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♪ [Making It Grow theme song] ♪ ♪ ♪ Hello.

Good evening and welcome to Making It Grow.

I'm Amanda McNulty, a Clemson Horticulture Agent.

And this is a collaborative effort between SCETV and Clemson University.

We're so glad that Stephanie Turner who's our Clemson extension agent in Greenwood can join us again tonight.

Stephanie's kind of a relative new member to the team.

Some of us have been here a long time like 20 years.

Stephanie, I think you've been with us about a year and a half?

>> Oh!

Not quite yet.

I started in August of last year.

>> Well, you've made quite a big splash.

and I mean that in a positive way.

>> Thank you >> And if we're lucky today.

I think we might see a member of your family.

A four-legged member?

>> Oh yes.

My cat likes to come and visit sometimes.

They have a mind of their own.

<Amanda> That's true.

[laughs] Well, we'll come back and get some information from you and thanks for taking the time to be with us this morning.

Ryan Bean is a member of the forestry and Wildlife and Natural Resources Team That's a lot of things to cover.

Ryan thank you for joining us too and I guess I know you specifically do a lot of things of prescribed burns and trying to help people do management of their forests and their timber properties.

So I guess this is a busy time for you.

>> Yes ma'am, spring is always like with horticulture, everything's in bloom but same thing in the forests.

All the ponds and trees are all doing something different.

People are always asking questions.

<Amanda> Well, thank you for taking time to be with us today, too.

Terasa Lott is a wonderful member of our team every week, She also is in charge of the master gardener program statewide, but she usually has something fun to start us out with.

Terasa, do we have some photographs that our viewers have shared?

<Terasa> We do, it is time to share Gardens of the Week, where it's like a virtual field trip to see what's going on in people's yards, gardens sometimes even with indoor plants.

we are starting with Robert Sox of Columbia who shared a close up of our state flower Yellow Jessamine visited by a pollinator.

Next, we'll go to Marshall Rouse, who captured four bluebird eggs in a nest.

So, baby birds are on the way.

From Orangeburg, Alice Walker has an arrangement of moss.

So, not something we often see but I love this arrangement.

And finally, Bailey Slice had actually sent in a photo for ID.

Thanks to Dr John for helping us to identify this as a sanicula species, which is a member of the carrot family sometimes called snakeroot.

So, we encourage all of you to send in your photographs.

Do make sure they are horizontal or landscape oriented, so they fill up your screen nicely.

And if you can't put them on Facebook, you're welcome to email them to me and almost anything is fair game: birds other critters, indoor plants, vegetables, anything that you think others would like to see.

>> Thank you, Terasa.

And Terasa, while we have Stephanie with us, I know you keep a sharp eye out for questions that people put on our Facebook page and other ways of getting queries.

Is there something particular that you think we might be able to pick Stephanie's brain about?

>> Tomatoes are always a hot topic and we had one viewer to ask, if we can provide tips on successfully growing tomatoes in containers.

>> All right, well a lot of people are in smaller dwellings.

Some people are in apartments.

Stephanie, is there a way that you can sometimes have some success, doing a tomato in a container?

>> Yeah, I would just say there are a few key points to keep in mind when you want to grow a tomato in a container.

There are different grow products for tomatoes and you may have seen this when you grow from seed or choosing your own plants.

On the label you'll see tomatoes that are labeled as determinate or indeterminate.

So, determinate plants will have a more manageable growth habit for a container garden.

They'll be more compact in habit and won't get quite as tall.

There are still some that will get 3 or 4 feet tall so you do want to read their height descriptions.

And then an indeterminate variety although it would continue to produce fruit longer into the season, would also grow to much more unmanageable heights.

in a container.

I would recommend that you choose something that's going to be a manageable, compact cultivar.

So, there are even cultivars that are very, very dwarf that you can choose and they will have names a lot of times for the cultivar or would include words like balcony or dwarf or patio, right in the name of the cultivar to clue you in that, that is smaller tomato plant.

So, you just want to be a little bit careful with a little research on the particular cultivar that you choose and choose one that's a little bit more manageable <Amanda> Stephanie, even though it's going to be a smaller tomato than you might grow in a garden, that doesn't mean, you can go pick a little small container necessarily, does it?

Don't you still need a fairly large area for that root ball to expand into?

>> Yes and again that's going to go back to the cultivars, So if you do end up picking one that's maybe three to four foot in height, you want to get a sizable container much smaller maybe than the 20 inch, at least 16 inches deep, something where you have enough soil mass so the roots have enough area to grow and support your plant, because you also want to consider how much watering you're going to have to do.

Because if that container is too small, you'll be constantly watering that tomato plant.

And that would not be a good situation.

for you or the plant.

[laughs] Then I've also seen people try to grow an indeterminate plant in a pot that's way too small and they have problems with them blowing over.

They'll get top heavy.

There's just not enough weight or volume at the bottom of the container to hold the plant.

And so you really have to kind of calculate that you need that root area for the amount of growth that you're going to have up on top.

>> Do you want to start with nice fresh potting soil that you get from a local outlet?

You don't want to just go get soil out of a garden.

I think in this case wouldn't we do better with potting soil?

>> You will do much better with a commercial potting soil, a sterile potting media and you also want to make sure you choose a container that either has drainage already or you can drill some holes in the bottom to create drainage.

Because you do not want your tomato plant standing, wet, soggy water and that would also possibly happen if you used your own native soil from your garden.

It would just be too soggy for that plant.

>> Okay, so we've got a good size pot.

We've got drainage and we've got some nice soiless mix.

How about fertility?

>> Some of the potting mixes when you choose your potting mix, look at it closely, because some of them will have a time release fertilizer, a slow release fertilizer already incorporated in the potting mix.

So that will get you started off and it'll say normally on the package for how many months that would be good for.

And then you can continue to incorporate a slow release fertilizer after that point, a balanced one like a 14-14-14 or 20-20-20, until the plants flower and then you can choose one that's more formulated for a tomato.

And they do have ones that are specifically formulated that way.

And then, alternately if you don't want to use a slow release, you use could use a water soluble fertilizer and water with that once a week and that would help with your agility for your tomato plant.

<Amanda> Stephanie, sometimes we say that plants in containers you want to let them dry out a little bit between watering.

Is that the case with tomatoes?

Or do you need to have a more consistently moist but not wet soil?

And do you have any tips on how to get it just right, please?

>> Sure.

So, you want to keep that moisture consistent in your tomato plant.

It will get stressed out and wilt down if you let it to get too dry in between waterings.

And so, that's why the size of the container is so important.

And you want to water thoroughly when you water.

You can water until the water runs out of the bottom of the container and that way you're sure you saturated the whole plant.

And I think others have shared tips about using like a milk jug or something with some holes poked in the bottom, so you can fill it up, place it on your plant and let the water slowly seep in.

That would be great too.

And I've had calls from clients saying "I'm watering my tomato plant.

It's in a container.

"I don't know what's wrong."

They'll send me a picture and I'll say, 'It's still too dry.'

So, it's just you got to make sure you've thoroughly watered it.

In the height of the summer, if you have a smaller container, you may want to check it, both morning and evening, especially on windy days and really hot days.

And I think we need to probably back track and go talk about tomatoes need full sun and so you do you want to place that container in a location that gets at least 6 hours of sun.

As well as, if you pick a taller variety, you want at least 3 or 4 feet, go ahead and put a trellis or support or plant in with that plant when you plant it.

<Amanda> Oh!

>> So that you don't have to try to struggle with supporting that material after it's grown too tall.

>> Okay.

Well, these are really good tips and I wanted to ask you if sometimes you can find a cherry tomato because I've had such good luck with those and enjoy the flavor sometimes.

Will they work maybe in this situation, too?

<Stephanie> Yes.

There are some that are cultivars a lot of actually the cultivars that are appropriate for the containers are the dwarf or patio types.

are a cherry or a large cherry There's one called Tumbling Tom and that comes in a yellow and a red.

And that one can be grown in large hanging baskets or it can drift over the side of your container.

And there's one that's a little bit larger maybe like a cocktail size called Red Robin.

and then if you like a larger fruit, you can look for varieties that are again determinant and maybe have bush in the name.

Bush will probably be more manageable for you.

>> Oh, I see.

Bush means that it's going to stay not be so just viney and go on and on and on and on and on.

>> Yeah.

That way you can approach that slicing size tomato, if you really had your heart on a larger tomato from a container.

>> Stephanie, thank you so much for sharing this information and when I'm eating a wonderful BLT I'm going to think back on you and thank you.

>> Of course.

Appreciate it.

>> John Nelson, of course is a botanist and loves to go botanizing and he has found a kindred spirit in our Sumter County Extension Agent, Chase Smoak.

>> Hey folks.

My name's Chase Smoak.

I'm a Clemson horticulture agent and today I have my good buddy, Dr John Nelson here with me.

Dr John and I let you go out exploring in the woods quite a bit and we love looking at plants, don't we, Dr. John?

<John> We sure do, Chase.

[giggles] A lot comes from being a botanist.

Doesn't it?

<Chase> It is.

So, I'm a junior botanist.

I'm learning a lot from you.

Coming from the horticulture realm.

And you've taught me quite a bit.

<John> - I know - I hope I get some of it right.

[Chase laughs] >> I just enjoy going out learning a little bit from you.

We certainly have a fun time and laugh quite a bit, as well.

>> Yeah.

It's pretty entertaining, I think.

I guess we're going to talk today about a couple of the smaller plants that are a little bit harder to notice.

One thing I've noticed going out and botanizing with you, Dr John is you really got to have like eyes all around your head.

It's hard to look up and down and all around you and spot small insignificant plants and some of these, today may be hard for folks to spot until the flowers come up.

What are we going to talk about?

>> That's right.

Spring comes around suddenly there's a lot of color everywhere and it makes a lot of difference from what those plants look like in the wintertime.

<Chase> Right.

>> We might want to talk about a couple of irises that are native species.

I know you sort of been thrilled to be dealing with these plants.

There's a lot to say about them.

There's two species that we want to talk about today.

>> I love these little plants.

I think - looking at it from a horticulture standpoint both of the species we're going to discuss are commercially available and one of them, I think works a little bit better than other in urban landscapes due to pressure on plants and we'll get into that in a second.

Let's start off and talk about Iris cristata first.

How about that?

<John> Alright.

I always loved seeing it.

So, as you know Iris cristata - I think it's called Crested Iris.

<Chase> The Dwarf Crested Iris, I believe <John> Dwarf Crested Iris That's a good name.

It's a short little thing.

It doesn't get like much taller than say eight inches off the ground.

And the flowers are just spectacular.

Let's face it though, the flowers of all irises are spectacular.

<Chase> They are.

They're all there.

I call them showstoppers, because when we were walking in the woods, you have to stop and look at it, whether you're a plant specialists or not.

<John> Especially if you come to a place where there's hundreds.

of them in bloom.

>> Do you remember the day we found the hedge nettles back in that lowland area, There was a bunch of Blue Flag Iris back in there.

<John> That's right.

There were few and still in flower but most of them had got on the fruit.

<Chase> They had.

That's a larger iris, too.

<John> Yeah.

It's a - Well Chase, let's get back to what we're supposed to be talking about.

So, this Iris cristata or Dwarf Crested Iris, is a short little thing.

And when somebody looks at the flower - Let me just say or remind everybody if I can about how an iris flower is put together.

Everybody, I think knows the flowers have what we call sepals and petals then all that reproductive stuff.

Well, in irises there's going to be three sepals, which are fairly large and they sort of hang down.

And they're colorful, which is a little bit unusual for sepals.

and then there's going to be a three petals that aren't as wonderful as the sepals and they stick up alternating with those three sepals.

You got three sepals, three petals.

Now,the next layer of plant parts is going to be the stamens and there's going to be three stamens and each one is going to be arching over a sepal.

[laughs] It sounds sort of complicated but it's not.

And then the female part of the flower, there's an ovary and it's going to have three style branches that are broad and they arch over the stamen.

You can't see the stamen from looking down on a plant.

And it's that way with basically all irises.

But the one we're talking about, cristata, it has a rhizome.

I know you've seen this thing in the woods.

The rhizome is what we call surficial which is a fancy way of saying that it's just barely on top, barely into the ground at all.

It's just very loose on top of the soil.

So, it makes these things pretty easy to pull up.

which is not that I'm recommending it.

>> That's right because it's important to say for folks that if you're out on public lands it's actually illegal to go in and tamper with plant material unless you have some type of special license granted by the state to go out and collect samples.

For private lands, it's little bit different, but we won't go too far into that.

Because both these plants are easy to find on the market if you look in the right place.

<John> Yeah, I think I might want to get some of these maybe both of them.

<Chase> Maybe that'll be a good birthday present for you.

<John> Yeah, well my birthday was a couple weeks ago.

[laughs] But I'll bet this Iris cristata would at home in partial shade.

If somebody wants to grow it in their yard that it could be...kind of in a shady place.

Isn't that right?

>> That's right but it prefers a specific type of soil.

So, it likes a richer soil.

Doesn't it?

>> I would think so and it's also at home mostly in South Carolina in the Upcountry, that is the Piedmont and the Mountains.

You don't find that too much on the coastal plain.

But Chase I forgot my most important part.

>> What's that?

<John> Two very important parts and I forgot.

So with Iris cristata, it's called cristata because it's going to crest on each one of those really, pretty sepals that are hanging down.

The top surface is going to have three sorts of little parallel rows with jaggedy teeth.

And they're commonly yellow or white maybe sometimes even orange but that crest is very distinctive.

<Chase> Yes, it's kind of like a little ruffled Crest and easily distinguishable from the next plant, which not only physiologically just looking at it is it different, but also it's in a different habitat.

Our next plant, which is Iris verna.

It's the Dwarf iris.

So you got the Dwarf crested and now we're going to talk about the Dwarf.

That's an important reason why we don't just depend on common names a lot of times.

Right, Dr. John?

<John> Yeah we can't do that.

We've got to be science nerds every now and then.

<Chase> Use a little Latin [laughs] <John> Yeah and you want to impress your friends too.

<Chase> Yeah.

So Iris verna, it's easily distinguishable from Iris cristata.

I mean simply one thing off the top, the leaves.

The leaves are very thin.

Correct?

- versus cristata, which are much broader.

but I'll let you talk a little bit about it.

>> Well, I think you know more about the leaves than I do.

But I think that one of the differences between these two species is that Iris cristata, remember, has this very skinny rhizome right at the surface of the soil, where as verna, the Dwarf iris has its rhizome, below the soil I mean it's seriously, below.

If you try to pull it up, you'll just tear everything up.

[clears throat] But one of the other big differences is that as we were talking a minute ago about these sepals that hang down, Iris verna, also has colorful sepals, but they're not crested.

They're just sort of like a flat layer of color.

It could be called a sort of a signal that's on each one of those sepals, that you end up with three signals.

<Chase> To top it off they smell pretty good too.

Don't they?

<John> I forgot about that.

The verna is incredibly fragrant.

And...so, now cristata is not so fragrant.

It's sort of sad.

<Chase> It's interesting how that works with plants.

Hey can differentiate between the two.

And one thing that helps me differentiate between those two species a lot of times, the habitat, like you said.

Cristata you see in the mountains and some into the Piedmont and Verna you're going to see in the coastal plain.

Usually, when I go out on the farm and I see it, it's usually on some type of a sandy pine covered area.

and it's usually sitting on a slope is usually where I spot it and don't I usually have to wait till the flowers come up because like we said earlier if you're dependent on the leaves it just looks like a blade of grass on verna.

but whenever that flower comes up it's like violet to orange type colors, it's quite beautiful and being a Clemson guy myself I admire it.

<John> Well, they really are beautiful That's for sure.

<John> So, I guess we covered the major differences between those things and you were saying that verna is a plant that's commonly found in dryish places.

I think I told you once, I think I have seen some of those verna blooming on some of the sand rounds of a different Carolina vase of the Low country.

So it - >> That makes a lot of sense.

<John> Yeah.

Within a Carolina bay, especially if it's a wet one, sometimes you could find the Dwarf iris on the sand and then down in the water of the bay, the Blue Flag Iris, Virginica, which is kind of a treat.

<Chase> Kind of towering over them.

Takes us to stealing the show a little bit.

I love all those irises but the Dwarf irises here in South Carolina.

There's something else that a lot of folks don't know about that I believe deserve a place in landscapes.

And Verna, I believe may be more applicable to the urban landscape and cristata simply due to it's tendency to tolerate dry soils.

Soils that don't have a lot of nutrients in them.

So, if you tend to neglect plants or may kill plants sometimes verna may be the best choice for you.

For maybe a tight planting.

What do you think Dr John?

>> Well as you know I'm not much of a gardener, so I'll have to leave all of that to you.

I would just guess that the based on what we've been talking about, verna, Iris verna, might be good to have in sort of an open rock garden, boulders and rocky sort of stuff.

If you wanted to grow Cristata, since it's more of a woodland species, you can maybe even grow that on the shady side of your house in a rich soil kind of scene.

<Chase> I agree I think both of those plants would be wonderful additions.

It's kind of nice when you walk into a landscape and even if it's a tiny little plant, you notice it and they can really be special.

Well, I want to thank you for your time, today Dr John.

I can't wait till we can get out next time and go look at some plants in person again.

>> I'm going to try to do that as soon as we can.

>> I also hope that we can get together Skyping and maybe talk about some other plants.

>> Absolutely, I'm always down to have a good plant discussion.

So, thank you so much Dr John >> Alright, Chase.

You take it easy.

<Chase> You too.

>> I'm kind of jealous I think I'm going to have to get John and Chase to let me trot along behind on the next trip they take.

It's always fun to learn things and Chase is certainly got a lot of fun places that he and Dr. John might be exploring and telling us more about in the future.

I was out looking for hat stuff and Terasa as you said earlier in the show, we had a picture of someone showing a pollinator on Yellow Jessamine.

So, there was our native vine clamoring all around I stopped and got some there.

the tulip magnolias have been in bloom in various places.

I've got one that I have in my hat, it's called the Little Girl series and it's one that's a little smaller and slightly later than some of the others.

I think the dark color is really pretty.

I'm glad to have it in the backyard.

and that it's been cooperating and we haven't had a cold frost.

Goodness gracious.

Terasa, now that we got Ryan with us, is there a question that's come up that you think he may have some knowledge about?

>> I think we have a perfect question.

We have someone who has indicated land inheritance and is considering putting timber on that land and is looking to us for some guidance >> Goodness.

Well, Ryan, I know a lot of people in South Carolina who send their kids to college and help look for their retirement with all sorts of things involving timber give us some advice on good management and what y'all can do to help.

>> Yeah, Amanda, this is a question that we get it pretty regularly with Forestry and Wildlife team.

People are all the time inheriting land in various states.

Sometimes it's cropland.

Sometimes it's land that's been clear cut or maybe it's just in a state of natural regeneration.

In any of those cases, when they call us a lot of times, we steer them towards cost sharing programs.

Those programs are set in place to help people continue to put trees in the ground so that we have a renewable resource here in South Carolina to help sustain that large economy that we have, 21 billion dollars with the timber industry here.

When they contact us, the first thing we've got to figure out is what the current state of that property is and understanding those cost share programs are in place requires that they have their property cleared and in a state where it can be replanted.

That's the first requirement for them.

<Amanda> Okay.

>> Like I mentioned a minute ago, these programs are set up so they are trees can be replanted.

That's the only intention of these programs Some of the federal programs they may hear about are specifically suited for wildlife habitat and soil erosion protection.

The programs I'm talking about today will be the state programs those are specifically set up again for timber reforestation.

>> Ryan, if someone finds themselves with questions, do they have to engage a forester or can they reach out to the forestry team at Clemson to get started on a process?

<Ryan> They can definitely start out with us or we can definitely deal with their questions for them help them get on the right track.

Give them all of the resources they need and then if we get the feeling that they've got enough of a need or maybe they're an absentee landowner, for example.

I will definitely give them a couple of names or the list of consulting foresters to reach out to or set them up with the state forestry commission foresters, as well.

State foresters can also write them some basic management plans as well as if they're interested in pursuing a stewardship forest management plan as well.

>> Okay, so y'all really do have people with a wide range of experience to go and help with this.

One thing I hear about sometimes is that there is breeding that goes on so that some of the new plant, new pines or whatever.

I guess mostly pines, that people go to put in that so their new variety, new cultivars that maybe do better and so people should have an open mind to what y'all recommend.

>> Sure, there are quite a few options out there especially when it comes to loblolly pine and all the recommendations regarding which pine species you plant is based on the sole characteristics.

>> Tell me how that varies.

>> Sumter county is a great example of this.

You've got a lot of variations and soil types and if you go over the western part of the county where the Santee hills are.

You can have anything from a clay soil to a sand based soil.

As you move further east in the county and same thing happens, you go through the Sandhills.

You get over to the Alcolu area where it's a little heavier.

Back into the cost share programs The way those things work is people come to us with the land.

And we give them recommendations on what they should might want to do with it that fits their objectives.

And once they get to that point, those cost share programs are set up to help that person get trees in the ground at a lower cost.

And everybody likes things that are lower cost.

We all like coupons and those kind of things.

So those programs are essentially like a coupon if you will.

They go and get their things in order to contact the state forester.

They get them in the plans and they are able to apply for those funds and once they're funded those programs help them by reimbursing them for the activities they complete that are recommended by those foresters.

There really is a great way for people to get trees in the ground at a lower cost and to continue to get that resource planted.

>> So we have foresters who handle all the different counties that may not be used.

Like you have several counties.

So any extension office that you call can put you in touch with the right program, right person, I believe.

>> Yes ma'am.

We have, I believe 11 foresters or 11 forestry agents in the state that can help you connect with the design resources, whether it's a state forester or a consulting forester to get those answers.

>> Okay.

So don't delay go ahead and call and start planning because although trees are a renewable resource, it takes more than one year.

>> Absolutely.

>> Well just like horticulture, soil types are important for forestry too.

And we appreciate it when our specialists can come on and share information with us.

We'll look forward to getting more information in the future from Ryan.

The Agribusiness team at Clemson is certainly tied in with everything else we do which is trying to keep people being successful at what they do is related to agriculture in the state and Will Culler is going to talk to us about one of their programs.

I'm speaking with Will Culler and Will is part of Clemson Extension's Agribusiness team, which means that he's not involved so much as working with farmers in the soil and with insect problems but farming and timber are the largest economic drivers of the state.

So, it makes sense that Clemson has a close connection with that.

Will you have although you'll have many different projects going on, one that you are particularly devoted to is one that's trying to see that even in a state that grows so much food, that we have people who have a hard time getting food.

So talk about this program that's designed to try to help bring services and fresh food to these food deserts that we have.

>> Thank you, Amanda.

It's great to be here Yeah we've got a feeding innovation program.

It is a program that is focused on bringing healthy foods into food deserts in underserved areas of our state.

It is a 10 week technical assistance program, runs two to three hours each night for 10 weeks.

And the program has been going since 2014.

So we've done 8 or 9 of these sessions.

So, for all across the state.

The program is like I said really geared to bringing all healthy foods.

It's a wide variety of businesses that go to the class.

There's an application process, obviously and we do a wonderful job of vetting those applications and have some incredible businesses going through this program.

>> One of the things is that people who have wonderful ideas and are so creative often aren't great at figuring out how to make it successful and they're going to start they should be successful.

So do y'all lead them through the hard and arduous part of a true, well designed business plan so that they do have a chance of coming out with success?

<Will> That's exactly right.

The 10 week course takes them through the different sections of a business plan, and it also takes them on how to make a pitch, because it's going to lead him to a pitch night.

The final night is a pitch night where the winners are going to win a capital investment for their business.

<Amanda> And really, but I'm sure that not just the people who win the cash prize, other people also because they developed this very effective and well designed plan can also be successful in implementing their plan, too.

Correct?

<Will> Absolutely!

It's amazing.

I always tell people in the first class you guys are going to be in the class for 10 weeks are two to three hours a night with these people that they're all interested in doing the same thing you're doing Everyone's trying to bring healthy foods.

Everyone's in the same situations.

Have the same struggles.

Have the same experiences.

So, you're going to learn you're all going to be winners coming out of this class you know instead of just a first second, third place winner, anyone who goes to this class is going to be a winner because you're going to make contacts that a lot of these will last for a lifetime.

>> Will, you said that you have an application period coming up soon.

You don't have to have a strong financial background or educational background to participate.

Do you?

Is it open to people of all ages?

>> It is.

It is, Amanda.

It's open to anyone with the passion.

We do want to see that you're serious about this not just not just an idea, someone that actually has gone out and done some research someone who knows Hey I'm going to do this no matter what whether I win this competition or not, this is what I'm going to do and this is where I'm at.

You don't to have a business plan done already.

We're not in the - that could be good but you don't have to.

This is for someone who just have that passion.

They're going to follow through on that passion no matter what.

We look for those people and my goodness we find them.

It's great.

>> And I imagine too, that a large part of what happens is that they then talk with each other and share ideas outside of the classroom setting.

>> Outside and inside the class we usually - I have in classes before.

I don't remember specifically.

My York class had people team up and 'Hey we're going to work 'together.

we're going to become one business.

It's going 'to increase our chances of winning, 'because it's going to make it stronger.

'Hey we want to partner with this person.'

So, you're in there to really make some good connections.

That's what it's all about.

>> If people want to apply for this new session that's coming up, tell me when it begins and how to get the application process and get the ball rolling.

>> Absolutely the application process starts May 3rd runs through June 4th and the classes will start on June 30th.

You can go to Clemson Extension Agribusiness page and find information about feeding innovation there.

Or you go to the South Carolina Community Loan Fund/ feeding-innovation and the applications are all there.

So, anything or you can go to your local extension office and ask about agribusiness.

They can put you in contact with one of our agents.

<Amanda> Alright.

Will, thank you for what you're doing.

Again, it is shameful to think that in a state that has such wonderful soils, such wonderful farmers and such wonderful extension agents helping them that we have people that are hungry and here y'all are bridging that gap that's necessary and I want to thank you for your passion and commitment to your work.

Really do appreciate it.

>> Thank you.

It's been great.

>> Please take time to visit the Clemson Agribusiness homepage.

There are many programs and maybe one that you're not familiar with that might actually help you in your situation.

Terasa, we've got summer coming up with fishing and swimming and things like that.

Have people been asking any questions about outdoor water activities?

>> Yes.

In fact, we had someone to write in explaining they had experienced an issue with a pond last year late spring, early summer with an algae bloom.

And wanted to know how could they be pro-active in preventing that from happening this year.

>> Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resources.

Brian, I'm hoping that you may be have some familiarity or team members who can help us with this.

>> Yes ma'am.

The Forestry and Wildlife team is also paired up with the Water Resource team.

Between the two of us we address, a lot of those questions with the Forestry and Wildlife team.

we try to handle all the questions related to recreational fish ponds or farm ponds.

And the water team try to handle all the community ponds and storm water ponds.

But when it comes to algae blooms they can be in any of those ponds as well as weed issues, as well.

As waters start to rise here in the spring.

just like we see in our yards with weeds popping up, We'll see the same things in our ponds.

The algae blooms can happen in any of them.

They're more directly related to our farm ponds you see those a lot when it comes to livestock and nutrient loadings that go on there, but in any kind of pond where there's run off from the surrounding areas, especially for fertilizing, we can definitely see an algal bloom.

There are healthy algae blooms and there are harmful algae blooms.

So it's definitely good to get someone to take a look at it and make sure what you've got going on and whether or not you need to do something about it or not.

As far our weeds go, definitely keep an eye on what changes you see from year to year and you can do sampling for water quality and pH to kind of hone in on any kind of problems you got going on, as well as identifying the specific issues you got and taking care of those as they arise with various management methods.

>> So once again reach out to your local extension office and describe your situation and the admin there will put you in touch with the right number of the team to come and give you some help.

Is that correct?

>> That's correct >> Y'all wear a lot of hats and we sure do thank you.

Thank you for time you spent with us today as well.

>> Thank you for having us.

>> Earlier this year, I was happy to work with the Kershaw County Free Medical Clinic with some virtual garden tours, just met the nicest people and I'd like to share one of those gardens with you now.

Today, we're speaking with someone Elizabeth Reames, who has invited us into her yard.

Elizabeth, tell us where your house is located and situated, because you're in an unusual situation in downtown Camden.

>> We're in downtown Camden but we're hidden back behind a church and bed and breakfast.

and other properties that are kind of private, which we really enjoy.

So we have a woodland area out front but then you have a backyard that we can enjoy as a family.

We're right in town but it feels like we're on a little farm sometimes.

<Amanda> It did when I arrived.

I was really excited about it and I believe your house is somewhat...contemporary which I think is interesting.

You said the people - who lived in the huge house Bloomsbury, is that correct?

<Elizabeth> Yeah >> Which goes back to, goodness, goes way before the Civil War.

Felt like they needed fewer stairs and built a lovely house.

You almost have a sense of the mountains, Don't you.

<Elizabeth> Yeah It's almost - sort of a mid century modern from the 1950s with huge windows.

And yes, does feel like you're outside all the time with the large windows.

>> Well, as we pulled up into your lovely landscape.

Your border is kind of anchored by boxwoods, I think, which you installed, I believe.

>> Some of the boxwoods were there and we tried to maintain them and then we added throughout a shaded area.

We've added some Oakwood hydrangeas, Lenten roses, Lamb's ear, some of those things to try to tie it all together right up front of the house.

>> One thing that I think is very obvious is you want to plant things for pollinators.

And so you're not interested in having just a strictly formal front door presentation.

It's got a little bit of your whimsy and your interest in other things involved.

<Elizabeth> Yeah and very diverse and I like a lot of different plants.

So we're always kind of experimenting and do try to plant some natives for pollinators and birds.

We have bee hives.

We have chickens.

We're always conscious of that.

[Amanda giggles] >> And then if we were standing if walked out of your front door and were looking across, describe that area there it was almost like a wooded area.

>> Yes there's a wooded area out front when we moved in it had gotten a little bit overgrown.

But we tried to reclaim some of that.

They're beautiful old sasanquas and camellias.

I think one year I counted, there were over 25 different varieties just from the little picture that I could take.

I haven't identified them all but we're trying to just keep those maintained and then eventually, one day I'm going to try to make it more of a pathway woodland type garden area.

>> And I was particularly impressed one of the sasanquas was the largest I think I've ever seen.

Do you think it might be maybe 30 feet tall.

<Elizabeth> I think so.

It's very large.

And we're - I've never seen one like that either and it blooms beautifully even with it crossing trunks and large limbs going everywhere but it's not.

>> Well and again with your interest in pollinators because of course you're a bee keeper, we noticed, when you plant because the sasanquas or Camellia japonicas that have some actual sexual parts and not just petals.

They are remarkably attractive to pollinators.

Aren't they?

>> Yeah they are.

You can see them all the way up on top, especially this time of year when there's not much else they're covering.

>> And then you also in that area had two trees that I thought were pretty spectacular.

You had a huge eastern red cedar and then also a beautiful oak that was in the White Oak family.

So you've got a great start on material there, I believe.

Are most of your bees in beehives, in that area, your beehives?

<Elizabeth> Yes, right now they've been in the front yard.

We had them in the back before and we just moved them around.

Sometimes, the kids and things were going on and just to kind of try to keep them all in one area at this point.

>> And then as we walked around the side of your house towards the backyard, you said that there had been a red chip hedge there when you moved in that was all over the place.

How did y'all decide what to do with that?

<Elizabeth> When we moved in, we tried to start cleaning it up a little bit because it was overgrown with wisteria and things that had just taken over.

So it was hard.

We got it down a little bit, but it still didn't come back looking good.

It had to get past some of that disease in it.

So, we decided to take it down and start over And that was a big job.

It took a lot of work with my husband and I but we got that taken out so we could start fresh and try to do a mixed border with some conifers, magnolias, holly, Japanese maple, and some viburnum.

Just trying to keep it kind of a mixed border.

>> And you do seem to have an affinity for Japanese Maples.

And you've got some beautiful ones there.

And of course one thing that's fun about them, Elizabeth they have fun color in the spring and then in the fall too, Don't they?

>> They do.

And I just started a season of those colors since we've had these.

I even like them in the winter with the trunk structure just to give some shape.

>> Yeah, all the time they have some intrinsic value in the landscape.

And then that area y'all have a screen porch and patio.

So I guess you might want to tell us that you and your husband y'all don't hire people to come in, y'all do the work.

>> We do.

We do work a lot.

We mainly do the work ourselves.

I like to try lots of new plants and plant them.

My husband complains that I'm moving them around a lot.

but that's part of the fun for me to see where things go.

And he added some beds in and we keep doing that.

I keep creeping into the lawn a little bit and my kids get a little unhappy with that.

But that's okay.

They have enough lawn, I think.

I can still plant what I want to plant.

>> You have three high school children, I believe and two dogs and ping pong and trampolines and obviously this is y'all live and enjoy your yard.

<Elizabeth> We do.

We spend most of the time out there and we love having people over and the kids over.

So, it's a fun area.

We're so thankful to be able to have that area <Amanda> And in that area too, you have some deer who come in your yard.

And so you have one or two areas that you protected because again you are putting pollinator attractive plants in all over the place.

<Elizabeth> Yes, we have lot's of pollinator plants.

The deer do walk through so I've stopped with the roses because it's a battle that I don't want to fight, but we've got a lots of - There's African Blue Basil.

There's salvia, hanging flowers, especially in the summer zinnias.

There's one in spring really blooms with the pollinators or for the pollinators is Mountain mint, which does spread but it hasn't been too overwhelming yet.

>> You can always pull it up.

<Elizabeth> Yeah.

Yeah.

>> And then one of the things that was tremendously fun is that not only are you a beekeeper, you're a chicken keeper.

How in the world did that come about?

>> Right, I think a couple of years before we moved here I decided that I wanted chickens and fresh eggs I ended up, one day just grabbing to a place that had a chicken coop and three free chicks that came with it sitting up in the truck and then my husband came home to a chicken coop.

It's been lots of fun to watch them and they have neat personalities and it's always an adventure having them around with the dog as well, in the same place at one time.

>> And you said that this year you're actually got some biddies from someone and you had to kind of encourage one of the hens you already had because you don't have a rooster to kind of protect those little chickens because they do have a pecking order.

Don't they?

>> They definitely do.

This year it works out great.

The one I tried to get to be the momma, really took to it and she took care of the three little babies and helped work them into the flock so everybody got along pretty well.

<Amanda> Well I'm want to say what I think is fun about your yard is that it's going to improve over time because you haven't just hired somebody to come in and do the whole thing and so I think as the years go on and you and your husband make decisions of what to do and eventually the children leave home and go to college, it will be a reflection of what you and your husband and your family enjoy instead of just something that someone came in and said here's what you should have.

And I think because of that it reflects your interest in the environment and in animals.

You got water features.

Elizabeth, I really think that you have made a wonderful start and I hope that in the years to come, you let me come back and see how things are evolving.

>> Thank you I would love for you to come back.

It is the place that we enjoy being in and working in.

and being with nature.

Thank you.

<Amanda> It shows.

Thanks a lot.

<Elizabeth> Thank you.

♪ [calming music] ♪ <Amanda> Thank you all for being with us tonight.

We certainly enjoyed it.

We learned a lot.

We hope you did too and I hope you'll join us next week for another version of Making It Grow.

♪ [Making It Grow theme song] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Making it Grow is brought to you in part by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Certified South Carolina Grown helps consumers identify, find and buy South Carolina products.

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.

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

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