| Sustainable, green landscapes possible (Distributed 08/29/08) Sustainability and “green” are commonly used words in mainstream media. We think of gardening and yard care as green activities, but many of our practices are not green at all, such as overusing pesticides and fertilizers. |
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| Under-construction buildings can pose hazards (Distributed 08/29/08) With Gustav bearing down on the Louisiana coast, homes that have been stripped for repair since hurricanes Katrina and Rita – and those that are now elevated on columns – may be subject to high winds for the first time. |
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| Be cautious with generators after a storm (Distributed 08/29/08) Homeowners face many issues after a hurricane. If the home has escaped major structural damage, one of the first problems encountered may be the loss of electrical power. |
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| Prepare an evacuation to-go kit for your child (Distributed 08/29/08) Adults are urged to assemble a “grab-and-go” box of important papers in case of a hurricane evacuation. How about making a “to-go kit” for your child? Assembling a few treasured items can help your child in times of disaster, according to LSU AgCenter family development professor Dr. Rebecca White. |
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| You can create bird habitats (For Release On Or After 09/26/08) Birds can contribute wonderful things to the enjoyment of a landscape, such as movement, color, sounds and even pest control. The presence of birds is almost universally welcome among gardeners. Gardeners can even go so far as to design and plant landscapes that are particularly attractive to birds. |
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| It’s time to think about landscaping (For Release On Or After 09/19/08) When it comes to home landscaping, many gardeners remain confused about how to create what they want. The important thing to remember is that developing an attractive, properly functioning landscape is best done using a process. |
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| Enjoy native wildflowers (For Release On Or After 09/12/08) Roadsides and meadows come alive with colors of native wildflowers in September, October and November. Gardeners – who sometimes struggle to create beautiful displays of flowers in their landscapes – often marvel at the way nature seems to achieve such beauty without effort. |
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| Dealing with storm-damaged trees (For Release On Or After 09/05/08) September is one of our most active months for tropical storms and hurricanes. Trees are particularly vulnerable to the effects of high winds and sustain various types of damage as a result. |
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| Tailgate food safety ‘coach’ lays out game plan for football season (Distributed 08/28/08) If you're planning to tailgate this football season, a strong defense is your best protection against foodborne illness, says LSU AgCenter food safety “coach” Dr. Beth Reames. Microorganisms that cause foodborne illness are all around and, given the right conditions, can grow in foods and make us sick. |
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| Why is my neighbor’s yard greener? (Distributed 08/27/08) A commonly asked question LSU AgCenter extension agents face every year is, “Why is my neighbor’s yard greener?” The answer can be simple or quite complex, depending on what's wrong. “If there are many issues interacting, sometimes it's just better to kill it all off and start all over,” said Tom Koske, LSU AgCenter turfgrass specialist. |
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