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(08/07/20) It’s August in Louisiana, and we don’t recommend doing much in the garden or, shall we say, not much in this heat.
(07/31/20) Thanks to plants and the sun, we as humans can eat, breathe and live. Ultimately, our survival depends on them.
[Video](8/3/20) Heather Kirk-Ballard explains on this edition of Get It Growing, it’s a good time to plan your fall landscape
[Video] (8/10/20) Here are some steps she recommends to minimize impacts of fig leaf rust.
(07/24/20) Summertime is the best time to just sit back and enjoy your garden. And while you’re at it, you can start thinking about fall gardening.
[Video](7/27/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard points out some nutrient sources you can serve your plants.
[Video] (7/20/20) Recently, the days have been scorchers — both for us and our plants. July is smart irrigation month.
(07/17/20) Does your lantana have yellowed leaves or brown spots? Is it pale and sickly looking with no flowers? The likely culprit is lace bugs.
(07/10/20) As a homeowner, you can make water-wise landscaping decisions.
[Video](7/13/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains there are some ways you can stop these destructive insects.
[Video](7/6/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains some of the simple materials you’ll need to get your pumpkins growing.
(07/03/20) July can be a tough month in Louisiana due to heat, high humidity, and increased disease and insect pressure.
(06/26/20) Growing plants in containers can be very convenient. For one thing, it makes your plants portable.
[Video](6/29/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains how you can extract seeds from your vegetables to plant your next crops.
[Video](7/6/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard demonstrates how to easily propagate plants from cuttings.
[Video](6/25/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains why this elegant, tall-stemmed plant is a good choice for your landscape.
(06/19/20) During this time when folks are still cautiously quarantining, you can create a tranquil oasis of your own.
[Video](6/15/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard introduces you to some beautiful plants that attract pollinators like butterflies and bees.
(06/12/20) June 22 through 28 is National Pollinator Week, and the focus is “Pollinators, Plants, People, Planet,” according to www.pollinator.org.
[Video](6/8/20) AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains other reasons why this exciting plant is now a member of the Louisiana Super Plant program
[Video](5/31/20) Heather Kirk-Ballard describes how you can plant a variety of textured plants together to strengthen the aesthetic impact of your landscape.
(06/05/20) I’ve been getting a great deal of questions about tomatoes lately. ‘Tis the season.
(05/29/20) Growing vegetables from your own seeds is probably one of the most fulfilling achievements of vegetable gardening.
(05/22/20) The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season will begin on June 1 and now is the time to prepare your yard, gardens and landscapes for bad weather.
(05/15/20) Chaste tree, also known as vitex, is simple in ease of care but is far from being plain.
[Video] (5/11/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard shows you how to properly pollinate your plants.
[Video] (5/11/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard shows you an economical way to fill in those unsightly holes.
(05/08/20) You can create a gorgeous arrangement for your home or someone special with just a few items.
(05/01/20) Blackberries are shiny, black fruit bursting with sweet juice.
(04/24/20) Fire ants can be a formidable foe in the garden and landscape. They come with a one-two punch for sure.
[Video](5/4/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains how kids, crafts and gardens can become a fun learning experience for everyone.
[Video](4/27/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains how the name comes from its distinctively colorful foliage.
(04/17/20) Gardening and the tasks involved with gardening can be a great way to get your family outside and engaged in some great crafts.
[Video] (4/20/20) LSU AgCenter Turfgrass specialist Ron Strahan explains differences in fertilizing St. Augustine and centipede grass.
[Video](4/13/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist KiKi Fontenot explains which vegetables are the right ones to grow during this spring season.
(04/10/20) During this unprecedented time of the coronavirus, an exceptional increase in the number of first-time gardeners can be seen across Louisiana.
(04/03/20) If you want to add a splash of spicy color and unique foliage to your yard this spring, look no further.
(03/27/20) Gardening activities are an excellent source of physical exercise, and vegetable gardens can supply nutritious food.
(03/20/20) Two species of fringe trees are most often seen in the landscape throughout the U.S.: the American fringe tree and Chinese fringe tree.
[Video](3/23/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard takes a closer look at the beloved live oak tree.
[Video](3/16/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains why it’s important, though, to wait until the right time to prune your azaleas back.
(03/13/20) Red buckeyes produce brilliant red flowers in upright clusters of dark-red tubular flowers.
[Video](3-9-20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard dispels that notion and explains how to care for these beautiful indoor tropicals.
[Video](3-2-30)LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains how you can keep that green thumb active — inside — by growing a succulent sedum garden
(03/06/20) Ball moss is not a parasite. It does not typically harm host plants unless the moss completely covers the majority of surfaces.
(02/21/20) It’s that time of year. The deciduous trees are putting on their leaves. Spring-blooming bulbs, trees and shrubs are starting to come to life.
(02/28//20) Live oaks have a strong history in the Gulf South.
[Video](1/24/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk explains how to make sure your plants get the water they need — without overdoing it.
[Video](1/17/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist KiKi Fontenot shows you how to grow your own potatoes in a container.
(02/14/20) It’s Valentine’s Day, and nothing says I love you more than flowers, right? And I’m here to suggest giving a live plant.
(02/07/20) Could something that appears so dainty and elegant actually do well in a landscape in Louisiana? The answer is, of course, why not?
[Video](2/10/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk talks about the value of those oftentimes forgotten, indoor plants.
[Video] (2/3/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard discusses why the Japanese magnolia is a great plant to bring beauty to your yard.
(01/31/20) Japanese magnolias are in bloom everywhere right now, possibly signifying an early spring. It’s one of the most strikingly beautiful blooming trees.
(01/24/20) Nothing completes a great recipe better than fresh herbs straight from your garden.
[Video](1/27/20) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard names some that look and grow the best during winter.
[Video](1/20/20) AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains why this cold-hardy tree with a tropical look might be a good choice for your landscape.
(01/17/20) Growing indoor plants is a great way to bring the wonder of the outdoors inside.
(01/10/20) Most folks don’t realize that tea comes from a camellia. Yes, that’s right. Camellia sinensis is the plant.
(11/29/19)You have several options of what to do with leaf litter. Some are good, and some are not so good.
(01/03/20) There was a time in my life when I thought a colorful winter garden did not exist. I was so wrong.
[Video](1-06-20), LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard visits with weed scientist Ron Strahan as they explore organic herbicides.
[Video](12-30-19)LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains the benefits of leaves and the best way to dispose of them.
[Video](12-2-19) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard visits a local grower to find out how they keep up with the demand for seasonal poinsettias
[Video](12-16-19) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard shows you how to create beautiful Christmas decorations from evergreen tree branches.
[Video](11-23-19)LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard offers tips for winterizing your garden crops — so they can survive and flourish.
(12/20/19) Loquat trees are in full bloom right now, and the penetrating fragrance has called the bees out on warm days.
(12/27/19) Winter is the best time for planting trees, and pecans are no exception.
(12/13/19) The winter months provide us an opportunity to focus on landscape planning, planting and maintenance.
(12/06/19) You can create an evergreen wreath or swag with a few inexpensive floral materials and plant cuttings from the landscape.
(11/22/19) Poinsettias are one of the most popular winter and Christmastime plants. They can be found this time of year in all sorts of retail outlets.
[Video](11/25/19) On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explores the pink-flowered golden rain tree
[Video](11/18/19) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard explains how this is the season for satsumas and the advantages of growing these citrus.
(11/15/19) To prepare our plants for freezing weather, we first turn our attention to tropical and subtropical plants that have tender herbaceous foliage.
(11/08/19) We often associate spring with flowers, but take a look all around you. Fall feels like a second springtime to me.
(11/01/19) It’s satsuma time in Louisiana. Some early varieties began ripening in late September while other varieties will mature later.
[Video](10/25/19) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard Travels to Lacombe to find out how mums fit into All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day.
(10/25/19) Persimmons, in my humble opinion, are highly underrated fruit.
[Video](10/27/19) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Kerry Heafner shows you how to use your compost to replenish potting soil.
(10/18/19) Chrysanthemums, commonly known as mums, go with autumn like pumpkin spice to your latte and candy corn to your trick or treat.
[Video](10/20/19) LSU AgCenter horticulturist Kerry Hefner shows you how to get a compost pile started and how you can maintain it.
(10/11/19) Boxwood has been used extensively in formal gardens for centuries to create lines and shapes and as a frame that leads the garden visitor.
[Video] (10/13/19) Heather Kirk-Ballard explains on this edition of Get It Growing, you can grow olive trees right here in Louisiana too.
[Video] (10/6/19) Heather Kirk-Ballard explains why the latest Super Plant — Jolt dianthus — will help your garden pop with color for a long time.
(10/04/19) The plants don’t lie. We see signs everywhere that our plants are suffering.
