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Making It Grow! News Articles

September 11, 2005

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Many baby boomers in South Carolina remember the good old days when we drove real "muscle cars". The Pontiac GTO, Oldmobile's 442, Dodge Charger, and the still popular Mustang GT were our favorites. Today, many bably boomers refurbish these old classics, drive them around the state, and have classic car shows. All of these cars bring back memories of our younger years and pleasant thoughts.

Gardening is also witnessing a new experience with the past. The planting of heirlooms (varieties that have been grown for at least 50 years, time-tested, and open pollinated) are gaining in popularity. Many of these culitvars have been handed down for several generations and have a European background.

We often refer to some of the old vegetables as tasting much better than some of the current hybrids. You hear this comment quite a bit from vegetable gardeners who claim the new vareities aren't as sweet or tasty as some of the older ones. This caused Harold McClintock of the Ora community in Laurens County to plant over 80 cultivars of heirloom tomatoes. He lets his customers taste a variety so he/she will know what seed to plant for next year. Harold and his wife have developed the Home Place garden center into a diverse educational attraction.

Other vegetebales, such as cumbers, lettuce, okra, and radish have some heirlooms that are gaining in popularity. the 'Striaght Eight' cucumber was developed in 1935 and was grown in the United States for many years. 'Salad Bowl' lettuce came into the scene during 1952. All baby boomers should remember 'Clemson Spineless' okra that still can be found in many garden centers today. 'Cherry Belle' radish was a big hit in 1949 and stayed around for a long time.

Some gardeners in the Palmetto State are also looking at some of the old flowering ornamentals. Mexican zinnia, such as 'Persian Carpet', bears variegated semi- double flowers in shades of red, gold, and white and attracts butterflies. Parents of the baby boomers remember the famous movie 'Gone With The Wind'. They also remember the flowering morning glory 'Scarlett O'Hara' that dates back to 1942. Marigolds are popular today just as they were in 1947 when the well-known French marigold 'Naughty Marietta' was released.

The key to bringing back heirlooms is learning to plant a seed and making it grow. Today, so many of our vegetables and ornamentals are planted in greenhouses, placed in containers, and the sold to the public. Many gardeners are not familiar with the ease and pleasure of growing from seed.

If I could bring back by 1969 Dodge Charger that was very well known to the S C Highway Patrol on Interstate 26 between Clemson and Columbia, I would eat a tomato sandwich while driving the speed limit. Of course, the sandwich would have an old 'Marion' tomato with 'Salad Bowl' lettuce and plenty of mayonaise.

For more information on heirlooms visit the National Garden Bureau or Clemson's Home and Garden Information Center websites.