grass back moving, but organic material, loosen it up, get it wet, and then break down that fungus.

<Amanda> So you're not using a fungicide.

That's just not going to be that effective.

<Campbell> It's not really and of course, we try to avoid that type stuff as much as we can, because there are a lot of fungi in there that are doing really good things, and then fungicides can be expensive too, you know, so we try to avoid them if we don't have to use them.

<Amanda> So, how would you have any idea of how much laundry detergent...?

<Campbell> I usually say put a - do it on a hand spreader because usually they're fairly small and manageable, and I would say a hand spreader usually goes one to five and I would say put it on three and just cover the area and then water it in real well, but the core aeration stuff makes it get down deep in there, and in extreme conditions, you really, you can actually dig the soil out of that area and then add new, but that's a lot...of work, and so you try to avoid doing that, but worst case scenario, you can dig out the first top two or three inches and then replace it with some type of new soil and a little bit of organic material.

<Amanda> I guess if you didn't or couldn't run a core aerifier, you could take a pitchfork or something and just try <Campbell> Yeah, or sharpshooter and just kind of hit it around the area.

There's no grass in the spot usually.

So you're really hurting the grass.

That'll help that stuff start creeping back in.

<Terasa> If I'm not mistaken, this will often happen where people have had like trees removed and the stumps have been grounded.

So there's a lot of organic material and fungi just start doing what they do.

They're breaking down that material, but sometimes, of course that leads to that hydrophobicity of the grass.

<Campbell> There are a couple of different other ones.

You can see mushrooms along the edges or heavy greening.

Those are different types of them.

So different ways to treat those, but the one we worry about the most in that picture was the type one and grass isn't going to grow there.

<Amanda> Okay, well, thank you so much.

Well, let's talk about something else that does grow well.

<Bill> Sure.

(Amanda laughs) <Bill> These are little mistletoe cactus.

They come in many different kinds of little sizes.

You have different sizes.

and I like these, because of how it kind of how I did it here in this little head.

It is a cactus.

We call it a cactus, but it's more of an epiphyte.

So it will be growing up in a tree.

It grows in semi shade.

So, for a practical.

So for a practical application in your house, this is perfectly happy near a window.

It doesn't have to be in the window, but just near the window.

They grow.

I mean, this will double fairly quickly.

Every little piece can become a whole new plant.

I have more little- It makes a great hair for these.

I have something very similar to this at my house, and they're just so easy.

The thing we want to remember with these is to let them dry out good in between the waterings This one doesn't have a hole in it.

So we really have to make sure that it's going to dry all the way out in between those watering so that it doesn't rot, but other than letting it dry out.

They're perfectly happy in your house, and I've had some of these for six and seven years, and they get watered very infrequently and do really well.

<Amanda> Isn't that something and it's really, as you said to think of it as hair, it just gives you all kinds of ideas of containers to put it in.

Terasa, somebody made some containers that were kind of modeled after you and me.

<Terasa> Yes.

<Amanda> That would be fun to kind of put in those, wouldn't it?

<Terasa> It would, and I've been wondering what to put in mine.

So, that might be an idea.

<Amanda> Okay, well, that's a lot of fun.

Thank you so much, and so even though it doesn't have a hole in the bottom you've managed and you just don't water it very much at all.

<Bill> Just barely water it and then let it dry out really well.

<Amanda> Well, that sounds like pretty simple instructions.

<Bill> Absolutely.

<Amanda> Thank you so much.

Okay, one of our sponsors of Making It Grow is McLeod Farms up in McBee, and they are known for their peaches as our mini farms in South Carolina and we want to show you what goes into getting these wonderful South Carolina peaches, off the trees and to you.

♪ ♪ <Amanda> I'm in McBee, South Carolina speaking with Spencer McLeod, and Spencer, I don't think anybody would take a blood donation from you because I think y'all probably bleed peach juice.

Don't you?

>> That's right!

That's right!

<Amanda> Because it's been how many generations now?

<Spencer> So, I am fifth generation, my great great granddad, Hector McLeod started our farm in 1916.

<Amanda> Whoa, and things have changed dramatically since then, I mean, diseases and things, and they're all kinds of new ways of doing things, and people think, Oh, the peaches are ripe, and they just go pick peaches, But - it's there's so much work that goes on, and it starts.

I mean, I guess you wake up on New Year's Day, and maybe you get to take that day off.

Right after that, you're out here.

<Spencer> Yes.

Right now it is our busy time, but we've been working on this crop since January.

So January, we start pruning, and we prune from January through March, and then after pruning, we have thinning and that happens around April or May and then we start our harvest.

<Amanda>...and these trees are grafted onto a special rootstock.

>> That right.

<Amanda> That's resistant to some things that would be problematical.

<Spencer> So all our trees, we get them from a nursery in Tennessee, and what's unique about a peach tree is that it actually has two different genetics.

So, you've got the rootstock that has disease resistance and nematode resistance for any soil born challenges that it's going to have, and then what's grafted on top of that rootstock is actually the cultivar, the variety that we pick, that grows the peach that's red, big, and also the time of year that it comes off.

<Amanda> Always delicious.

<Spencer> That's right.

<Amanda> But, so you prune to, I guess the trees have to get sunlight into them.

So, you have to prune for that, and then you told me that only the new growth sets peaches, so you must prune pretty severely.

<Spencer> That's right, so we're pruning just to maintain the tree, to train the tree, we grow our peaches fairly tall, but we have four main liters and so that helps maintain the trees health and also encourage new growth for next year.

<Amanda> ...and then you've got to go in and start thinning because the tree would set far too many blossoms that it would be able to produce a good-sized peach from <Spencer> That's right and our heavy crops, we can thin up to 80% of the peaches.

<Amanda> That must be hard to look down and see all those peaches that you put in.

<Spencer> That's always a challenge.

So, when you're when you're thinning a heavy crop, you don't want to look down because you're thinking, "Wow, I just destroyed my crop", but you really need to look up in the tree.

You know, you want to space your peaches out, because what we're for thinning is we're really trying to get that size, the tree is only going to take up so much nutrients and water, and so, by thinning we're getting a better sized peach.

We're getting a better tasting peach higher sugar content, and so that's a, that's a process that we go through and it's a difficult time too.

We thin during a time where we could have a frost event, and so, you know do you take the peach off, do you not?

And so there's always a big decision to do that.

So, we try to wait as long as we can and that means that we generally hand thin our tree.

<Amanda> These trees are big, and you all have a high density of trees, and that there's certain that's for certain reasons.

<Spencer> That's right.

So, because we have a tall tree, we have higher yields per acre, and so, we use wind machines during frost events, and so that helps justify that cost of having a wind machine protect more yield, and also, that helps us with the irrigation and our infrastructure as far as placing an orchard and having more yield per acre.

<Amanda>...and y'all are very, very careful with water.

These trees are drip irrigated at each tree.

<Spencer> That's right.

So, we've got dripper irrigation across all our peaches, and so we, you know, that timing of watering and that final swell, we're really focused on the trees that we are picking right now, and so, we try to manage our water as best we can.

<Amanda>...and interestingly, I think most of the trees bloom, kind of during the same time period, but some are early peaches, and some are later, because you want to be able to supply peaches to people for a long, long time.

<Spencer> That's right, so we have about 40 to 50 different varieties of peaches on our farm, and what that allows us to do is pick peaches from the end of May, all the way to September, and so, we're picking that particular variety, over a two week period.

We'll have about six to eight different pickings over that two week period, that we generally go in the field every other day, or we may do a two day skip, and so having those different maturity varieties that allows us to have peaches throughout the season.

<Amanda> Spencer, you have contracted people who come in, and you said that they have been here through several generations, and they are integral really to helping you have such high quality peaches.

<Spencer> That's right.

We started using the H-2A program.

it's a visa program where we bring in migrant workers from Mexico, and they we've had some of the same people since the early 80s, 90s, and they've become a part of our family and helping our operation to be successful.

If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here today.

<Amanda>...and I've learned so much about all that goes into getting a great peach and getting it off the tree, and now I want to learn some about getting these peaches to the people who want them.

Thanks for spending some time with me.

<Spencer> Thank you.

♪ <Amanda> I'm in the packing shed from McLeod Farm Peaches and I'm speaking with Doug McCormick.

Doug, you are a member of this family now.

<Doug> Yes, ma'am.

I married the farmer's daughter, I'm in deep.

(laughs) <Amanda> Well you did pretty good by yourself.

>> Yes, ma'am <Amanda> As far as I'm concerned both ways, but we've these peaches that are in from the field, but that's just the very first step because then we got to get them in the hands of the consumers, and today, I don't know about you, but I'm kind of hot, and I think the peaches are too.

So, what's the first step to try to get those peaches cooled down.

<Doug> So, when the peaches come here out of the field, the first thing we're going to do is we're going to run them through the hydra cooler, and what's happening there, we're putting the bins of peaches on a chain that takes about 45 minutes to go through this hydra cooler, and we're dumping cold water on them think of a cold shower.

So, we'll chill this water down to about 35 degrees, and the objective here is to get that field heat out of the peach before it comes in here into the pack shed, and that's what we're doing.

Like you said, it's hot today.

I'm hot.

You're hot.

The peaches are hot.

We've got to remove that heat before they come to the pack shed.

<Amanda> Because they got to last for a couple of days till they get to the store, and if we just shipped them like they were, they would just be burning up and turning to mush.

<Doug> Yes, ma'am.

It's going to slow the ripening process, and you know, we want to get them cold, and the thing is, we got to get them cold before we put them in a cooler, we can't put a hot peach in a cooler and expect the cooler to pull all that heat out of them.

So that's why we really need that cold shower, like say a 45 minutes in the hydra cooler, and that's where it all begins right here.

<Amanda> Well, maybe at the end of the day, we'll go stand there for a minute.

<Doug> I don't know if I can make it 45 minutes.

>> But after that happens, where are they going next.?

So, when the peaches come out of the hydra cooler, we will pull them off of the chain with a fork truck and immediately put them in a cooler to keep them cold.

We've already got them cold.

We want to keep them cold.

So when we're ready to start packing, we'll pull the bin out of the bin cooler.

We'll put it on the chain and that's where it starts.

That bin will go through a dumper.

That dumper will dump the peaches onto the line.

At that point the peaches are moving with a conveyor.

We'll have our first check.

We'll have some people they're looking for the obvious.

This is this peach is soft.

Let's take it out.

This is mush.

Take it out.

We'll pull the leaves off.

After that, after that first initial check, we'll run the peaches through a washer and what we're doing here is we're knocking the fuzz off of the peach.

We're also going to apply food grade wax, a thin coat of food grade wax to help preserve the peach health, the shelf life of a peach.

After the peach comes out of the washer, we're going to run that peach across grade tables where we have people who are just great at grading peaches.

We have great help here at McLeod Farms and we couldn't do it without them.

What they're going to do, they're going to check that peach and say, "Is this peach soft?

"Yeah, let's take it from a number one grade "put it in a number two grade.

"Does this peach have a cosmetic defect?

"Yes, it needs to come out of "a number one grade, go into a number two grade."

<Amanda> It's still a perfectly edible peach.

<Doug> That's right.

<Amanda>...and these grades are set by the government, I believe.

<Doug> That's correct.

We have certain specifications that we have to go by, if we're going to call our blue box, our Mac's Pride blue box a U.S. extra number one, <Amanda> All right.

<Doug> So that's what we're grading out.

We're grading out, this piece doesn't belong in a in a blue box.

After it goes through these grade tables with people, we got a brand new machine last year, and so prior to this machine, we were sorting peaches with a machine, but that was only by size, you know, two and three quarter or two and a half inch, big, medium small.

Now, we have the capability of sorting these peaches by grade.

So, with a machine we can also grade the peach.

Say, "This is not a number one peach."

"The machine saw a soft spot.

"Pull it out, put it in a green "number two box."

So we're sorting it by that.

We're also sorting it by size, and then we have all these different orders.

You might have a specialty pack for bags, for trays, You've got your volume filled blue boxes, and what we're doing there is we're sizing the peach.

We also have load sales where, we're weighing the peach, you know, for instance, a customer might want a 30 pound tray that contains 112 pieces of fruit.

Well, what we're doing, we're weighing that peach and we're saying send me all the peaches that average this weight.

Send them to the tray so that when I put 112 peaches in this tray, it weighs 30 pounds.

<Amanda>...and I think again, you are using the agricultural workers who come in under a Visa.

Is that correct?

<Doug> We couldn't do it without our H-2A workers for me they're like family, you know.

They're my friends.

They're family, and, you know, we have people here that their experience on this farm.

I mean, it far exceeds my own.

I mean, we have...H-2A workers that I go to and say, "What do you think about this?

"What do you think about this peach?"

and so they are a vital, a vital part of McLeod Farms and Mac's Pride brand, and we couldn't do it without them, and they're great at what they do.

<Amanda> Y'all are a big family up here, and for safety control, and, you have stamped the boxes are stamped with information on them, I believe.

<Doug> Yes, ma'am.

Every lot and a lot means it'll contain the information of what variety is this peach?

What field did it come out of?

What day was it picked?

All that gets stamped on the box when we're packing.

So, we will know what variety, what field and we'll also know the Julian Date, what day that peach was packed, what day that peach was picked, and that also transfers over to when we load the truck with that box.

So when our produce goes on a truck, we know exactly what's on that truck, and that helps us with traceability of being able to know what we sent where.

<Amanda>...and then, so is the peach finally ready to go on the truck and go to the consumer?

<Doug> Yes, ma'am.

After the peach is put into the box, it rides on a conveyor to the back, and that's where we will palletize basically stack the boxes up, get them ready to go on the truck.

After they're stacked up, we'll place that peach right back in a cooler.

<Amanda> Of course.

<Doug>...and so we're back, not where we started, but we're back to keeping that peach cold.

<Amanda> Quality, quality.

<Doug> It'll stay in that cooler until we put it on a truck and even when the truck backs up, the truck will be cold as well.

<Amanda>...and then I think waste not want not even the peaches that got knocked off as not being perfect, can you send them to someone who can perhaps make a product out of them?

<Doug> Oh, sure.

So, we've got our number one grade, and that's basically what we're sending out commercially what we're putting on the trucks, that's going to take the commercial loads to our buyers.

We also have a number two grade, and I tell people all the time, there's nothing wrong with these peaches.

They're great, I mean, you might have to cut around a soft spot.

You might have to cut around you know a little cosmetic defect, but it's a great peach.

It still tastes well and you can still make a peach cobbler out of it.

You know!

That's our number two grade.

That's going to be our green box.

After everything that does have, made the number two grade.

So everything that's not good enough to go on a number two green box, that's basically mush.

That's trash, and we also you know we have some people come get those peaches and process those and make juices or smoothies or whatever you want to do with the you know process peaches, and so... <Amanda> So, all the work that went into it, almost every peach finds a way to be used.

<Doug> That's exactly right, and like I said, that's what's so rewarding for me, you know, this farm, I'm an in-law.

This farm is over 100 years old.

There's a huge legacy here and when we are precise in putting the peaches where they need to go I feel like that I bring value and that I'm doing a small part in upholding that legacy of passion and I guess artistic whatever you want to call it growing peaches and just pouring our heart into it.

So, it feels great to be able to bring something to the table.

<Amanda> You know it's just so exciting to see what our family farms in South Carolina do and I thank you for being with one of them and for explaining this part of the process to us.

>> I thank you for all you do.

Thank you for being here today.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <Amanda> What the farmers do so that we can have the tastiest and finest things from South Carolina and one of the last times we were up there, Teresa, Tony was coming back towards the end of his life.

He liked to take long trips on the weekend and Mitzi had taken into the mountains and they came back as we were there at McLeod, and we got to sit outside and have some of that wonderful ice cream.

<Terasa> Great memory to have.

<Amanda> Yeah, yeah, it really was, and of course, Tony was just a part of that family at McLeod's.

A wonderful person.

Suzanne, you used to be in the peach business when- <Suzanne> My husband's family had been in the peach business for a long time, - we're no longer in it, but yeah, <Amanda> I don't think the processing was quite as... <Suzanne> No.

Packing houses have changed.

They're really state of the art.

Just...you wouldn't believe, you know.

<Amanda> We just saw it.

Yeah, we just saw.

Yeah, anyway.

Well, so Bill, I think you've got something else to share with us.

<Bill> I have a maple tree?

Okay, this is a Acer palmatum.

It's a blood good maple.

When we look at these red maples, a lot of the times they are going to be more of a shade plant.

<Amanda> Yeah, a lot of times we feel like they need some after, at least in at least afternoon.

<Bill> Shade.

This has that beautiful red color, but he can go out in the full sun.

Also, he's a pretty good size, It's going to be 15 to 20 feet.

You can trim them and keep them at basically, at any height you want, but a great front yard plant.

So many trees and shrubs will overpower your house.

You can keep this as a reasonable size compared to your house, gives you that red color, and <Amanda> Now is it going to stay this way through the summer or is it going to go green and then get fall color again?

<Bill> Stays very red all summer.

<Amanda> All Right.

<Bill>...and just a very easy plant and anywhere you decide to prune it, it's just going to bush out even fuller and takes that full sun surprisingly well.

<Amanda> They are truly beautiful and with the kind of crazy weather that we now have, Davis Sanders from South Pleasantburg Nursery up in Greenville said that they had several instances where Japanese maples and this might be interesting to y'all had died just real suddenly and they apparently had the - sap had risen, and they were coming out of dormancy and we got an incredible horrible freeze at Christmas time and they think it ruined the graft, that it kind of blew the graft out.

So it may we were kind of saying maybe if you had one you might want to put a blanket around the graft or something.

Suzanne... <Suzanne> I had one of those and it never gets hurt by, you know, late frost or the thing, but I have to others and the tips will die back and I put blankets over them when it got cold because you know I had just gotten they just new growth was so tender but that one does not have to have, <Amanda> But what he was saying is that the entire plant apparently, the graft had been affected.

I'm just saying there's thing <Campbell> We're seeing ambrosia beetle on them too.

<Amanda> That's what they thought originally it was but it wasn't the ambrosia beetle so, but this one looks wonderfully happy and I'm sure if it comes from y'all it... won't have any problems whatsoever right.

<Bill> Now this one's grown, This is seed grown so he's on his own stalk.

<Amanda> Oh, really?

Oh, cool.

<Bill> We have both grafted and seed grown.

<Amanda> Thank you for telling me.

That's wonderful.

So you wouldn't even have to be concerned.

<Bill> No graft.

<Amanda> That is fabulous.

Gosh, well, I'm so glad that I brought that up and then you could tell us, nanny nanny boo boo .

(laughter) Okay, Okay, Terasa.

<Terasa> Oh, this is a fun one from Leslie in Columbia.

Leslie said I love the episode where Amanda talked about her favorite tool, the sawzall or the reciprocating saw.

Can you share more must have tools?

(Amanda laughs) <Amanda> Okay, well, Suzanne- <Suzanne> Well, Campbell and I just brought our favorite tools and Campbell is going to get mine because I might chop somebody's head off.

<Amanda> My word in heavens.

<Suzanne>...and this is called a stirrup hoe.

Why?

Because it looks like the stirrups on a- <Amanda> It does.

You're trying to get your foot up high enough to get on.

<Suzanne> This thing, even, I've even seen your loam land, but you can even use it in clay.

and it goes right up underneath the weed and just lifts the weed out of the ground.

Then if you don't, you know, then you can go back and kind of, but anyway, it works wonderful and it, it's a lot easier for me to use than a hoe.

I have lots of weeds.

So this is my one of my favorite tools.

So Campbell doesn't have as many weeds, so.

<Amanda> So...with do you ever get Walker to take out there and sharpen it for you?

<Suzanne> No, I've never had mine sharpened and it's worked for me fine and never sharpened it though.

<Amanda> Maybe that little bit of sand keeps the edge on it.

<Suzanne>...it probably keeps the edge on it.

<Amanda> I bet it does.

<Suzanne> I use it in the veg- I just have a little vegetable garden, but I use it in my flowerbeds and you know too.

It does wonders on crabgrass.

<Amanda> Whoa!

Well, thank you so much for sharing that.

So, Campbell do you have something that you like to use?

<Campbell> Yeah, I do.

I have this.

<Amanda> Guys, have got, of course, have something... <Campbell>...a lot of different brands made of these right here.

This is a steal.

This is a miniature chainsaw and it's battery operated.

The battery lasts a pretty good long time.

It charges pretty quickly, I've really noticed that it does an even better job than a reciprocating saw in getting bigger limbs that are about like this, cutting them at a cutting them off to get them flushed off and then coming back with a fine hand saw to clean them up.

It's a little bit of a rough cut, but they're so easy, they're handy.

Deer hunters love them because they can get into deer stands and clean up stuff that may be in the shooting lane or something like that, but I've used the heck out of it and I really enjoy it.

I even use it in you know cutting up rough wood if I ever need something quick to and the cordless part of it is fantastic, <Suzanne> I got one for Christmas.

So don't say the men love them, because I've got one for Christmas a couple of years ago.

<Amanda> We need those things more often, because...and then this it does have a safety feature.

You have to do two things at one time.

<Campbell> There's a safety feature here and then it has a latch here on the side that you have to hold down to get it to go or it won't turn on.

Seems pretty easy to operate.

It's fairly, pretty light, too.

<Amanda>...and holds a charge a pretty good while.

<Campbell> They say it'll do about 30 to 45 minutes worth of cut on a battery charge.

Plenty.

<Amanda> Do something else after that.

Okay.

Well, thank you so much for sharing those.

That was really fun.

Okay, Bill.

Goodness, what have we got now?

This is a little charmer.

<Bill> Little coleus.

There are so many Coleus is out there.

Many of them are going to be rather large.

<Amanda> Yeah.

<Bill> You know, in all the different colors <Amanda>It used to be, they all had to be in shade >>They used to be in the shade.

This is a full sun coleus.

and as he grows, he's going to lean over the side and this is a spiller and he will be a good two feet over the side, if you grow it in a pot.

If you grow it on the ground, it's going to be more of a ground cover.

Maybe a two foot circle from this one little plant.

Just tough as nails.

<Amanda> This one takes to sun.

<Bill> Full sun and just laughs I mean, he really, you know, we can combine this with some other flowers.

You got your vincas that will take that full sun.

He's sitting right there beside the vincas just doing his thing, just called Chocolate drop and I really, I've grown this for at least 15 years.

I'm just always so happy with how it performs, how it holds up in the sun and its ability to be that droopy kind of looking... on a container.

<Amanda> and when the coleus flower late in the year, they're really attracted to pollinators.

<Bill> They are and this one really doesn't flower.

You don't see it flower much.

<Amanda> It probably suits you best.

<Bill> Perfect.

<Amanda> Well, that is just too much fun.

Thank you so much for sharing that with us.

<Bill> Thank you.

<Amanda> Okay, Terasa.

<Terasa> On one of the fun things about Coleus is they're easy to propagate.

So if you want to make some more.

That's pretty, pretty easy to do.

<Amanda> So now that you've said that, I think you better tell us how to do that.

<Terasa> Well, they're...super easy.

You can just make some cuttings, and they'll root in water and yeah, all you need- you don't need any special equipment.

That's right.

Cheers.

We could do it right here in our drinking glass.

So not all plants can be propagated that way, but interestingly enough, our next question is a propagation question.

So, Pat sent in a question to our Facebook page.

She didn't say where she was, but that she was having trouble growing milkweed from seeds.

Could we give her any guidance that might help her be more successful?

<Amanda> My goodness, and everybody's interested in planting milkweed, because it's the larval food plant, the only one, I believe.

<Terasa> Yeah, monarchs are specific to milkweed, and before we explain it out about propagation and just to please remind the audience that we want to be planting native milkweed species so there is a tropical species and it would be best to avoid that if possible, and plant species that are native and there are lots of resources for finding out what's native to your area.

The South Carolina Native Plant Society, South Carolina Wildlife Federation, or you can always reach out to Extension of course, <Amanda> Thank you.

Oh, well, Suzanne, what do you suggest?

<Suzanne> The milkweed is in a capsule and the seeds are inside a capsule and so they kind of hiss and they pop open.

So you want to make sure the seeds are kind of brown, and that means they're mature, and then they also have that little furry, hairy stuff on them.

You need to clean it out.

and I also read- <Amanda> How do you?

<Suzanne> You just kind of take your fingers and kind of string it out.

There might be an easier way, but, you know, some of our listeners have probably heard of an easier way, and then they need to go through a stratification.

Now stratification is when you put it in cold.

They need the cold, so they will germinate.

So there's two ways of doing it, you can put them in the refrigerator.

It used to be you put them in a little sphagnum moss, something to keep them a little moist, <Amanda> Refrigerators now are always trying to keep them from... <Suzanne> Yeah they're trying- and put in a little them in a little sphagnum moss or something like that.

Just not wet, but, you know, <Amanda> How long do you need to do that?

<Suzanne> When I stratify something I just throwing in there, I just throw it in the thing in the fall and take them back out in the spring when it's ready, but the other way you can do it is actually put them in the pot outside.

Water it when it gets dry, or you can take a milk jug and cut it in two and put it on it.

That way, It's self stratified <Amanda> Because it's outside.

<Suzanne> Yeah, because you put it in the soil outside because it's self stratification.

<Amanda> So you're collecting the seed in the fall and then going ahead and saying, I'm gonna put these someplace where I won't lose them, putting them in the pot, <Suzanne>...and then doing it, so and...because we are always getting calls in the Extension office about plant propagation.

I can't remember that.

It's been how many years since we were in college.

So this is my go to book it's American Horticulture Society Plant Propagation book.

and it's for homeowners and we're just regular people.

<Amanda> So you don't have to have something real fancy.

<Suzanne> It shows you different techniques for everything, and it's also got different plants listed, and the easiest way to do them by seeds, cuttings, whatever, layering, or whatever.

So this is my really go to book American Horticulture Society Plant Propagation, and I know a lot of gardeners, they call me and they want to do their own things, they can go and buy, but they just like to do there own thing <Amanda>...and they like to share with friends, <Suzanne>...and then they like to share with friends.

So this is...one item if you're going to have some books.

<Amanda> and so this is the American Horticulture <Suzanne> Society Plant Propagation <Amanda> Okay.

All right.

<Suzanne> This one is all I've had this one, probably 20 years or so.

So there's probably a newer edition.

<Amanda> Yeah, but still a wonderful guide.

<Suzanne> Yeah, a wonderful guide.

<Amber> It doesn't go out of fashion.

<Terasa> We were laughing earlier about plant scientific names change, especially as technology has increased and we can see how plants are related by using DNA, but for the most part, the good thing about propagation techniques is you know, they don't really change if you were able to grow it from a cutting, you're still gonna probably be able to grow from a cutting.

<Amanda> Thank goodness.

Well, that's great news.

Thanks a lot.

Appreciate that.

Okay, Terasa.

<Terasa> Well, Mary Ellen in Lexington, says my neighbor has a plant he calls whirling butterflies.

Can you tell me more about this plant and maybe where it would do best?

<Amanda> All right.

I like the way, it's the name sounds.

Campbell, have you heard of this one?

<Campbell> I have and it's appropriate named.

So, I actually brought a couple of different ones that I have one is comes from my yard and another one comes from one of our local nurseries that Susie and I like to frequent sometimes when we go on long lunches from Bedford's Nurseries, but this is there's two different kinds of and this is the one I have in my yard.

It's a really loose plant.

The pollinators love it.

It gets up about three feet.

Mine started blooming about the first of April that just keeps on blooming.

So it's been really fantastic.

It's up and I just took some cuttings off of that one and Susie and I went and picked this one up the other day, just to check it out.

It's pink and it's got some of the reddish foliage when it comes out from a from a design standpoint, it's a really neat form too, because it's loose.

It's open, It's...it would be more of a less coarse.

You're gonna mix it with some coarse stuff and it would be neat.

So I've really enjoyed this plant personally in my landscape.

It's kind of this one's kind of got old fashioned feel to it, but the insects seem to really enjoy it.

<Amanda> The pollinators are coming to the world in butterflies.

<Campbell> It really is pretty good right?

<Amanda> Now is the pink one going to be smaller?

Do you think it's going to- <Campbell> They'll get about two or three feet and so they really go straight up and then just kind of flare out and it really is a major spot of color.

I bet you each plant that I planted about this size probably has 15 or 20 of these canes on it.

It's only a year old and they only get bigger and bigger They're full sun, drought tolerant, very tough soil that spot that I have is bad, beat up clay soil.

There's not a lot of organic material in it, and it's done really well.

<Terasa> They're use to Louisiana, Texas area I believe.

<Amanda> So that's why it can take harsh conditions.

Does it go on throughout the summer pretty well?

<Campbell> Yeah, it will.

Most of the summer, it'll bloom which is another great feature too.

So I said you know we've talked about when things bloom at Masters' and so mine was already blooming at Masters' and as bloomed up through now and it doesn't look like it's slowing down at all.

It's just getting bigger and bigger, so.

If you'd like to add some colors in there, this one's called Indian feather.

It's got some reds and stuff you'd like to mix in your - in those crops.

<Amanda> I think that's just beautiful.

I really do like that.

Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

<Bill> I love when the bees come they will land on those flowers.

They'll drape down and then they'll let go and the flower come and spring back up.

<Campbell> You've got your extra movement... <Amanda> So you were familiar with it?

<Bill> Oh, yeah!

<Suzanne> I think it matches his maple too.

I think you could plant next to his maple.

<Campbell> Contrast.

<Amanda> I love the idea of it bending down with the pollinators and then snapping back up.

That is just too cool for school.

All right.

Okay.

Well, Bill, you were saying that this one can take sun and it's a good thing to have in a yard where you don't have room for a great big tree.

Do you have another suggestion for a place where you'd like a tree that's not going to get to be the biggest thing in the world.

<Bill> I did bring a dwarf elm, so... <Amanda> A dwarf elm?

<Bill> It's called Jacqueline Hillier.

It's gonna be about six to eight feet tall and very full.

It's a really dense, growth on it.

<Amanda> Very, very, very compact.

<Bill> Very compact, very full and it's six, eight feet.

It's a tree that you could put in even a very small yard, and it'd be very suitable or a large container, limbed up a little bit.

It looks sort of bonsai looking, and the more you were training it, the more you can bring out that look in a big pot.

<Amanda> That's kind of a fascinating idea, I think.

Now, we have big trees that are Elms, because we don't have the Dutch elm disease in the South.

Isn't that right, Campbell?

<Campbell> Yeah, that's for the American Elm.

<Amanda>...but this is just beautiful, and it has a gorgeous color when you see it so together like that.

What a spot of bright, vibrant greenery!

<Bill> It does have a green that you don't see in some other some other leaves.

<Amanda>...and then I guess if it were kind of bonsai, when it was deciduous, you could probably enjoy that aspect of it as well.

<Bill> It does have a unique branching, so it's not going to be just straight up.

It's going to have some curves in the trunks and give you a little bit of action.

<Amanda> Okay, I just think that's lots of fun.

Okay.

Well, we've got about two minutes, Terasa.

Is there's something quick we might be able to do?

<Terasa> I thought since we had the segment on peaches, we might talk about why it's so difficult for homeowners to grow peaches.

I know a lot, people get so excited.

I want to grow some fruit in my backyard, but tree fruits are really difficult.

I think the plum cucrulio is one of the pests that gets into the peach fruit.

Do you all have people that ask you about growing tree fruits as well?

<Campbell> Oh, yeah!

<Amanda> Suzanne, you started out as a peach scout, so tell us some of the reasons that it's so... <Suzanne> She mentioned plum cucrulio there's also some codling moths.

There's several different insects, peach tree bores.

hen you have the worst disease is brown rot, and the brown rot because we have a lot of moisture, and it happens in the spring, and people don't tend to spray in the spring, and so it just gets worse and worse and all your peaches just rot and fall off until you don't get to eat not one peach.

So, you have to use a home orchard spray, and you know, a lot of times people just have two, two little peaches and it's hard to get out and spray every 10 to 14 days.

<Amanda> Well and we've talked about the fact Terasa so that we get these late frost and things and the peach owners of the peach orchards, you know, they're trying to stay in business and keep all their employees paid and you know, send their children to college.

So, I think there's some things that are wonderful for backyard fruits, but I think the peach tree is one where we should support our local South Carolina farmers.

<Suzanne>...we have them on either side of the state and then up around Spartanburg.

So we have a lot of love, you know- <Amanda>-which extends the season too.

<Suzanne> So I just tell people when they call me, don't grow peaches just go to, you know, I mean just go to Edgefield and buy one... (all laugh) I know I probably shouldn't, but it really is difficult for them to grow peach.

There's a lot.

There are some easier fruit.

<Amanda> Yeah.

There are.

Oh, I just can't wait.

The first peach of the season is such a treat.

Isn't it, Terasa?

<Terasa> I smell peach cobbler cooking in the oven with some ice cream, of course.

<Amanda>Yes, of course.

Well, thank you all for being with us.

I hope you'll join us next week and we'll be right back here, until then.

♪ closing music ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 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.