Making It Grow Minutes

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Gardening and horticulture news and tips, as well as agricultural information from Amanda McNulty, the host of SCETV's "Making It Grow" and Clemson University Extension Agent. Produced by South Carolina Public Radio.

Alfred Turner


    • Feb 28, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1m AVG DURATION
    • 624 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Making It Grow Minutes

    The sad history of sea turtles

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2026 1:00


    We now revere and protect our sea turtles, but it was not always this way.

    One call can save a sea turtle's life

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 1:00


    The SC Department of Natural Resources hotline is live 24/7

    Caring for South Carolina's sea turtle population

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 1:00


    The South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston can save sea turtles suffering from various complaints.

    Keeping South Carolina's waterways debris-free

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 1:00


    All litter flows downstream, into storm drains, creeks, lakes, and massive amounts end up in the ocean.

    Helping sea turtles in distress

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2026 1:00


    Amanda McNulty explains what to do if you observe a sea turtle that looks injured or ill.

    How sycamores support wildlife

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2026 1:00


    The structural weakness of sycamores is a boon to a variety of animals.

    Creative uses of sycamore hollows

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 1:00


    Sycamores not only tend to lose limbs, which makes nesting sites for bats, birds, and mammals, but they also tend to rot from the inside, leaving open spaces at their base.

    Sycamores: not ideal for landscaping

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2026 1:00


    Most people wouldn't, and shouldn't, plant sycamore trees in their yards.

    Buttonwood

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2026 1:00


    Sycamores have a complicated wood structure, but they have interesting properties that can be put to good use.

    sycamores buttonwood
    Sycamore trees, the contemporaries of dinosaurs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 1:00


    Amanda McNulty marvels at the beauty and endurance of the mighty sycamore.

    Heirloom Ornaments

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty shares how Christmas tree ornaments gathered over the years can stir warm memories of loved ones, both near and far.

    Candlelit Christmas trees

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty reflects on the romance and beauty of Christmas trees once lit by candles.

    Fun at the Christmas tree farm

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty embraces the spirit of the season by sharing the joys of visiting your local Christmas tree farm.

    A tasteful tabletop Christmas tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty explains the origin of her passion for colorful Christmas tree lights

    Putting up the Christmas tree

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty reminisces about putting up her Christmas tree in her 19th century home.

    Cedar apple rust

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2025 1:00


    Cedar apple rust is a fungus, but its brown cases become jelly-like blobs with protrusions that look like something from outer space.

    Eastern red cedars and juniper berries

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 1:00


    Our eastern red cedar is one of the junipers whose berries are used to flavor gin.

    Building with eastern red cedar

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 1:00


    Native Americans used eastern red cedar for canoes and ceremonial buildings.

    An eastern red cedar for Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 1:00


    Before the ubiquitous Fraser firs that don't grow well here, many people got an eastern red cedar.

    The protective properties of eastern red cedar

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2025 1:00


    Eastern red cedar has long been used to line chests and closets to protect wool items.

    Bat guano

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2025 1:00


    Bird and bat guano have both been used as valuable sources of fertilizer. The most valuable guano is found in caves protected from water.

    Is that bottle of tequila bat-friendly? Check the label.

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2025 1:00


    Agave growers get higher yields of tequila precursors when the plants aren't allowed to flower, imperiling bats that depend on the night-blooming flowers.

    Bats as pollinators

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 1:00


    Do you enjoy tequila? Thank the bat community.

    Bats in South Carolina

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2025 1:00


    Host Amanda McNulty explains how you can help protect our state's bat population.

    October is Bat Month

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2025 1:00


    Host Amanda McNulty explains why bats are important mammals worldwide.

    Storing chlorophyll

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2025 1:00


    Tree leaves aren't the only thing that contains chlorophyll; sometimes it's stored in the fruit.

    Chlorophyll: an expensive molecule for plants to make

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2025 1:00


    Chlorophyll is the basis for life on Earth.

    Tapping trees

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 1:00


    Tapping trees has a long history in the U.S.

    Vermont: a leaf-peeper's paradise

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 1:00


    In the fall, Vermont's deciduous trees put on an eye-popping display of color.

    Chasing Autumn: where and when to witness South Carolina's vibrant fall foliage

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2025 1:00


    If you want to see beautiful fall leaves in South Carolina, you should head up above Highway 11.

    An obscure study of stabilimenta

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2025 1:00


    During World War II, the stabilimenta of writing spiders was observed getting smaller, possibly supporting a theory of the zigzag's purpose.

    Mystery of the stabilimentum

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2025 1:00


    While joining a friend to watch writing spiders weave their webs, Amanda McNulty ponders the purpose of the stabilimentum.

    Writing spiders

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2025 1:00


    Host Amanda McNulty takes a closer look at the web weaving of writing spiders.

    Big yellow spiders

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 1:00


    One of the common spiders that weave webs with a distinctive zigzag pattern is the yellow garden spider.

    Spiderweb Management

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2025 1:00


    Instead of having to keep up with cleaning spiderwebs from the front of her house, Amanda McNulty decides to recruit some members of the wildlife community.

    Appreciating the Trumpet Creeper

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2025 1:00


    Although some consider it invasive, the Trumpet Creeper has inspired naturalists and writers, such as hummingbird enthusiast William Hilton.

    Trumpet creeper

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2025 1:00


    The native Campsis radicans, or Trumpet Creeper, is often called invasive, but it supports a variety of wildlife.

    The efficiency of scout ants

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty can't find the rice in her pantry, but guess who can.

    Wildlife guests

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2025 1:00


    Amanda McNulty reflects on the variety of animals that have visited her home throughout her lifetime.

    Ant control

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2025 1:00


    From fire ants to sugar ants, there are effective methods for controlling a variety of Formicidae.

    Enjoying and employing rice

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2025 1:00


    Rice isn't just delicious, it's functional.

    Salt is hygroscopic, but rice is a desiccant

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2025 1:00


    Has South Carolina's humidity clumped up your salt dispenser? Add some rice. Amanda McNulty explains why this household hack works.

    Salt cellars

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2025 1:00


    Have you ever used a salt cellar? Host Amanda McNulty explains how to place them on the dining table and gives some helpful information on storing salt.

    Swamp milkweed

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 1:00


    Monarch butterflies love swamp milkweed for egg-laying and feeding caterpillars, but find competition for food with the native swamp milkweed beetle.

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