(06/23/26) HAMMOND, La. — Researchers and staff at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station recently held their 2026 field day for landscape industry professionals.

“This is an annual gathering of industry folks, and it’s a great time for industry people as well as AgCenter specialists to come together and share ideas,” said Hammond Research Station coordinator Christine Coker.

“This is an important station to the landscape and nursery industry in the state,” said Mike Salassi, director of the AgCenter Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. “They’re doing great work.”

AgCenter researchers provided tours highlighting research currently being conducted at the more than 100-year-old station. Here’s a summary:

— Horticulture extension specialist Mary Helen Ferguson gave a summary of blueberry demonstration trials. She highlighted some of the best performers, new varieties that may allow commercial growers to spread out their harvests through different seasons, the importance of proper soils and fertilizers and the possibility of growing some varieties for ornamental purposes.

— Horticulturist and professor Yan Chen explained her continuing research on full-sun tea fields at the station and talked about the production process, including maintenance and harvesting. The studies include several teas such as the Georgian Tea variety. There is potential for profitability with these multigenerational plants, according to Chen. Some of them can continue to have high yields even after 100 years. The most profitable specialty plants are used to make white tea and green tea, she said.

— Weed scientist Colton Blankenship explained an ongoing study analyzing off-target movement of herbicides on ornamentals. The study is being conducted on drift roses with some of the most commonly used herbicides. He’s working with assistant professor of landscape horticulture Damon Abdi on the project.

— Abdi and LSU College of Agriculture graduate student Brianna Slade created rain gardens and are studying how well they remediate contaminants in the water. They are working with different types of media and a variety of plants to create a prescriptive plan for implementation in urban environments.

— Turfgrass specialist Eric DeBoer is comparing common turf varieties for low-input lawns and no supplemental irrigation. Additionally, DeBoer is working with Blankenship to establish the best herbicide treatments and cultural management practices for weed management on turfgrass. The tests will be done on newly applied plots of sod at the Hammond station and will double the number of trials by coupling them with research at the AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden in Baton Rouge.

— Horticulturist and Hammond Research Station coordinator Christine Coker discussed newly-installed raised-bed containers with edible plants like thornless blackberries and herbs. The edible landscapes project also involves an evaluation of some home orchard trees.

— Ornamental plant materials and trials coordinator Caroline Blanchard led attendees through the station’s plant variety trials, which include a sun garden and a shade garden. Station horticulturists evaluate these plants to determine, among other things, selections for the Louisiana Super Plant program.

Dan Weintritt, a project manager with Treppendahl Landscape, first attended the Hammond Field Day in 2017.

“I was really coming to the field day just to kind of meet professionals in the industry,” said Weintritt. “I just wanted to see the best and brightest things out there and educate myself so I can carry that knowledge on to our customers.”

“I’ve been following the LSU AgCenter for probably 15 years,” he added.

Attendees look at plants in sun garden plant trials at the 2026 Hammond Research Station field day on June 18, 2026. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter

AgCenter horticulturist and professor Yan Chen holds up a tea leaf while discussing her research on tea plants at the 2026 Hammond Research Station field day on June 18, 2026. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter

LSU College of Agriculture graduate student Brianna Slade explains research exploring the benefits of rain gardens at the 2026 Hammond Research Station field day on June 18, 2026. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter

AgCenter weed scientist Colton Blankenship explains research on off-target movement of herbicides on ornamentals at the 2026 Hammond Research Station field day on June 18, 2026. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter

A group of attendees tour the Hammond Research Station and learn about landscape projects at the 2026 Hammond Research Station field day on June 18, 2026. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter