Join Wesley and Steven this week for basic fall tips. Wesley sets the record straight on what Not to do when it comes to pumpkins. Then we journey into the world of mums (the plant, not your mother!) Discover why planting mums in your yard might not be the best idea, when to buy them for the longest-lasting blooms, and deadheading. Get ready to learn some valuable watering tips, and why pouring water directly on your precious mums might not be as beneficial as you think. Let's delve into these topics and more, see you there!
Get ready for the upcoming Fig Fest in September - an event you don't want to miss! you can Find Fig Fest Tickets Here! Use code Fig10 for 10% off.
Hit us up on Instagram and give our hotline a call at 864-982-5029. Happy listening! And remember to leave us a rating and review.
We mentioned The Nested Fig App in this episode. You can Tap Here to get our app and join our live sales on Sundays and Thursdays at 8pm est. Use Code Fig10 for 10% Off.
Follow Steven on Instagram at @Keepinupwithsteven and follow Wesley on Instagram at @Farmshenanigans. Shop our online store at TheNestedFig.Com Use Coupon Code Fig10 for 10% Off Your Purchase. Find The Nested Fig on Instagram at @TheNestedFig
Join Wesley and Steven this week for basic fall tips. Wesley sets the record straight on what Not to do when it comes to pumpkins. Then we journey into the world of mums (the plant, not your mother!) Discover why planting mums in your yard might not be the best idea, when to buy them for the longest-lasting blooms, and deadheading. Get ready to learn some valuable watering tips, and why pouring water directly on your precious mums might not be as beneficial as you think. Let's delve into these topics and more, see you there!
Get ready for the upcoming Fig Fest in September - an event you don't want to miss! you can Find Fig Fest Tickets Here! Use code Fig10 for 10% off.
Hit us up on Instagram and give our hotline a call at 864-982-5029. Happy listening! And remember to leave us a rating and review.
We mentioned The Nested Fig App in this episode. You can Tap Here to get our app and join our live sales on Sundays and Thursdays at 8pm est. Use Code Fig10 for 10% Off.
Follow Steven on Instagram at @Keepinupwithsteven and follow Wesley on Instagram at @Farmshenanigans. Shop our online store at TheNestedFig.Com Use Coupon Code Fig10 for 10% Off Your Purchase. Find The Nested Fig on Instagram at @TheNestedFig
Girl get in.
Speaker 2:You're running late.
Speaker 1:It's time for another episode of who's driving. Welcome to who's driving. I'm Wesley Turner.
Speaker 2:And I'm Steven Merck. We're two best friends and entrepreneurs.
Speaker 1:Who's driving is an entertaining look into the behind the scenes of our lives, friendship and business. These are the stories we share and topics we discuss, as two best friends would on a long road trip along the way, we'll check in with friends and offer a wide range of informative topics centered around running small businesses, social media and all things home and garden buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Speaker 2:You never know who's driving, or?
Speaker 1:where we're headed. All we know is it's always a fun ride and on this week's episode we are gonna be talking all things fall fall basics. We got some fall info that you need to know. Yeah, very basic.
Speaker 2:We're setting it straight very basic, but very important.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're gonna. We're gonna set some certain things straight.
Speaker 1:I've been waiting on this episode since we started. I'm gonna get on my fall soapbox and we are gonna set it straight. But before we get there, girl, I was on tiktok at 3 am this morning and A thing popped up. This is another Wesley thing, but I got to ask you it what you think I mean. Here's the thing Mm-hmm, I never knew this until this morning at 3 am. The term, the phrase, okay, you have to honestly tell me what you say it is, or?
Speaker 2:think it is.
Speaker 1:Okay, but if something, if you're having a conversation or whatever, or like something's going on in the phrase Like oh yeah, that's coming down the pipe. Mm-hmm, pike, it's pike. I thought it was pipe Like a pipe.
Speaker 2:Coming down the pike. It's coming down the pike. Is that what it was?
Speaker 1:Yes, what I've always said I have never. I have my whole life. I have thought it was coming down the pipe.
Speaker 2:No, coming down the pike.
Speaker 1:Ah, oh, my gosh. I would have always said I was, I never used that Well.
Speaker 2:I thought oh my gosh, if it was pipe. I've been saying pike this all these years but it is pike, pike. Okay, so he I.
Speaker 1:But I did after because that was it was actually funny. It was someone Said it coming down the pipe and then someone called them out like what did you say, and I was like, that's what I say.
Speaker 2:What is a?
Speaker 1:pike like a turn pike like a road a right Coming down.
Speaker 2:That's what I was thinking, or whatever down the pike.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I was think I was thinking pipe Like a funnel, like coming down.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean honestly that wouldn't be incorrect to think like that. It's coming down the pipe. It's not the common term.
Speaker 1:I'm just trying to make you feel better for being stupid, so I want to know if you are listening. Text us or call and leave us a voicemail. Our number is 864 9825 029. What did you think it was? Did you know it was pike Pike P I K E? Or did you think it was pipe P I P E? Well, I've got something down the pipe to tag on to that.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, so you know we're from the country and I know you've heard this. You know, when you go to church on Sunday mornings, that lady that lived down the street that would show up looking a hot mess and and after church, your grandmother to say, gosh, she was so gaudy. Yeah, we talked about that already, and so I really didn't know what a gaudy was like my entire life. I was like what is a gaudy? But I didn't know.
Speaker 1:I just thought tacky lavish. We talked about that on here. Oh, did we. Yeah, it's after someone.
Speaker 2:Yeah, an artist or something. I forgot what you gaudy. Yeah, an architect in.
Speaker 1:Spain. So it's actually gaudy, not gaudy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's gaudy yeah, but you know, we talked about that on here. I mean weird words, all those weird phrases like there's a lot in the south.
Speaker 1:I mean we could dig these up for days day I was shocked I was literally Shocked that it was coming down the pike instead of coming down the pike.
Speaker 2:I never got that one messed up, I just my mind was blown.
Speaker 1:I just I don't know it in his light. We talked about this as well. It's chest of drawers and not chester drawers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's just embarrassing.
Speaker 1:That's another common one. So anyway, I just had to start with that, because I still couldn't get out. I was literally like what? How did I not know that? You know, sometimes I hear things I was like oh, that makes more sense, but like that one, I had no clue that I would have been saying that wrong.
Speaker 2:So I have two topics, oh, two topics that are on each end of the spectrum. Okay, the first one is mm-hmm. I have quite a few friends, and both men and women, mm-hmm, and the husbands Gas up their cars for them.
Speaker 1:I know, okay, so we were talking about this our friend Amanda Mm-hmm We've had her on the podcast, mm-hmm Um, she was saying that her husband always puts gas in her car. Uh-huh and then you were saying that you have friends, women, mm-hmm, and their husbands put always puts the gas in their car.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm that blows my mind too and it blows my mind. But I think the reason it blows our mind number one we're homos. Number two, number two, we both. I had you have very strong mother women figures right like independent. Yeah, I Are strong your mother and my mother. I promise you've never waited on a man to guess anything, yeah but okay, so does it okay first. I guess it's sweet.
Speaker 1:That's what I was gonna say. Okay, first of all, again, I'll put our number in the show notes, but it's eight, six, four, nine. Eight, two, five zero two nine. Text us and let us know does your husband put gas in your car or do you do it yourself? Okay, so here's the thing. I guess it. It probably is sweet. I mean, I guess it depends on how you view it. And I guess if you don't view it as sweet, then you would tell them not to do that for you. But it kind of also is like I can pump my own gas.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm kind of wanting Dylan to start.
Speaker 1:I need Daniel to pump mine.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking well, why am I pumping mine?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but why don't they bring back full service gas stations?
Speaker 2:You know they are a few here in there on Augusta Road in Greenville. Yeah, you can get full service. You can roll in and they pump the gas. Yeah, that's really where I should go right, but yeah, how do you view?
Speaker 1:I mean, I guess it is sweet like, oh, my husband's taking care of me and doing this. Okay, first of all, like you said, we're homo, so we ain't got a pump in nobody's gas. I can barely keep gas in my own car like it is on fumes. Before I put gas in my car I'm a way. I'm gonna worry about putting gas in someone else's car, but it mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:Nope, not happening. But the funny thing is like if Dylan and I are going somewhere and he knows we're driving his car, he will not put gas in it. So I fill it up. Well, number one, I'll fill it up. In number two, I'll pay for it.
Speaker 1:Well, that's smart.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's well hello, it's still on my credit card, so what did that matter? Yeah, but I guess you know, and I actually like putting gas in my mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:No, I don't like anything that I just want to get In, push the button and go and. But I will say Daniel will put gas in my car. Like if he drives my car and it's anywhere near Needing gas, he'll be like, oh, I stopped and put gas in your car, but he's so thoughtful and sweet he is. That's just who he also likes like task. He's very task oriented, so to be like, I have the car needed gas and I put it in there.
Speaker 2:Dylan would do that too. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they're both. But he's not gonna come get my car once a week and just know, like you're saying, husbands do for wives and I mean I know on the flip side of that I have friends that would be really pissed at their husbands for doing that. They'd be like I don't need you to guess.
Speaker 1:So yeah, that's what I'm saying, like I guess it depends on the person, but then you would already know that in the relationship. Yeah, you would, because you know some people's love language is doing things for people, you know doing sweet things yeah and that's a sweet thing, like oh, it's like I mean I could, I mean I'm just shocked at how many Husbands do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's shocking. I mean, do you think is busy, as life is now, but do you think really a lot of husbands do that? What do you think? One out of a hundred no.
Speaker 2:I went out of a thousand, I think. No, I think like one out of ten you think? Mm-hmm, I don't believe that there's a lot of, there's a lot of thoughtful man out there.
Speaker 1:No, okay.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, let us know Texas, and let us know that only a little baffling to me on the other end of the spectrum, it was talk about a lazy man you. So you were more privileged than I was, which is fine. I'm happy you were, I was not in college?
Speaker 1:at that age you were in college, yes. I had two lives. Yes mom was divorced, in raising three boys boys on her own. Uh-huh so and then?
Speaker 2:it was a struggle. Yeah, it was a struggle, and I never personally, let me say it was looking back.
Speaker 1:I know it had to be a struggle because Single three boys, but as the kid growing up I never wanted for anything like I never oh, I didn't either.
Speaker 2:I never knew no, no, I didn't either. I didn't know how pitiful we were to always grown. Yeah and then saw. But honestly, we had so much fun being pitiful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my mom did too. She made everything fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my mom did too, and it wasn't, and honestly, we were no different than anybody else back then, right?
Speaker 1:and for us, and I guess you too, but like we grew up in a small town in the country, so you didn't have to, we weren't, it wasn't. I feel like today, with social media and stuff, there's more of a Urge or the need to like keep up.
Speaker 2:You're seeing what more materialistic things what people have yeah, but out in the country keeping up with the Joneses is pretty damn easy right exactly.
Speaker 1:So we didn't, we weren't wanting for anything because there wasn't anything around it. You know like we weren't like oh, we want to go do this because they're what. You just went outside and played. Yeah, that was free. Yeah so I know it was a different time. Yeah, it was a different time, so I know it was, you know, a struggle, but at the same time I didn't I mean, I wasn't going hungry and I didn't you know, I didn't feel like I wasn't getting something that other kids would do but then my mom, she married up, she did and I got an amazing stepdad.
Speaker 1:But see, that happened when I was in like well, what I was nine, so that was early. Yeah, and that was good. But then, but then, and even then it starting out, they were just getting going yeah. So my kind of changed for me, like beginning of high school I would say, is really, but in all fairness, they are very modest, simple people too, right.
Speaker 2:So you and you were still out in the middle of the country, right? But anyway, let's talk about what really matters is they were able. They were able to afford to pay for your college education in your apartment and all those things, right, which was huge. And so you had an apartment paid for, college paid for, car paid for, so most people would be happy with that. But of course, you started a business, right when you were in college, right?
Speaker 1:I worked, you worked Because.
Speaker 2:I don't know where you're going.
Speaker 1:No, I worked.
Speaker 2:You did work, but I just love this story. So your mom comes to visit and she notices how clean your apartment is.
Speaker 1:Yes so clean.
Speaker 2:And she said do you do this? And you said no, I have a cleaning.
Speaker 1:Yes, I hired a cleaning lady when I was in college.
Speaker 2:But that is so smart because, looking back, I needed a cleaning lady.
Speaker 1:It was a little bougie, okay, okay, let's back it up.
Speaker 2:Let's back it up First of all.
Speaker 1:I had my own job and made my own money and my mom she gave me an allowance or whatever. So I was living within my means or whatever, and I had extra money. And so I, at this time this was like after a couple of years being, I was probably in my like third year of college or whatever and I had my own apartment. It was a little townhouse, little two bedroom, I mean, it was small little apartment and I don't know how I just looked up someone and called a cleaning lady and she came, but she would come like every other week and it was probably cheap. It was cheap I think it was $30 or something and I was like I can't even buy the cleaning supplies for this or whatever.
Speaker 2:No, it was smart. It was very smart and I all this comes from pure jealousy. Okay, let me just put it out there, but it's very bougie and I love that story because it's bougie.
Speaker 1:But you know, it is very, very bougie, I will admit, but at the same time I was, and I don't have to justify it, but just to let you know I also would do you need to justify it. Well, like I said, I made my own money also, but at the same time I in college, I was not going out, I did not go to bars. I mean, more people spent more money than that on a Friday night drinking that is so true, I'm going to give it to you.
Speaker 2:On that, I promise you. I spent more money drinking and partying than you did on a cleaning lady, Right so?
Speaker 1:and so I do yeah, so it's all about priorities and I liked my clean space and it. It was very nice you know to have someone come in and clean.
Speaker 2:I don't, I, I, I can't say a damn word because you're, you're absolutely correct, exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So they mean as bougie as it is, but good for you.
Speaker 1:I know. I've always been the one like. I like to spend my money. Like I would, I will spend my money on something like like services. Yes, like, if I can have someone come clean or come do something.
Speaker 2:You had a cleaning lady before I did.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I was honestly probably busier Right and at that time probably making more money. And you had a cleaning lady. Well, you're the reason I got a cleaning lady. You're like, I'm just like, what are you doing?
Speaker 1:Why? Because?
Speaker 2:I would pick a night clean house. Yeah, that was the best thing I ever did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then when we moved to the farm after a couple of years, our cleaning lady well, I think it was pretty close. After moving to the farm, Our cleaning lady started coming every week here and I was like you need to have her come every week. Yeah, and I and then you're like, and then eventually you had her start coming every week.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was like, well, that's a lot of money. And you were like, oh, give me a break. Yeah, and that's so true.
Speaker 1:And again it is money, but it all depends on where you prioritize your money.
Speaker 2:It is, and I'm very like, I'm very frugal minded, I don't waste a lot of money, yeah, and I don't mind spending spending it on that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's a few things that I always tell Daniel like we're going to spend money on, and that is one a cleaning lady, because we need it, especially on the farm. But I always say, like if we can't afford our cleaning lady, we're going to downsize our house to live within our means where we can afford a cleaning lady.
Speaker 1:And I agree that sounds bad, but that's just the way it is. The other thing is that we are going to spend money on is keeping the air and the heat comfortable, like I like to be comfortable in my house, and if that means and I know this sounds very bougie and spoiled, but again it's I will go without Starbucks or whatever if I need to save money or going out to eat, if I need to save money to pay the electric bill because I'm going to live comfortably in my house, I'm not going to sweat. Yeah, I'm not going to sweat. I'm not going to be cold.
Speaker 2:Because I go and you know I'm not going to call anybody out on here, but you know but I can go to people's homes that have money they're not pitiful, right, and I sweat because they keep their thermostat on like 74, 75 to save that $10 or whatever it is. Yeah, I don't give a damn.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm not doing that.
Speaker 2:Mine is going to stay on 68. Right, I know, and I like a cool house year round. So you know, if you come to my house, bring a jacket in the winter, because I like it cool but I'm not cheap.
Speaker 1:I'm not cheap. You like it cool, it's not. You're keeping it cool. No, no, no, no.
Speaker 2:But when I get up in the morning it's a little too cool. I turn that heat up Right To not the chill off, but then once I get moving I don't want it hot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and some people are going to see that as being spoiled or wasteful or wasteful, and it's not I mean to me, I mean you can view it however you want. But like I said, for me I'm going to be comfortable in my home and like comfortable means I can walk around in my underwear and be comfortable Like I'm walking around in my underwear or sweat completely. You know, walking around and I'm not going to be cold, I'm not going to be hot.
Speaker 2:Or if I have sweatpants on in the summer in the house, I want to be able to wear them. Yeah, you know if I'm lounging, right, I mean, so that's how, but it's all.
Speaker 1:Again it goes back to prioritizing. You know what you want to spend your money on. But literally I would say, okay, we can't go out to eat this month or week or however often, because we got to save some money, because we got to pay for the cleaning lady or we have to pay the electric bill.
Speaker 2:Those are two things that I know, I know people their spouse has a lock on it.
Speaker 1:We would be divorced. Yeah, that would Well we would have never gotten there.
Speaker 2:I mean, you locked me out of my thermostat. I'm going to no See, I would call and have it taken out and I would be like you want to play this game. Yeah, so tell us, tell us your stories on HVAC. Do you have a husband or a wife that locks you out of your yeah, is there a thermostat or the control?
Speaker 1:Do you turn it down? And they want it, like Daniel and I are very like we mesh. That's also, I think, another big place of contention for couples is not only are they trying to save money, like you have that person, like one of you might be wanting to save money, but the other one just wants to be comfortable, but some people are totally opposites in like being hot natured or cold nature, so they're constantly battling yeah, we're this Dylan and I are exactly the same.
Speaker 1:Daniel and I are, for the most part, like this summer. I've been a little cold sometimes because he works outside all the time and he likes the house when he comes in at night to be cooler and I'll be like dang, it's cold in here, but I mean it's not that cold, it's not like cold enough to be like uncomfortable or anything, we go to Dylan's parents house.
Speaker 2:I mean, people think we like you and I like our homes. Cool, you go in there in the summer. You better take a fur, damn coat because, it is like on 62, day is Cold, you can't don't wear any flip flops over there. Yeah, you will come back with freezer burn on those.
Speaker 1:That's funny.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, his mom has hot flashes and I guess a lot of you ladies out there Understand that. But oh my gosh, it's freezing cold, but I would rather it be like that, then hot yeah, you can put a blanket on a jacket, on socks on. Once I'm hot, I've got to go. Mm-hmm, I got to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, hot's the worst, but tell us, what you think and call.
Speaker 2:Give us a call on our hotline.
Speaker 1:Okay, our hotline numbers eight, six, four, nine, eight, two, five zero two nine. So give us a call or send us a text message and let us know. Do you keep the temperature up or down to save money? Or is that a place of contention in your relationship Because one of you likes it hot, one of you likes it cold? Ah, maybe it balances out, because then your husband pumps your gas so you're like I'll be cold just cuz he pumps my guy. I don't know, but now is also a great time to mention that big fest is coming up, have you?
Speaker 1:got your tickets yet to big fest. If you haven't heard of this talk about big fest, I'll talk about it really quickly and just give you a reminder to get your tickets and you can find the tickets on our website at the nested fig comm or on the nested fig app. I will also have the link down below in the show notes where you can click directly to it. But we want you to come see us at big fest, which is coming up September 29th and 30th. Oh my gosh, it's getting close. Yeah, september 29th and 30th, we're inviting everyone to come visit us here in Greenville, south Carolina. We are gonna have a two-day event, starting on Friday, september 29th, at our home store. We're gonna kick it off with a meet-and-greet and cocktail party. We're gonna have some of our friends there as well doing meet-and-greets and it's gonna be a good time. We're gonna give you a great discount at our home store. You'll get the mix and mingle. We're gonna have some food and drinks and just hang out and that's gonna be really fun.
Speaker 1:And then on Saturday, we're gonna continue the fun over at our warehouse for the nested fig. We're gonna use our sale warehouse where we will have a warehouse sale area where you can get Extremely good deals. And if you're coming from out of town, don't worry, because we'll be able to ship you items as long as they are Ship a bull, but we will have our sale area. We will also have our Preview of some of our holiday collection. You're gonna get to see it first, so that's gonna be really fun. We've already been working on that and setting things up, so it's really fun that you're gonna get to see it first. There we're also gonna do a couple of demos and just have a fun time hanging out there, and then that night we are gonna wrap it up at our garden store where we'll do another fun little party. You'll get to shop there more discounts and we're gonna do a fun Buké bar where you'll get to take a fresh cut flower bouquet home with you.
Speaker 2:But most importantly, you get to spend two days with us right, wesley and I right here in Greenville, south Carolina.
Speaker 1:We do have a block of hotel rooms. We have other hotels. You can stay out as well. So it's a great time, so it's not too late to get your tickets and to come hang out with us. It's gonna be fun. So click the show notes and you can go get your ticket there. Or, again, you can go to the nested fig Com. Can you believe it's already September?
Speaker 2:No, I cannot. This year has flown by.
Speaker 1:I know, but I feel like I say that about every year now Like all of a sudden, it's like a new year and then all of a sudden, see, the older you get, the time Seems less like seasons seem less.
Speaker 2:When you're a child you've only lived like five or six years, so that time feels greater. Yeah so you know it took forever for to get to summer. It took forever for it to get to Christmas right, your birthday, and now it's like Just went after the.
Speaker 1:It's crazy, but speaking of fall, we got some fall tips for you.
Speaker 2:Yes, specifically related to Pumpkins and moms, because, let me tell you, we're all out there on social media, obviously, and you see some wacky stuff out there. So we're gonna tell you the truth, right? So it might be cute, but it doesn't work right, we've had a garden store.
Speaker 1:I've been in the industry for way too long now. We are gonna set the record straight because, like I said, I have been waiting to talk about this.
Speaker 2:We have been buying and hauling pumpkins for more years than I want to think about.
Speaker 1:You hauls full of bump.
Speaker 2:I've had more back injuries from pumpkins than I ever want to remember right. So we know pumpkins and we know inside and out.
Speaker 1:See, and we it's. So here you go, listen up. Okay, let's start with the pumpkins. Let me get on my little. You've been dying for this. Should I like take my shoes off and stand up? Yes definitely Okay. So it's that time of year. You're gonna be on social media, specifically instagram, and you're gonna see those dumb pictures of pumpkins Floating in sinks and bathtubs and they call them their pumpkin bath and they're giving their pumpkins bath.
Speaker 1:First of all it's dumb, it's stupid and it even looks dumb. I don't even know why. Okay, obviously this is a touchy subject for me, but every time I see one of those pictures it just makes me cringe. Yeah, I just, I don't know so well you're.
Speaker 2:You're destroying your pumpkins right.
Speaker 1:So, first of all, the number one rule If you want your pumpkins to last, the number one rule is to not get them wet, and a pumpkin grower Will tell you this. A pumpkin supplier will tell you this. When we've had our garden center and we've had gorgeous, I mean, we had so, so, like hundreds of hundreds of pumpkins, if it even started to sprinkle, we all ran out there with a tarp and covered up our pumpkins got to keep the pumpkins dry.
Speaker 1:You got to keep the pumpkins dry, so this is why you do not Want to float your pumpkins in a bath of water.
Speaker 2:It's soaking in the steam Right. It's soaking in the soft spots on each end of the pumpkin and it's just gonna. It's just gonna promote the rot and decay.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So those little stems that are cut and dried, the little belly button and this dock on the top, those are porous. Those were stems that were, you know, moving water into the pumpkin as it was growing. Those are porous. So when you float your pumpkin in water, even just for a few minutes, you it's soaking up water through there. First it softens the stem and that's gonna cause rot, but it's wicking water into the center of the pumpkin as well and it's gonna cause it to rot. So let's start there. Please, please, please, do not Soak your pumpkin in water and there's nothing worse than you are on social media posting pictures and how to do things.
Speaker 1:Please Stop posting pictures floating in a sink or a bathtub. It is so, so wrong, and that's what we talk about sometimes, like things that urge us. Um is spreading false information, and that that is one of the biggest ones when it comes to fall it just oh, it's so wrong.
Speaker 2:It ruins your pumpkins and there's nothing worse than the smell of a rotting pumpkin.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. So if you do want to clean your pumpkin for whatever reason I mean, I've grown up and never cleaned a pumpkin, unless it was complete mud, where I let the mud dry and I just dusted it off with my hand but if you want to shine it up or you want it to be clean for whatever reason, you can use like a household bleach cleaner in a paper towel or soft rag and wipe it off on the outside.
Speaker 1:It's like cleaning a skin, but you do not want to use anything abrasive. Like that pumpkin has a protective skin on it, um, and you don't want to use anything that's going to scratch the Um, this, the skin. So make sure you're not using like an abrasive sponge or anything like that a paper towel or soft, soft cloth, um, and you can clean it that way, and then you'll be good to go Keep it dry. If you want to use your pumpkins outside, the best place is on a covered porch or they're not going to get wet. But if you want them out in the open and you want to do the work, you can either, you know, cover them when it's going to rain or just know that the rain. If it's a really, really rainy season, they might rock quicker.
Speaker 2:And if you want them shiny, like if you're using them in your kitchen, and you want them a little shine on there, you can use a green glow for plants or you can use a wesson oil.
Speaker 1:Or you can probably even use olive oil.
Speaker 2:Yeah, shine them up. Yes, just a little onuh on a paper towel.
Speaker 1:If you are putting them outside in the elements and you wanted to go through the effort, you could spray them with like a shellite, you know, like a poly, because that's going to seal them up, the stem especially. Yes, I was going to say pay close attention to the stem and the little belly button and that would help. But for me I just try to pick out good pumpkins and then I decorate with them and let them do their thing.
Speaker 1:And then if they rot, like if I notice oh, this one's getting spots on it and it's going to rot, I just throw it away and I don't bust over it. And that's another thing I hate with like social media things like people giving tips and I know people are trying to be helpful and I do appreciate that. But I hate when people make things too complicated that you don't really get to enjoy them. Like they make it like you have to soak your pumpkins in this bathtub and you have to do this to this. Or like cut flowers, you have to trim the stems every day or whatever. Like no, don't make it complicated and enjoy it.
Speaker 2:I hate just putting false information out there, because somebody could? Watch that and think, oh, this is what I should do, right.
Speaker 1:And then they fail, and then they think what did I do wrong or whatever? And they were told the wrong information.
Speaker 2:And the same thing goes for all the pretty gourds. You see, the small little hand, the ones that fit in your hand. You don't want to wash those.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, you don't want to wash any of them.
Speaker 2:No, they are, you know.
Speaker 1:The other thing that you want to look out for in getting one that will last is obviously make sure that it doesn't have any you know, dents or bruises. It hasn't been, you know, kicked or bumped or something like that. If the skin is broken on it, then that it's going to start rotting right there at that spot, which is fine. You know, sometimes if you go to a place you can get those discounted or something. So you know, if you're having a party, if it's last minute and you're having a party and you want to get some of those, that's fine. They'll still last you maybe a couple of weeks or something.
Speaker 2:We would discount those?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they may last you a couple of weeks or something, so it all depends on how long you need it to last for.
Speaker 2:Or an event? Hell, you don't. You only need it for a night. A day and a night.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so if you're doing something like that and you're like, oh, I can get a good deal on these that have little bumps on them or something you know bumps and bruises and I'm saying bumps is in its bend bump, some pumpkins do have knots on them I mean bumps or bruises like the skin has been broken or something like that.
Speaker 2:And it's good to get them with the stem intact.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the more intact the stem, or if it's been cut just really short. You just don't want it to be really pulled off, because that leaves like a hole again, another opening where it's going to start rotting. So if you want your pumpkins to last the longest A buy ones that haven't been bruised or the stem isn't pulled off or the skin isn't damaged. And, number two, keep it as dry as possible and absolutely do not put it in a sink or bathtub or bucket of water. Do not submerge it in any water at all. Ever, don't do it, ever, ever, and stop posting it to social media.
Speaker 2:I know I know, I would love to sit. I hope, I hope some, I hope that there's an influencer or two out there that does that, that listens to this. Maybe they don't know.
Speaker 1:I know it could have. I mean, I think it did start somewhere and then they don't know. But who's going to haul all those pumpkins inside anyway?
Speaker 2:and they're not going in my bathtub.
Speaker 1:Put them in a bathtub. That's just that, first of all. That's too much, I ain't. I'm not even buying a pumpkin.
Speaker 2:You don't have to do that yeah.
Speaker 1:And then you're posting it like it's pretty, like you're giving them a bubble bath.
Speaker 2:Okay, but anyway. Well, we've beat that pumpkin to death.
Speaker 1:Should I step?
Speaker 2:down. Yeah, we've, we've beat that pumpkin to oblivion. And then the next, the next big fall decor item, plant-wise, are mums.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So we did want to give you some mom tips because I feel like these are helpful and I feel like there's less misinformation about mums going around. But people have misconceptions about mums and how to use them. But there is one trend I feel like I saw last year and I've already seen it this year. That is the misinformation when it comes to mums, and that is we'll go back into a whole, we'll go back and we'll start mums 101. But the one that I've been seeing on social media, I'm sure you've seen it. If not, you will, because one person or two started and then it just it's like wildfire.
Speaker 1:But that is dunking your mums in a bucket of water and saying, oh, if you dunk it in a bucket of water and let it sit for 15 minutes, you only have to do this a few times a season and that's where it's wrong. Can you dunk the bottom of your mom in water? Yes, you can do that if you want to. Again, you're making it more complicated. Just take the water hose or your watering can and water it. You can dunk it in there and get it nice and wet, but that's not buying you any additional time. That's just well watering. You can water a lot of plants that way, from the bottom and they love it. But really that's not buying you any additional time. It's not doing anything more beneficial to the mom than if you just watered it.
Speaker 1:There is a correct way to water a mom. So when you water moms, you want to water from underneath the foliage, if that makes sense. So you can. Either you could sit it in a saucer water and let it absorb water that way, but the easiest thing to do is just water again with a watering wand, your watering hose, your watering can, but water right at the top of the container. Don't pour the water on top of your mom for a couple of reasons. One, moms get really heavy with the blooms and they are very fragile, as in they'll break very easy. So when you put that extra weight of water if you're just watering the plant from the top, like pouring water over the blooms and just letting it go down into the pot it gets really heavy and a lot of times they'll split open and they just break apart.
Speaker 2:And that's something you didn't teach me. I just want to go ahead and say that, because I had to learn that, I broke the hell out of them.
Speaker 1:Did I not teach you that?
Speaker 2:Well, after the fact I broke the hell out of them, and I was like what the hell are you?
Speaker 1:doing yeah, yeah, water it from the side is what I say Water it from you know.
Speaker 2:water right at the top of the soil and use a watering can, watering hose whatever you want to do, those mom blooms are like sponges, yeah, and when that water gets in on it pop yeah, they just split and half, because moms break very easy.
Speaker 1:The other reason that you don't want to pour water directly on top is because it can actually cause a fungus called botrytis on the mom plant, I think.
Speaker 2:I had that one.
Speaker 1:Was that after a wild weekend or something? Botrytis, but it causes a plant fungus which is really just the plant breaking down, but for some reason certain plants are more susceptible.
Speaker 2:Susceptible. Good Good New art for you, susceptible.
Speaker 1:Susceptible Good To getting it, then others and moms get it very easy and it causes just like a mold or a fungus on the blooms and the plant itself, which isn't going to be pretty, and then your blooms die quicker. But let's go back to the beginning. Let's talk about moms and the misconceptions of moms, because it's you know, we're in the South, so it's still warm here. You know, up North it might be a little bit cooler, it's mid September and moms are out in full force. You're going to see them, you know, at the garden centers, at the box stores, everywhere. The misconception I feel about moms that people don't realize is you need to think about moms just like you think about a poinsettia. It is a holiday plant and it's done, disposable.
Speaker 1:Disposable, decorative holiday. Enjoy it, and it's done so. The moms that you see right now in September are not going to be blooming at Halloween, when you might want your moms blooming. You know, depends again where you live in the country and that sort of thing. But moms do not naturally grow. Moms do not naturally bloom in the fall. We have been trained that it's a fall flower and that sort of thing and that's what we associated with. But it has been forced to bloom in the fall season and it's a gorgeous decorative plant. It's easy, they're pretty inexpensive, but you're going to enjoy it for the holiday season and then you're going to toss it. You can plant it we'll talk about that in a minute.
Speaker 1:But here's what you need to know about moms when you go to your local garden center to pick out your moms, the buds that you see on that plant, that is all the buds that plant is going to have this year. So if you go and pick out a mom that is in full bloom because that's when it looks the prettiest with all of its color that's all the blooms you're going to have this season. So when a mom is in full bloom, depending on when you get it in full bloom. It's only going to last you maybe a couple of weeks. As far as blooms Now, it'll stay green, but it will only last you a couple of weeks. If you get a mom that is budded up in what we call cracking. That means when you see just a little bit of color on it. You can see the buds, but the flowers haven't fully opened.
Speaker 2:They can barely tell it's yellow or burgundy Right.
Speaker 1:Now that's the ideal stage if you want the longest lasting, longest blooming mom. And a mom like that is going to last you about four to six weeks, depending on, again, how hot it is. The hotter it is, the quicker it's going to bloom out. The cooler it is, the slower it's going to bloom out, that sort of thing. So there's variables, but you just got to keep in mind you're buying it for holiday decor and once it's done blooming, it's done, it's not making, it's not going to continuously bloom throughout the fall.
Speaker 2:Deadheading just makes it prettier with not having dead blooms, but it's not going to propagate more blooms, correct, yeah?
Speaker 1:So yeah, deadheading is a good thing to do if you want it to look clean. You know, if you get a yellow mom and it starts looking brown because some of the blooms you know they bloom out first and they're going to finish first If it looks brown you can go out there and just pinch those blooms off to clean the plant up, but that's not going to make any more blooms.
Speaker 2:Well, and my biggest pet peeve with moms are and I don't want to get attacked here, so don't don't attack me folks on the hotline, but people that move here from like the North, say New York or New Jersey. They want to plant those moms in their yard Right and can you? Yes, yes, Should you, Hell, no? Well, they're never. They're never going to be okay, go ahead. They're going to be leggy, right. They're never going to be as grand as they are Right, but I think that goes back.
Speaker 1:I don't think you should say should you never should plant them. I think it goes back to setting the expectation of what they will be.
Speaker 2:No, if you plant them. I'm saying, in my opinion, you should never.
Speaker 1:And can you plant them?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yes, you can plant them.
Speaker 2:And they will grow.
Speaker 1:And let's talk about two different plantings. One okay, because this happened to me when I I lived in Atlanta and I managed a garden center. This newly married couple young couple came in, bought all these moms and went home because they wanted to align their walkway with mom.
Speaker 1:And they thought they were going to stay like that and they thought they were going to stay in full bloom and gorgeous through the whole fall. You know season. Well, they bought the ones that were bloomed out in full bloom. They went home I mean, I'm talking like probably like 30 mom, you know they landscaped with their moms along their walkway.
Speaker 1:And then in like two weeks, they were dead. The moms weren't dead, the blooms were dead. Right, the moms were still green. So they come back in all hot and bothered. Hot and bothered because their moms had died and we had sold them bad moms and I'm like they did exactly what they were supposed to do and they were like what, you know, like what? They were all distraught, what do you mean? And so I had to talk through the process of like, yeah, these moms are only going to.
Speaker 1:They're a seasonal plant and they're only going to bloom for X amount of time, and you bought them at this stage, so you'd already lost X amount of time. And they bloomed just like they were supposed to. So if you're using them for fall decor, I would I never plant one. I'm not gonna, you know, because they're gonna be done. So I'm not gonna spend the time planting them like in my landscape or that sort of thing. So I use them to sit around, either just drop them in baskets or little containers or whatever, I didn't even plant them in a pot.
Speaker 1:No, that's not saying you, just drop them in a pot because you're gonna be tossing them in no time, so why spend the? You're not gonna be nurturing that plant, so don't spend the time of potting it. It is fine in the containers that it's in, but it's growing in because, again, it's only gonna last you the season and just don't make it complicated. Goes back to what I was saying earlier Don't over complicate it. Just drop it in a decorative pot or put a pot cover on it or whatever you want to do. Now, what Steven was talking about with planting moms you're talking about like after they're done, blooming people feel bad.
Speaker 2:It's just wrong.
Speaker 1:People feel bad for throwing them away because it's a plant. I can't throw it away, so they want to plant them. Well, there's a couple of things that you need to know before we get into it.
Speaker 2:Other than don't do it. You can do it, you can do it, but you shouldn't do it.
Speaker 1:But first of all, what you need to know is some moms are have been crossed in bread to be. They're not really hardy at all. They're not meant to be planted in the ground Like literally they're not and they're not hardy and they won't come back.
Speaker 2:Like all hybrid plants, they won't come back, like you're just wasting your time, the hardy ones you can, yeah, the old timey, what we call the old timey mooms.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but there are some moms that are hardier and they will come back. You can plant them in the ground and they will come back. But why Steven is saying don't do it is because they're never going to look the same as when you bought them at the garden center and they were a nice rounded shaped mom with lots of blame.
Speaker 2:They're just not going to look like that. I've got to defend myself. I come from a very southern country ass family, wonderful family, and but you know we saved everything we did not waste. That's the way I was brought up, right, and I get it and I'm a lot like that. However, my grandmother's, my grandmother's tried to make it happen and save the moms.
Speaker 1:And they're always we and.
Speaker 2:I began to hate moms, but I don't hate. I love moms for what they are grown for Right.
Speaker 1:And that's what I was saying starting off. You got to set the expectation of why you're buying the mom and what you're using it for.
Speaker 2:I mean, have you ever seen a damn poinsettia coming out of a closet after? You know when people try to get them and they look wrong and they're laggy, they're. You know.
Speaker 1:They've got five leaves on the top and they're excited that they saved it and it looks like a piece of shit, yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's the same with pansies. Let let them go. Let it go, yeah, I so. I had this situation at the lofts in my building and I'm on the board. I love all my neighbors, a lot of great people, but it's a big melting pot, which I also love. They're from all different parts of the country and we've had to have these discussions because they don't understand why I'm out there ripping out the pansies in May and I'm like, well, like, in a week they're going to be dead, right.
Speaker 1:Because we get too hot for them and they literally get really laggy and die, and that's a problem. Go ahead and now problem.
Speaker 2:It's a problem and, and right now where I parked my cars, there's like five moms out there that are about eight feet tall, with five the ladies all yeah. And I'm just like but at least they put, they planted them back there at the garden plots. You know it's not in the front of the building. So I'm like, well, maybe they'll come to terms with that one day.
Speaker 1:It's just let it go To get on pansies for just one second, because you threw this in my head. The thing is here in the south, with pansies, they're going to die because it gets too hot, which that throws a lot of people off. Most people think of plants are going to die because they freeze, not because it's going to get too hot. Pansies here in the south will die because it gets too hot. What people want to do, though, is keep them as long as possible, like, oh, I planted this bed of pansies in there, pretty like you said, but then you're out there ripping them up and they're like what are you doing? Well, what they don't understand is you still only have a narrower window of opportunity to plant for your summer plants. You can't wait until the pansies have completely died from the heat, because then it's too hot to plant your summer plants because they can't get established for the season so there people get really bent and upset about, you know, pulling out and killing plants, but it's, it is a vicious cycle that you have to do.
Speaker 1:But anyway, back to the mums. If you want to plant them after they're done blooming for the year and you're like, oh, I want to plant these in my garden, you can do it. Stephen says don't, it just depends on what. It's never going to look the exact same way. But what you need to know is, again, like I mentioned in the beginning, mums don't naturally bloom in the fall. So those mums that you plant in your garden, if they survive your winters and come back up, they're going to try to bloom like mid-summer. So if you want to make them bloom in the fall, remember the 4th of July. On the 4th of July, within a week or two range, if you forget, you can still do it by mid-July, but not too much after that because they won't have time.
Speaker 1:But around 4th of July, set your reminder, put it on your calendar, go out and trim your mums back. They might be blooming already. They might be knee high. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter, doesn't matter where you live. I get this question because I put it out on social media and I get all these questions A it doesn't matter where you live. B it doesn't matter if it's in bloom. C it doesn't matter if it's how tall it is. 4th of July, cut it back to about 6 to 8 inches tall and then that will give you a little bit more rounded shape, because it's going to make it branch more and basically that resets the mum and then the timing works out where it will then bloom in the fall for you, and if I come visit and say it, I won't step on it.
Speaker 1:But if you have maybe a perennial garden that looks weedy and natural or something and you want, to do it, and evidently mums are good for insects, yeah. You want to do it like a cottage garden or something. Yeah, I mean.
Speaker 2:I'm really joking, I know you are. I just wouldn't put them. I would not plant them at my front door, I just wouldn't, that's. I would take them to the backyard, to a perennial bed or something like that.
Speaker 1:And so the other thing with mums that we didn't mention, going back to watering, mums are thirsty, they are going to be thirsty. So this is a plant that you're going to have to water. Again, it depends on the heat and where you live. But you're going to have to water it really about every two to five days, depending on where you live. But usually for here in the south, especially if you're buying them early, like in September, when our days can still be low 90s, you better water them every day.
Speaker 1:Right. So you just have to watch that they will start to wilt and let you know. But the thing is, if you let it wilt too much with those buds, it will abort the buds and the buds will just fall off and die. So you don't really want to let it get too dry where the buds are wilting, because if it gets stressed like that, it's going into plant survival mode and so it will, like I said, the buds will just die and fall off. So keep that in mind.
Speaker 2:And it's not there. They're nice looking green plants, so they're not horrible after they've bloomed out to have still in your fall decor.
Speaker 1:No, your door, they're still just cut the buds off. Yeah, the old blooms, yeah.
Speaker 2:You're still going to have a pretty green plant.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you don't have to put them in a bucket of water, like you're going to be seeing all over social media. You don't have to fuss over them. Use them as a seasonal plant, enjoy them while they're blooming and then let it go.
Speaker 2:Oh, and if they have a cage around them, oh, yeah, the base. Leave the cage, yeah, because they will support it.
Speaker 1:Some, especially if you get them more like higher quality, like garden centers and that sort of thing, like from us. Yeah, they'll have like a little plastic cage supports in there or it may have netting down in there that you can't really see like a green netting. You want to leave that because if you take those apart, take those off, they will fall apart, just like a poinsettia will. Same thing with the poinsettia. When you get those, don't take those cages off, because that's support. Because a mom has been hybridized. Only thing that we care about is how many blooms it can get which. The blooms get heavy, it causes a weaker plant, but again, it's a seasonal plant, so we don't care. So we want the most blooms possible. So that's why moms are so weak in general and will break apart.
Speaker 2:Same with poinsettias. But we'll talk about that in a few months.
Speaker 1:I'm like I'd be here before we know it, I know.
Speaker 2:I know I mean I already feel fall in the air.
Speaker 1:I feel so much better getting this off my chest. This was like a therapy session for me.
Speaker 2:The pumpkin, the pumpkin. The pumpkin in the moms, yeah, in the bubble bath.
Speaker 1:And don't over complicate it. Enjoy your fall decor, enjoy your pumpkins, enjoy your moms. Put little effort in.
Speaker 2:I guess that's my point in not planning them. Just enjoy it, enjoy it.
Speaker 1:And be done, and be done, and be done, and then move on.
Speaker 2:It's like a Christmas tree.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no one tries to save their Christmas tree.
Speaker 2:Well, some people buy them with roots and plan on them. Yeah, that's a whole other thing. Yeah, we'll save that.
Speaker 1:I need a little pit stop. Can we pull over?
Speaker 2:and get out of here.
Speaker 1:I need to stretch my legs after this.
Speaker 2:I think it's your turn to gas up the car.
Speaker 1:this time I ain't gassing up nothing, except for you know what, maybe some.
Speaker 1:Taco Bell. That's going to wrap it up for this week's episode of who's Driving. Remember to help us out and leave us a review wherever you're listening to your podcast. You can leave us a store review or, in some places, you can leave a written review. It really helps us get discovered, and I think that wraps it up. Just make sure you click the show notes below and you can find our tickets to Big Fest. You can also find our hotline number, which is 864-982-5029. I feel like we left you lots of little things to respond to this week. Yes, so I can't wait to hear that and we'll see you next time.
Speaker 2:Thanks guys.