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(Audio 04/29/13) Caladiums allow gardeners to work in the shade during summer. These plants grow from tubers and can be planted in May and June. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/29/13) It is not too late to add roses to your landscape. Plant roses into well-prepared beds enriched with organic matter. Remember, roses enjoy full sun. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/29/13) Gardeners can begin planting more heat-tolerant vegetables in May. The temperatures will be hot as the vegetables develop. Listen to learn what vegetables can be planted this month. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/29/13) Bell peppers are popular in home gardens. You may see bell peppers in red, yellow and orange. These are simply green bell peppers that have stayed on the plant long enough to fully ripen. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/29/13) Louisiana gardeners use a wide variety of evergreen shrubs and trees in their landscapes. Even though evergreen plants never drop all their leaves at once, it is important to know that leaves do get old, will turn yellow and drop off the plant. Generally this is nothing to worry about. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 04/29/13) A strikingly beautiful summer plant is the verbena. It’s been around for a while, and as LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get It Growing, breeders have developed many colorful variations of this outstanding plant. (Runtime: 1:40)
(Video 04/22/13) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plants program highlights tough and beautiful plants that work well in Louisiana landscapes. The Bandana lantana, also called Bandana Rose, is a beautiful, low-maintenance lantana with an improvement over its relatives. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how the Bandana’s compact size – only 20 inches tall and 2 feet wide – make it even more manageable than other lantanas. (Runtime: 1:33)
(Audio 04/22/13) When planting herbs in April, gardeners should focus on heat-tolerant herbs. Basil is one to consider planting. Harvest herbs you planted in fall because they will start to languish as the weather warms. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/22/13) Mulching offers many benefits to flower beds and vegetable gardens. A good layer of mulch suppresses weeds, helps retain soil moisture and regulates soil temperature. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/22/13) Many of the plants we grow in containers are tropicals. If you brought plants inside for the winter, now is the time to move them back outdoors. Make the transition slowly to help the plants adjust to greater light conditions. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/22/13) Plants growing in containers have special needs. They have to be in potting soil. They also need frequent watering and fertilizing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/22/13) Crape myrtles are popular in Louisiana landscapes. They bloom beautifully throughout the summer. The leading insect pest of crape myrtles is the crape myrtle aphid. They are sucking insects that create honeydew on the trees, creating a sooty mold. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/15/13) Lawn care kicks into high gear as the weather warms. If you didn't have your blades sharpened before putting the mower away for the winter, consider having them sharpened now. This will keep the turf healthy. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/15/13) Summer bedding plants are ready to go into the garden. Nurseries are full of great selections. Consider planting spring Super Plants to brighten your landscapes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/15/13) April is a good time to plant caladiums. These plants are wonderful in shady locations. There are some varieties that will work in full sun. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/15/13) There are four main lawn grasses used in Louisiana. These grasses love the heat and grow well during summer. If you are thinking of planting a new lawn, do it is as the weather warms up. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/15/13) Lantanas provide reliable color in Louisiana landscapes. They typically grow rather large, but a new series called Bandana lantana produce mounding plants covered in flowers. They are drought-tolerant and attractive to butterflies. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/08/13) Little Ruby alternanthera is a low-growing plant grown for its beautiful foliage. Its deep burgundy, purplish foliage stays lovely all summer long. It also is a spring 2013 Super Plant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/08/13) In Louisiana, we can begin fertilizing lawns in the last week of March, and this can continue into May. It is a great idea to fertilize lawns that are low in vigor and need a deeper color. Gardeners can use a weed-and-feed to also control weeds in the yard while fertilizing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/08/13) Louisiana gardeners use a wide variety of spring-flowering bulbs. Some of the bulbs will come back and re-bloom year after year, while others don't re-bloom well. Learn how to care for ones that do bloom again and again. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/08/13) The warm weather of spring brings out more pests in our landscapes. Insecticides may be necessary to control insects on vegetable plants. Make sure you know what kind of insects you have so can best control them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/08/13) With warmer weather in April, gardeners can plant tomatoes in any area of the state. When selecting tomato transplants, decide what type of tomatoes you want. You can choose from many different varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 04/15/13) Hanging baskets offer a unique aesthetic perspective to patios and porches. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill offers some tips on maintaining the health and beauty of plants you choose for your hanging containers. (Runtime: 1:32)
(Video 04/08/13) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plants program highlights tough and beautiful plants that work well in Louisiana landscapes. Little Ruby alternanthera is a colorful, tough new Super Plant selection. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains why the low-maintenance Little Ruby is an excellent choice to grow in containers or in your flower beds. (Runtime: 1:32)
(Audio 04/01/13) The weather turns warm in April. This month is a transition time in the garden. Cool-season bedding plants are blooming beautifully now, but gardeners interested in putting in new plants should look for warm-season plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/01/13) Sapsuckers are birds related to woodpeckers. They have strong beaks they use to peck holes into the trunks of trees. They are after sap in the trees. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/01/13) Easter was early this year, but you may still have Easter lilies. You can plant these in a flower bed where they will bloom for you year after year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/01/13) Many spring-flowering shrubs have been blooming during the past month and will continue to bloom into April and early May. The best time to prune them is right after they finish flowering. If you wait too long, you could disrupt next year's blooms. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 04/01/13) We can count on warmer weather during the month of April. Gardeners can start planting transplants of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Hear more to learn about other vegetables ready for planting. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 04/01/13) Did you know cantaloupes and watermelons belong to the cucumber family? Right now is a great time to plant all of these. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill tells you what you need to know about selecting vegetables from the cucumber family.
(For Release On Or After 04/26/13) As May approaches, we transition from the warm days and cool nights of spring and early summer to the hot days and warm nights that will be with us until September. With the increasing heat, you should be noticing the inevitable decline of your cool-season bedding plants.
(For Release On Or After 04/12/13) The foliage of ornamental plants generally plays a supporting role to their colorful flowers. Leaves, in all their many different shades of green, typically provide a backdrop for the flowers that delight the eye and dominate our attention.
(For Release On Or After 04/05/13) Blue, particularly true blue, is a color relatively rare among garden flowers. Blame the pollinators. Remember, flowers are not produced by plants for our enjoyment.
(For Release On Or After 04/19/13) Lantana (Lantana camara) is one of the first flowers I became aware of as a young child in Chalmette. After all, who could resist a plant so perfectly named with the common name “ham and eggs”?
