News Release Distributed 01/26/07
The LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station will host the 2007 Spring Garden Day March 10.
Sponsored by the LSU AgCenter and its Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardener Association, the event will feature a variety of gardening and educational exhibits, plant sales and seminars, as well as information on some of the research being conducted at the station.
"The purpose of the event is to educate the public on LSU AgCenter recommendations on gardening and related topics and to let them know what garden products and services are available in the area," said LSU AgCenter county agent Annie Coco. "It also serves as a fund-raising activity for the Louisiana Master Gardeners in Tangipahoa Parish to enable them to continue their educational efforts and services related to horticulture."
The Louisiana Master Gardener program is a special educational and outreach program of the LSU AgCenter. Under the program, Master Gardener volunteers receive education from the LSU AgCenter in exchange for sharing their knowledge and expertise in their communities and participating in other related volunteer efforts.
Admission to the Spring Garden Day, which will run from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., is $5 per vehicle.
Among the activities offered during the day:
–Guided walking tours of the Hammond Research Station, beginning at 10:30 a.m. and noon, will show some of its ongoing research projects.
–Three indoor seminars will be presented. The first, at 9:30 a.m., will be "Gingers and Other Tropicals for the Florida Parishes," presented by LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Jeff Kuehny. At 11 a.m., LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings will present A Sun-Loving Annuals and Perennials for the Florida Parishes,@ and at 1:30 p.m. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill will present A Tree Selection for the Florida Parishes.@
–A new feature of the annual event will be demonstrations on garden tool care and container gardening, given alternately through the day. They will be conducted by members of the Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardeners.
– A kids’ tent will allow kids to plant a small plant to take home, make a pine cone bird feeder, play a fishing game to win a pack of seeds and participate in other activities.
–The Tangipahoa Master Gardeners plant sale will include an assortment of plants grown by Master Gardeners, as well as professionally grown plants suited for Florida Parishes gardens and landscapes. Area nurseries and garden-related businesses also will have more plants and garden-related items available for sale.
–Concessions will feature hamburgers grilled on the premises and some homemade items.
–A food drive will benefit Tangi Food Pantry, and participants can bring non-perishable items to donate to this agency in Hammond that serves the area.
The LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station is located at 21549 Old Covington Highway (Hwy. 1067 just off Hwy. 190).
Special accommodations can be made available for persons with disabilities by contacting Coco at (985) 748-9381 by March 1. For more general information on the event, simply call the LSU AgCenter Tangipahoa Parish Extension Office at (985) 748-9381.
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Contact: Annie Coco at (985) 748-9381 or acoco@agcenter.lsu.edu
Editor: Tom Merrill at (225) 578-2263 or tmerrill@agcenter.lsu.edu