Vegetable gardening is in full swing across southwest Louisiana. With the large variety of vegetables that are now planted, we are starting to see several different issues arising in the garden. Although the couple problems that we are starting to see (that will be discussed), neither one is detrimental in vegetable production if caught early on and treated properly.

The best time to fertilize lawns is early to mid-April. Most people try to fertilize their lawns too early in the spring.

There are many ways to manage these nuisance creatures including several different chemicals. Always read and follow the label directions when using any pesticide.

We are finally getting some nice weather and rice planting has really picked up. It looks like we will have more water seeded planting this year due to the wet spring we have been experiencing.

Gardeners are preparing their gardens, deciding what vegetables to plant, and the shovels are coming out of storage.

The winter of 2011-2012 has been one of the warmest in memory. It has also been one of the wettest in several years. This has made for much better cool season forage production than we normally experience.

March marks the time when most gardeners begin to stir the soil and plant their warm season vegetables and flowers.

Many pecan trees that are growing in residential landscapes produce very few pecans due to improper care and improper fertilization. Here are tips for taking care of pecan trees so they will have maximum yield.

Because environmental conditions are vary in different locations and years, the optimum seeding time is typically presented as a range of dates.

LSU AgCenter county agent Allen Hogan discusses liriope ground cover along with tips on planting fruit and nut trees.

With the wide variety of shrubs out on the market today, selecting the perfect shrub for your landscape can be an overwhelming task. Here are tips to help you make the right choice.

Tips on using pesticides safely.

Now through February is the preferred time of year for fruit tree fertilization.

Information about the LSU AgCenter Livestock Shows; schedule for the Southwest District Livestock Show.

WInter might not seem to be a good time for many things, but it is an opportune time to perform certain management tasks in the home lawn to provide for healthier, more attractive turf for next summer.

As we move into the new year, there are several garden chores that we can perform that will make for better cool season vegetables and provide for healthier, more vigorous shade trees and lawns next spring.

January is the perfect time to plant beets, carrots, and Irish potatoes in the garden and have a plentiful harvest.

LSU AgCenter county agent Allen Hogan discusses holiday plant care and sticker weeds in the yard.

Compost isorganic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment.

Usually it is cold enough to do damage to many plants that we grow. If you make preparations now, it will make plant survival more probable should we have another harsh winter this year.

Information about when to harvest citrus and how to control sticker weeds.

With the winter season looming, now is the time to start planning, preparing and planting those shade trees that you have been wanting to plant for some time.

Like it or not, winter will be upon us soon. Even with shorter days and colder temperatures, we live in a location that allows us to plant certain vegetables and flowers late in the fall.

If you are thinking about planting strawberries this fall, now is the time to be planting these cool-season plants in your garden.

Even if you plan to have a dormant lawn, one without perennial ryegrass, there are several chores you may perform to help the vigor of next year's lawn.

Plants like pansies, violas, snapdragons, petunias and garden mums can add a variety of color and contrast to your landscape and keep your landscape looking great throughout the winter.

LSU AgCenter county agent Allen Hogan discusses care of your caladiums and irises along with tips on winter vegetables.

Prepare your landscape beds now by learning how to remove weeds and keep them from growing back.

If you have not prepared your fall garden yet, you still have time to plant a variety of crops.

Tips on planting shade trees and an overview of activities planned for the Jeff Davis Parish Fair.

There are several management practices we can utilize in the fall to increase the vigor of our lawns for next spring and summer.

Brown patch is a common, soil-borne fungal disease that attacks warm-season grasses and usually shows up in the fall when temperatures begin to cool.

Winter pastures are one of the most cost effective sources of nutrition for livestock. With good management and good weather, we can make our best gains in the winter and early spring months.

During the late summer months here in South Louisiana, it tends to be very hot and dry. LSU AgCenter county agent Barrett Courville discusses lawn and garden problems associated with the hot, dry weather we've been experiencing.

Even though August is not considered the best month to start a warm season vegetable garden, it might be our last chance to successfully produce these vegetables in 2011.

Smutgrass is a perennial plant, meaning that it re-grows from the roots each year.

With the frequent rains we are seeing an abundance of mushrooms appearing in lawns as a single object, in groups or clusters or in a ring.

LSU AgCenter Barrett Courville discusses the rice harvest, problems with rain, verification field updates, and Sheath Rot in rice.

Ratoon (second) crop production is one of the advantages of rice production in Southwest Louisiana. Rice harvest is just beginning and producers will have to make a decision of whether to produce a second crop.

Foliage feeding caterpillars can pose a real threat to soybean plants. They feed on the soybean leaves and reduce the ability of the plant to produce food and fill the pods.

As our soybean crop progresses into the reproductive maturity stages, (flowering through pod fill) the management of foliar diseases becomes essential.

Lawn fertilization should not be a prime concern in mid-summer. Leave the mid-summer for other lawn care practices that relieve plant stress during this hot, stressful period of time.

The rice stink bug is the second most important rice pest in Louisiana. They emerge early in the spring and several generations can develop on grasses in and around rice fields.

LSU AgCenter county agent Allen Hogan discusses the Rice Research Station Field Day to be held on June 30, 2011, pests in the garden and tips for planting vegetables in July.

Nuisance animals are animals that most homeowners finid quite adorable in normal circumstances. However, when they cause damage or inconvenience, most lose their charm.

The pine colaspis beetle adults are elongated to oval shaped, convex, and a rusty yellow to greenish color. The adult beetles will chew the edges of needles producing an irregular saw-like edge that will turn brown. Also included in this article is information about the South Farm Rice Research Station Tour on June 15, 2011.

LSU AgCenter county agent Allen Hogan discusses plant problems currently happening in the area along with possible solutions for these problems.

LSU AgCenter county agent Barrett Courville covers some important information on proper lawn irrigation.

The Southwest Louisiana Rice Tour is scheduled for Wednesday, June 1, 2011, starting at Fenton Co-op in Fenton, La. at 9:00 a.m. The Beef Check-Off Referendum will be held on May 31, 2011, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the office of each parish county agent.

A quarterly newsletter from the Horticulture Division of the LSU AgCenter's School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences. (PDF Format Only)

Louisiana Wildlife News is a bimonthly publication intended to serve as an outlet for wildlife issues relevant to Louisiana and the Southeast. In addition to current news events, profiles on specific plant, wildlife and nuisance wildlife species are included in each issue.

A monthly fisheries newsletter from the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant.