(Distributed 04/26/12) Keep environmental conditions in mind when you select plant materials for a home landscape. The size of the planting area is important along with other site characteristics, such as sun or shade exposure, wet or dry locations, and exposure to windy conditions.

(Distributed 04/20/12) Mid- to late spring is when we start seeing tropical-like plants take off and start growing as we enter our warmest time of year. Instead of summer being a “down time” in the landscape, you can use these plants to enhance your warm-season efforts.

(Distributed 04/12/12) In 2010, the LSU AgCenter introduced a new ornamental plant education, promotion and marketing program called Louisiana Super Plants. It highlights tough and beautiful plants that perform well in Louisiana landscapes. Plant selections are announced each spring and fall.

(Distributed 04/05/12) Many Louisiana gardeners enjoy a summer landscape planting of caladiums. These are one of the most popular plants to fill shady gardens because they thrive in the heat and humidity common in Louisiana summers. Caladiums are a great, low-maintenance bedding plant.

(Distributed 04/04/12) Little children will have big fun finding and eating Easter eggs. But LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames said if you’re planning to peel and eat, stuff or make egg salad from leftover dyed Easter eggs, be sure to follow food safety guidelines.

(Distributed 03/30/12) As the peak of the spring bedding plant season arrives, you may want a few warm-season flowers in the shady areas around your landscape. Most of our warm-season flowers prefer full sun or at least more sun than shade. But many great bedding plants will provide desirable flowering and foliage for those shaded areas in your landscape through fall.

(Distributed 03/23/12) As we enter late March, we are enjoying the blooms of our main traditional southern garden shrub – the azalea. These plants are abundantly planted and represent a large percentage of landscape plants in Louisiana.

(Distributed 03/20/12) Are you at risk of diabetes? Tuesday, March 27, is American Diabetes Alert Day, an annual event sponsored by the American Diabetes Association to alert Americans of their risk of developing diabetes.

(Distributed 03/16/12) It’s mid-March, and spring bedding-plant time is here for most of us. We have been eager to plant flowers this spring with our warm winter weather and the early arrival of springlike conditions in the landscape.

(Distributed 03/09/12) Many home gardeners have an interest in native plants. We are fortunate in Louisiana to have a vast abundanace of native plants for home landscape use. These include our native wildflower, the native Louisiana iris, our state flower, the Southern magnolia, and our state tree, the magnificent bald cypress.