As we approach the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, many of us are reflecting on – or still recovering from – the damage it caused. One lesson is the importance of being prepared before the next storm arrives.
If your home relies on a private well for drinking water, it’s especially important to know how to disinfect your well after flooding. Floodwater can contaminate private wells with bacteria, sewage, fuel, and other pollutants. If this happens, shock chlorination is the standard way to disinfect it to remove the bacteria. If your well is contaminated with fuel or other pollutants, this method will not be effective.
Supplies needed:
Regular, unscented bleach (5-6% sodium hypochlorite) – about 1 gallon (Do NOT use: scented, no- or low-splash, or color-safe bleach)
Waterproof gloves, eye protection
Small funnel or 5-gallon bucket (optional)
Tools to open well (if needed)
The Shock Chlorination Process
Below is a simplified overview of the steps. For detailed instructions, see these helpful resources:
Confirm electrical wiring to well has not been damaged and is turned off.
If wiring is damaged, do not proceed until it has been repaired and is safe to operate.
STEP 2: INSPECT THE WELL
Inspect well for damage (examples: cracked casing, missing cap, broken seal)
Inspect well and surrounding area for ongoing contamination (ex: sewer line break, dirty stormwater, oil/gas leaks)
The well must be repaired, with no active contamination, for disinfection to provide lasting results.
STEP 3: RUN WATER UNTIL CLEAR
Turn power on to well. Use caution!
If well is intact and there is no active contamination > run water from outside spigots until it appears clear.
Disinfection methods are less effective if water is not clear.
NOTE: If needed, collect water now for use during waiting period.
STEP 4: ADD BLEACH
Open well access (ex: plug, air vent, or lift entire well cover)
Pour bleach into the well casing. A funnel may help to direct bleach into the well.
See Disinfecting Your Water Well (https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/disinfecting-your-water-well-pub2733/pub2733 ) for instructions on calculating the correct amount of bleach for your well. If you cannot perform the calculations, one (1) gallon bleach is usually (more than) enough per residential well.
STEP 5: CIRCULATE CHLORINE
Run water from outside hose into the well casing until you smell chlorine coming from the hose. Turn off outside hose.
Turn on all water faucets, inside and outside, until you smell chlorine at each. Then turn off all faucets.
STEP 6: WAIT
Do not use any water during the waiting period. Chlorine requires contact to disinfect.
Wait 8-18 hours before turning faucets back on. The high chlorine level will help disinfect the pipes but can be corrosive if left too long (24 hours maximum). *Use caution while any chlorine smell is present – bleach can burn eyes and irritate skin.
STEP 7: FLUSH THE SYSTEM
After the waiting period, turn on outside spigot and run water into an area where it will minimize damage (away from septic tanks, streams, etc.). This water contains high levels of chlorine and is not safe for human consumption or contact. The water may be used for cleaning (reminder – bleach may damage fabrics, clothes, etc.).
Run water until you no longer smell chlorine odor. Turn the water off.
Run water from inside faucets until you no longer smell chlorine odor. Turn the water off.
NOTE: The water should now be disinfected.
STEP 8: TEST THE WATER
After 3-7 days, the chlorine smell should be completely gone, and the well water should be tested for bacteria.
If available, have water tested professionally.
Otherwise, use DIY test kit to indicate presence of bacteria.
For additional resources on well care and water testing, try Clemson Extension’s Be Well Informed online class. It’s free and available anytime. (https://www.clemson.edu/extension/water/programs/be-well-informed.html )
Preparing now helps ensure that you’ll be ready to keep your drinking water safe if the next storm impacts your private residential well.
Greenville County 4-H is excited to introduce the Greenville 4-H Club, a new general-interest club open to all 4-H ages! This club brings back the tradition of community-based 4-H clubs, a structure that has historically been the foundation of 4-H across the country. Unlike the recent trend in South Carolina 4-H of offering primarily Special Interest (SPIN) clubs, the Greenville 4-H Club provides a broad range of activities designed to engage members in hands-on learning while building a sense of community.
Camille Hoover from Sustaining Way lead 4-Her’s and their families through a tour of their gardens.
The club’s first meeting was held in early February at Annie’s House, hosted by the local nonprofit Sustaining Way. Members enjoyed a tour of their sustainable gardens and then got creative making seed paper valentines—a fun and eco-friendly way to spread kindness and encourage upcycling.
Looking ahead, the next meeting is set for March 8th at Annie’s House, where members will continue to explore new skills and experiences. As more families move to the Upstate, we hope clubs like these will provide a welcoming space for youth to learn, grow, and thrive in Greenville County 4-H.
Want to get involved? Contact the Greenville County 4-H Agent, Amie Mabe to learn more and join the fun!
Beyond the Surface is a water-themed art exhibition featuring work from 25 artists. The diverse artwork highlights the challenges to and beauty of South Carolina’s waters.
The project is a collaborative effort by Clemson Cooperative Extension, the SC Sea Grant Consortium, the SC Water Resources Center, and Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville.
Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville, 201 Smythe Street, Greenville, SC 29611. The exhibition is available through March 22, 2025, Saturdays (11am-5pm), free admission. https://www.scseagrant.org/beyondthesurface/
Photograph: Beyond the Surface team members included (L-R) representatives from Tiger Strikes Asteroid Greenville (Brooks Stevens, John Cummings), Clemson Cooperative Extension (Masha Bokar, Heather Nix), S.C. Sea Grant Consortium (Brooke Saari, Lola Renauer, Nora Walker), and the SC Water Resources Center (Jeff Allen, PhD). Image Credit: Noah Stillman, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
South Carolina’s green industry includes landscape service providers, nursery growers, greenhouse growers, and floral producers. Researchers have not been able to capture the economic contributions of these businesses to SC’s economy. Horticulture agent Drew Jeffers is surveying green industry professionals to capture this data to understand better and assist the specific needs of SC’s green industry.
Data are being collected on products produced, services rendered, total sales, employee retention efforts, and what gaps they need in outreach from Clemson Extension. Information collected will be shared with the U.S. Farmgate survey partners and presented to extension professionals to determine what better services and educational outreach can be provided to these stakeholders. The survey is open through the end of February and results will likely be published by the end of the year.
South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional (SCCLP) Training Set to Expand
Since its inception in 2020, the South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional (SCCLP) has had over 500 participants complete the program and obtain this certification. The training is online and on-demand, allowing professionals to adapt the training to their schedules and still work their regular schedules. The training covers soils, plant physiology, plant material identification, plant care, turf care, pest management, and low-impact development. In 2024, an advanced training on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was launched as a follow-up course.
The program has gained much success and has been expanded into community college horticulture programs, as well as a partnership with the SC Department of Corrections to offer the training to soon-to-be-released inmates. Recently, horticulture agent Drew Jeffers has begun working with Clemson Extension Agricultural education agents and SC K12 educators to bring the SCCLP to high school agriculture programs. This partnership would significantly add skilled labor to South Carolina’s labor pool, which the state’s landscape professionals find lacking.
Cohort Two of the Clemson Cooperative Extension Master Food Preserver program graduated at the Philips Market Center in Columbia, SC on January 29, 2025. Participants completed a two-part training program consisting of an eight-week self-paced online training course and a two-day in-person intensive course. Participants then completed 30 hours of volunteer service alongside Clemson Cooperative Extension Food Systems and Safety Agents. Activities conducted by the participants included home food preservation workshops and demonstrations, community outreach informational booths, pressure canner gauge testing, public school food preservation classes, and the dissemination of research-based information about safe home food preservation methods across South Carolina.
Upstate Master Food Preservers graduate. Pictured (from left to right) Amy Goodson (Anderson County), Ashley Yellachich (Greenville County), Beth Jansce (Spartanburg County), Ken Mudge (Oconee County), and Karen Mudge (Oconee County). Photo Credit: Faith Isreal, Clemson Cooperative Extension.
Five graduates from Cohort Two are in Upstate South Carolina and represent Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, and Oconee counties. These graduates add to the nine Master Food Preservers from Cohort One in the Upstate which represent Greenville, Pickens, Spartanburg, Anderson, and Oconee counties. Additionally, five new Upstate participants from Cohort Three are beginning the volunteer service hour portion of their Master Food Preserver training.
Look to find Master Food Preservers at your local farmers markets, community centers, county fairs and other locations across the Upstate to learn about safe home food preservation.
If you are interested in home food preservation information or want to become a Clemson Cooperative Extension Master Food Preserver contact Food Systems and Safety Agent Alex Thompson by email (art6@clemson.edu) or by phone (864-986-1286).
Alex Ryan Thompson Food Systems and Safety Agent Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens, Anderson, and Oconee Counties
Homemade apple chips, apple butter and apple cider. Photo Credit: Alex Ryan Thompson
In
the Carolinas, autumn means apples. While Western North Carolina may be well
known for its apple orchards, Upstate South Carolina has its own thriving
network of apple growers. Orchards featuring farm stores, U-Pick, apple-centric
treat and beverages, and bushels of fun for the whole family can be found
across the Upstate, from Oconee to York counties. To find an orchard near you,
check out https://certifiedsc.com/.
Cool
autumn days lure many to grab the family, their jackets and a wagon; ready to
revel in the crisp, sweet, and crunchy bounty of our Upstate apple orchards.
One can find few better ways to spend an autumn afternoon than wandering
through seemingly endless rows of apple trees, heavy with a summer’s worth of
love, care, and attention from their tenders. Swept up in the magic of the day,
more than a few families find themselves arriving home with a trunk nearly
bursting open with apples. Whimsy quickly gives way to worry, as the
realization hits that not even the most apple-loving family can eat THAT many
fresh apples before they end up bound for the compost heap. Fret not, family of
over-eager apple-pickers, there is a bounty of ways to preserve and make those
apples last all the way until next autumn.
Apples
can be turned into a cornucopia of treats and pantry staples, ready to keep the
spirit of autumn alive year-round. Cover your favorite morning toast with a
slather of apple jelly or beautifully spiced apple butter, which also makes a
great addition to a BBQ sauce! Warm everyone’s hearts and stomach with a fresh
apple pie, made from home canned or frozen apple pie filling. Cook the apples
down into applesauce or dry them into chips for a quick and easy snack for
apple lovers of all ages. Press or juice these apples into cider, that can be
drunk fresh, canned for year-round cider, or fermented into hard cider for an
autumnal adult beverage. Dress up any of these homemade treats with some
decorative packaging and ribbon for a quick and easy way to cross names of your
Christmas shopping list. The options are many and learning to preserve the
Upstate’s apple bounty is easy! Visit the Clemson Home and Garden Information
Center Factsheet 3120 Preserving Apples (https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/preserving-apples)
or contact Alex Ryan Thompson by phone at (864) 365-0628 or by email art6@clemson.edu
to learn more.
Urban Tree Workshop for Greenville County Landscape and Tree Professionals
Urban tree care is a growing need in Greenville County. Clemson Extension held a full-day workshop for tree care and landscape professionals. The workshop was a joint effort between the Horticulture agent Drew Jeffers and Forestry and Natural Resource agent Carolyn Dawson. Bringing together knowledge extension specialists Dr. David Coyle and Dr. Bob Polomski, as well as knowledgeable extension agents Briana Namauk, Jennifer Weaver, and Dr. Adam Gore. Namauk discussed the importance of the recent Bradford Pear ban and how professionals could help spread the word for homeowners to participate in Clemson Extension’s Bradford Pear Bounty Program. Dr. Coyle talked about the impact of the Asian Longhorn Beetle and what professionals can do to look out for it here in Greenville County. Dr. Polomski reviewed the importance of identifying trees accurately without using AI apps and knowing what species are being managed. Jennifer Weaver reminded professionals of alternative plant choices for common pest-prone trees. Dr. Gore shared his recent work with herbicide damage/injury testing on trees. Sharing pictures of damage progression in common trees to commonly used herbicides; making it easier for professionals to compare damage seen in practice. Dawson wrapped the day with an update on her work tracking and helping to prevent Hemlock Wooly Adelgid from harming our native Hemlocks in the upstate. Hemlocks play an important role in nature as they shade streams and rivers and provide critical habitat for wildlife. They are also a desirable evergreen ornamental in our landscapes. Jeffers and Dawson are repeating the workshop with updated topics in Jan 2025.
New Master
Gardener Recruits Reporting for Duty
The SC Master Gardener program trains
volunteers to provide horticultural education and expanded outreach to the
community. The Greater Greenville Master Gardener Group provides thousands of
hours of educational and community service to Greenville County, and the latest
recruits have begun their 17-week boot camp to become Certified Master
Gardeners. This year, Horticulture agent Drew Jeffers has two classes of
fourteen students. classes began on Aug 6, 2024, and students will take their
final exams the week before Thanksgiving. These students receive over 40 hours
of intense research-based information on gardening and landscape topics such as
soil conditioning, fertilizers, integrated pest management (IPM), lawn care,
vegetable gardening, and more! Upon completion of the course, they will then be
required to complete 40 hours of community educational service in Greenville
County to become fully certified. Once certified, they will complete 20 hours a
year of community service to maintain their certification. These volunteers in
training are eager to serve the community and have proven so far to be Drew’s
most eager class yet.
New Advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Course for Landscape Professionals
Building on the success of the South Carolina Certified Landscape Professional (SCCLP), Clemson Extension has launched a follow-up course called the SCCLP Advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This course is designed to provide professionals with knowledge toolkits on how to effectively manage pests in a economical, scientific, and environmentally sound way. The course covers both turf and landscape focusing on tenants of weed, insect, and disease management. Participants have 30 days of access and so far the course has been well received by the professional horticulture community.
Upcoming Programs!
Drew Jeffers is the new Horticulture agent
in Greenville County. He has been with extension for 7 years first serving in
Spartanburg county. Drew has begun holding classes and training for both
consumer and professional clients here in Greenville County and offers a
variety of gardening and landscape topics. Drew is also set to begin a free
webinar series through the Greenville County Extension Facebook page where he
will post a free training periodically throughout the year. Below are some of
his upcoming trainings. Click here to sign up to be alerted to
gardening/landscape classes and pesticide license training alerts.
It’s that time again, folks, time to Firewise your home. In order to help prevent a wildfire from destroying your home, you must prepare ahead of time. If there is ever an active wildfire in your area, you may be asked to leave immediately and not have time to defend your home. If your home is in or near the woods, then it is at risk of a wildfire.
The Firewise Program provides homeowners and communities with simple and easy steps to help reduce a home’s vulnerability by preparing ahead of time for a wildfire. These steps are rooted in principles based on solid fire science research into how homes ignite. The program is promoted by the SC Forestry Commission and Clemson Extension. Here are a few basic, simple steps to help protect your home
Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks. This prevents embers from igniting your home. Leaf blowers can save you hours of time and labor!
Remove vegetation and items that could catch fire from around and under decks.
Remove flammable materials (firewood stacks, propane tanks, dry vegetation) within 30 feet of your home’s foundation and outbuildings, including garages and sheds. If it can catch fire, don’t let it touch your house, deck or porch.
Prune back any tree limbs overhanging or touching your home’s roof, deck, porches, driveway, or outbuildings.
Inspect the chimney and install a spark-arresting mesh screen if needed.
Keep all vegetation at least 10 feet from chimneys or stovepipes.
Remove or prune flammable plants and shrubs near windows.
Create a separation between trees, shrubs, and items that could catch fire, such as patio furniture, wood piles, swing sets, etc.
Cover exterior attic vents with metal wire mesh no larger than 1/8 inch to prevent sparks from entering the home.
Enclose under-eave and soffit vents or screen with metal mesh to prevent ember entry.
Even though you don’t want to keep a garden hose attached to a spigot during the winter, make sure to keep it accessible if needed.
Although this list is far from complete, I’d like to personally add one extra bullet point to the list. Do you have a plan for your pets? Dogs can easily be led to the car, but what about cats and other small animals? What about farm animals such as chickens, goats, or horses?
So now that you know the steps to reduce the chance of home ignition from direct flame, firebrand showers, and radiant heat, there is one last thing to be mindful of, always safely dispose of fireplace ashes. Winds can reignite ashes and coals left on the ground days later. Firewise recommendations can help establish an effective line of defense in regions where fire is a potential hazard. Will you…your home be ready? Be Firewise!
For more information about the Firewise program, please visit www.firewise.org/usa or contact Carolyn Dawson, Upstate Forestry Agent Clemson Extension at Dawson4@clemson.edu .
New Online Course! Seasonal Pond Management If you own or manage a freshwater pond, the Seasonal Pond Managementcourse is for you! For $15, you’ll receive on-demand access to course materials for 365 days. The course focuses on actions throughout the year that can help maintain a healthy pond.
Water Chats
We are wrapping up another successful season of the Water Chats program with final sessions in September and a student-focused session in October. This partnership between Clemson Extension, S Sea Grant Consortium, and the SC Water Resources Center, has helped educate professionals across the state on a range of water quality issues and solutions.
Missed a webinar that you you wanted to see? Let us know (nix4@clemson.edu) and we’ll provide access to the recordings, when available.
The Forest Explorers 4-H Club of Greenville County are used to adventuring outside for their monthly meetings. During the past couple of months when the weather has been too cold to be outside, members met at the Greenville County Extension Office to continue their outdoor education. Members, ages 5 through 14, crafted “Bug Hotels” for insects overwintering as well as windsocks and rain gauges to learn about the weathers effect on nature. Although fun was had indoors, members are excited that the remaining meetings for the season will be held outdoors at Table Rock Center and Conestee Pollinator Garden.
Shark Camp in Greenville
Designed for young marine enthusiasts during Greenville County School’s breaks in March, students can embark on an oceanic adventure at Shark Camp! Join us for a jaw-dropping experience featuring canvas painting, shark info stations with rotating tales and facts, a thrilling shark glider contest, and exciting rounds of Shark games. Cap off the day by crafting your own shark bait to enjoy later. Don’t miss out on this fin-tastic journey into the world of sharks! Secure your spot today and make a splash with us at Shark Camp! Secure your child’s spot now for a day filled with shark-filled fun and discovery! Don’t miss out on the excitement—reserve your tickets for Shark Camp Adventure today! 🦈🌊
New Online Course! Seasonal Pond Management If you own or manage a freshwater pond, the 
