Search
(Audio 08/27/07) Pruning Gingers and cannas can be tricky. Once a shoot has flowered it will not flower again. Gardeners can prune these shoots back down to the ground and make room for new shoots that will sprout up later. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/27/07) The young transplants gardeners buy at local nurseries have been raised under perfect conditions in greenhouses. As a result, transplants may need to be hardened off first before being planted in the garden.(Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/27/07) Roses have their share of problems during the summer, but if we wait through it, we can expect a good blooming season in the fall. Evaluate your roses now. Prune them, if they need it, to prepare them for fall blooming. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/27/07) The end of August or the first week of September is the last time this year to apply nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn. You do not want to encourage vigorous growth into the fall, because that makes the grass less hardy going into the winter. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/27/07) Caterpillars are one of the leading pests that attack plants in our landscapes. Their damage usually can be tolerated, but populations of these pests can be high at the end of summer. Monitor their damage and apply pesticides if necessary. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/20/07) Part of the pruning is to remove unattractive faded fronds from the lower part of the palm's head. This becomes more difficult as the palm grows taller. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/20/07) This time of the year, gardeners tend to work in the early morning or early evening hours when mosquitoes are most active. Gardeners should protect themselves with mosquito repellant or clothing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/20/07) Heat stress is terrible this time of the year. The weather is just as hard on our plants as it is on us, so we should avoid planting trees and shrubs now. Wait until the weather cools down in October before trying to plant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/20/07) Bagging grass clippings is not necessary if you mow frequently. If you don't, however, bagging the clippings can keep your yard healthy and attractive. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/20/07) Aquatic gardens are popular in Louisiana landscapes. But gardeners can have problems keeping their ponds looking healthy. One striking issue is green water. A balanced ecosystem can stop green water from developing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/13/07) We start looking for pears to ripen on our trees in August. They will start to change color, with a red blush appearing on the fruit. You also might notice the fruit soften or drop out of the tree. If that happens before they're ripe, you can ripen them off the tree for fresh eating. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/13/07) Many gardeners grow plants in containers. Container plants growing outdoors may need to be repotted after vigorous growth during the summer. You can see wilting and stunted growth on a plant that has outgrown its container. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/13/07) When it's hot outside, gardeners need to look for jobs that can be done in the shade. Ferns work great in shady areas, and this time of the year they may have unattractive fronds that need tending. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/13/07) The Louisiana Iris becomes dormant in the months of August and September. Then they begin active growth again in October. That means now is a great time to divide and transplant these plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/12/07) Louisiana gardeners can plant milkweed or butterfly weed for migrating monarch butterflies. Monarchs lay eggs on the butterfly weed. Although these plants may have other insect problems, remember that using insecticides on them will harm the butterflies. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/06/07) Coleus is a great bedding plant. It has beautiful foliage in a variety of colors. Coleus can be grown in the sun or the shade, but most prefer some shade. Just make sure you choose a variety suitable for the sunlight situation your coleus plants will be growing in. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/06/07) In these hot days of late summer our plants dry out quickly. Watering correctly will keep plants healthy. Mulching plants also helps conserve water, but overwatering can cause root rot. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 08/06/07) Two of the most difficult insects to deal with in the home landscape are spider mites and white flies. Spider mites are tiny and difficult to see. White flies are small and white, and the young white flies are attached to the underside of the leaves they infest. Both of these insects feed on the sap of plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/30/07) Vegetables we plant in August reflect the fact that summer will end soon. Crops like broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi can be seeded now. There also are other cool-season vegetables you can plant into your garden. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/30/07) Vegetables we plant in August reflect the fact that summer will end soon. Crops like broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi can be seeded now. There also are other cool-season vegetables you can plant into your garden. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/30/07) Louisiana vegetable gardeners can plant a wonderful crop of fall tomatoes. We need to get the transplants planted this month in North Louisiana. South Louisiana gardeners can wait until September to plant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/30/07) During hot summer days, especially if the weather is dry, chinch bugs can proliferate in area lawns and cause plenty of damage. Symptoms include patches of grass that are brown and dead. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/30/07) Palms can be planted all over the state. They need to be planted during warm weather, and August is the last month to plant them. Be sure to plant palms that are hardy enough for the area you live in. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/30/07) Louisiana has a long summer growing season. The bedding plants we planted in April and May have been growing for a long time and may be tall and leggy at this point. It is too early to pull them out and plant cool-season bedding plants, but you can cut back these plants.(Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/23/07) Basil is a heat-tolerant herb that grows well in Louisiana during the summer. You can find basil plants at your local nursery to plant into your garden. If you already have some growing, harvest regularly. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/23/07) Blackberries can be easy to grow and productive in the home garden. This is a good time to prune your blackberry plants. The canes that produced fruit this summer can be cut back. But leave the new canes alone. They will produce for you next year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/23/07) Gardenias and hydrangeas are great summer-blooming shrubs. Since they must be pruned before they set their flower buds, this is the best time to prune them. If you wait too late to do this task, you may take off some of the plant's future flowers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/23/07) Cutting flowers from the garden is a great way to bring the outdoors in. Cut flowers in the late afternoon, cutting them on a slant. Put them in a bucket of water until you are ready to arrange them. Keep the arrangement away from direct sunlight and heat. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/23/07) July generally is fig month in Louisiana -- although the age of the tree or weather conditions can affect fig production. Once picked figs won't keep long, so enjoy them right away or use them in preserves. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/16/07) Annual bedding plants can suffer during the heat of summer. Keep in mind that watering too often won't help the plant and could encourage root rot. Watering deeply and thoroughly two or three times a week should do the job. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/16/07) Louisiana gardeners grow many plants in containers. Flower pots on wooden decks or porches could damage the surface as a result of water collecting on the wood. The best solution is to boost the pots up with pot feet or bricks. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/16/07) Weeding can be a constant chore for gardeners. Mulching and using herbicides can help home gardeners face such chores less often. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/16/07) Shade trees have many benefits in the home landscape, but there is one downside. As these trees grow larger, the grass beneath them can suffer. Ground covers can tolerate the shade, so shade-loving ground covers like monkey grass and liriope are good choices under large trees. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/16/07) The leaf miner is a common pest of ornamentals and vegetables. The larvae of leaf miners cause the damage to the plants. These pests feed on cells within the layers of the leaf, making it difficult to control them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/09/07) May through June is the peak harvest time for most tomatoes in Louisiana gardens. You may still have tomato flowers now, but with the intense heat of mid-summer, those flowers are less likely to set fruit. On the other hand, Roma tomatoes and other heat-tolerant tomatoes do well in the summertime. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/09/07) Webworms are small caterpillars that feed on the foliage of a variety of trees. They get their name because they create web-like structures at the end of branches -- enclosing the foliage. They feed on the foliage, but the damage they do generally is minimal. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/09/07) Energy bills can spike during the summer months. Planting shade trees in appropriate places in your yard can help keep cooling costs down. While this is not the right time to plant trees, it is a good time to evaluate your shade needs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/09/07) This is our lawn-care season. Mowing frequently and regularly will help keep your lawn healthy. Other lawn chores include fertilizing, keeping mower blades sharpened and watering regularly, if necessary. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/09/07) Despite the heat, July can be an active time in the vegetable garden. We can remove some of the plants that we planted in the spring and replace them with heat-tolerant vegetables such as cucumbers and okra. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/02/07) There are many beautiful ornamental grasses that can be used as decorative borders. They are drought tolerant and have good insect and disease resistance. Gardeners can find a wide variety of ornamental grasses at gardening centers -- with at least one that will fill their needs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/02/07) Louisiana gardeners grow many plants in containers. This time of the year these plants need plenty of watering, especially if they are in a sunny location. Repotting plants into larger containers can help you cut down on the amount of watering you need to do. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/02/07) Palm trees can be grown all over Louisiana. If you want to add a palm to your landscape, now is the time to plant them. Homeowners in North Louisiana should choose hardy palms for their climate. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/02/07) The bald cypress is Louisiana's state tree. It makes a great addition to the landscape, but gardeners can have a problem with cypress knees. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to remove knees that might pop up. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 07/02/07) Hydrangeas and gardenias bloom in the early summer. Although most of the summer-flowering shrubs we grow in our landscapes bloom on new growth, hydrangeas and gardenias set their flower buds in late summer. When the plants finish flowering, prune them quickly so as not to cut off next year's flower buds. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/25/07) Despite the intense heat of summer, you can continue to plant colorful bedding plants to brighten your summer beds. Be sure to keep them well watered when they are newly planted. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/25/07) Gladiolas bulbs are planted in Louisiana landscapes to provide beautiful spikes of flowers in many colors. Once a gladiola finishes blooming, you should cut off the faded flower but leave all the foliage intact so it can provide food for the bulb. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/25/07) Fertilizers are products that add essential minerals and nutrients to the soil. Soluble fertilizers are dissolved in water and applied as a liquid to plants. They provide immediate nutrients to plants, but they do have drawbacks. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/25/07) Weeding work is never done, but there are ways to suppress weeds. Mulch is one way to keep weeds down. A pre-emergence herbicide also can prevent weeds from taking over beds. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/25/07) Tarragon is an herb that is popular in poultry dishes. French tarragon is the classic variety, but it won't grow in Louisiana during the summer. Cooks and gardeners can substitute Mexican tarragon to overcome that obstacle. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/18/07) Zinnias provide bright colors in the garden and make great cut flowers. Although many zinnias perform poorly during the summer months, Profusion zinnias can stand up to Louisiana's heat. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/18/07) Summer is an excellent time to add plants to an aquatic garden. Plants in good-sized pots can simply be placed into the pond. There are no holes to dig or beds to prepare. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/18/07) High temperatures and high humidity can create a dangerous heat index. It's important to take care of yourself when you garden this time of the year. Garden early in the morning or late in the evening and follow the shade around. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/18/07) Petunias are a popular summer bedding plant up north, but these plants generally tend to fade in Louisiana's summer heat. Wave petunias, however, will tolerate more heat than most varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/18/07) During the intense heat of summer rose blooms are fewer, smaller and poorer in quality. Heat stress causes the drop in production. Even though it may seem like roses could use fertilizer, now is not the time to apply fertilizer to your roses. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/11/07) You may notice fine silvery webbing appearing on the bark of trees during the summer. These webs are made by tiny insects called bark lice or psocids. While it looks alarming, these insects won't harm the tree. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/11/07) Most of the roses in our gardens today are everblooming roses. But some gardeners still grow once-blooming roses. When these roses finish flowering, it is time to prune them. Just study each plant carefully to decide how to prune it. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/11/07) June ushers in hurricane season in Louisiana, and strong thunderstorms also are common during the summer months. To prepare your yard for potential storms, check for weaknesses or dead branches in trees. Also, plan what objects need to be picked up in your yard if you know a storm is approaching. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/11/07) In horticulture the term sucker is used to describe a strong sprout growing from the base of a tree or the tree's root system. Crape myrtles commonly produce suckers. But there is a way to get rid of these growths. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/11/07) Home gardeners can grow a number of vegetables from the onion family. These crops are planted in fall and harvested this time of the year. Pull the onion, shallot or garlic bulb out of the ground and let it dry in the sun a few days. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/04/07) Creating a compost pile is a great way to recycle yard waste. Fallen leaves and grass clippings can be turned into valuable material that can be used in garden bed preparation or as top dressing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/04/07) Gardeners may notice poorly-performing plants with grayish-green growths on them. These growths, called lichens, often are blamed for harming trees or shrubs. Lichens are not parasites, but they often live on trees that are already unhealthy.
(Audio 06/04/07) Mowing is the main lawn chore during the summer months. You need to mow often enough so that when you do mow you are not cutting off more than a third of the leaf blade. Of course, this will mean mowing at least once a week. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/04/07) Mowing is the main lawn chore during the summer months. You need to mow often enough so that when you do mow you are not cutting off more than a third of the leaf blade. Of course, this will mean mowing at least once a week. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/04/07) A vine-ripened tomato freshly picked from the garden can be a real treat. But harvesting tomatoes at the perfect time is not always possible. If they still need it when you pick them, you can ripen tomatoes indoors. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 06/04/07) The vegetables we plant in Louisiana this time of the year have to be able to take the intense heat throughout the summer. We can plant a variety of vegetables such as canteloupe, eggplant and okra. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
