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Sustainable Landscape News From LaHouse Distributed 08/28/09 By LSU AgCenter Horticulturists Dan Gill, Allen Owings and John Young One of the LSU AgCenter’s many educational efforts is the Louisiana Yards and Neighborhoods program for gardening and landscape enthusiasts. LYN – through its literature and demonstrations – tells how to maintain sustainable landscapes and follow best management practices in home horticulture. LYN centers on seven landscape principles: putting the right plant in the right place; watering efficiently; maximizing mulch and recycling yard waste; fertilizing efficiently; managing yard pests; protecting surface water and wetlands; and providing beneficial wildlife habitats. The “right plant, right place” slogan is frequently heard in horticultural circles these days. This principle simply advocates matching the plant to the planting location. Consider sun exposure at the planting site and the sun/shade recommendation of the plant being put there. Also, consider soil drainage and soil pH, and give serious attention to mature plant height and mature plant spread. Many times shrubs and trees are planted too close together and become overgrown in a short time. Watering efficiently requires knowing the irrigation needs of the plants in the landscape. What is the required irrigation for different lawn grasses? Centipede grass, for example, is less drought-tolerant than others. You need to water it deeply and infrequently instead of shallowly and frequently. Mulching is one of the best things we can do to suppress weed growth and replenish landscape beds with new organic material. Add mulch to bedding plants at a depth of 1 inch, to shrubs at a depth of 2 inches and to trees at a depth of 3-4 inches. Go “out with mulch,” not “up with mulch”; that is, don’t make a pyramid of mulch at the base of the tree. The best mulch is pine straw. Fertilizing efficiently mirrors the watering-efficiently concept. Know the nutrient and fertility demands of the plants in your landscape. Use a slow-release fertilizer instead of a quick-release and water-soluble type. Know your native soil fertility. Your soil may contain enough nutrients so you don’t have to fertilize as much. Apply fertilizer at the time of the year when plants can maximize the fertilizer’s benefits. Managing yard pests can be tricky. The important concept to remember is that there are more beneficial insects than damaging ones. You have to learn which is which. Insect problems in Louisiana include azalea lace bugs, scales, white flies, aphids and thrips, among others. Scout your landscaping plantings once a week to check for insect problems. Protecting surface water and waterways means understanding how urban stormwater contributes to pollution. The problem is a residential as well as an industrial issue. Be careful when applying fertilizers and pesticides. Do not allow these products to move into water bodies. Also, when mowing grass, do not blow leaves, grass clippings and debris out into the street. Proper landscaping and lawn maintenance can help reduce these pollution problems. We can do much in a landscape to provide habitats for beneficial wildlife. Native plants frequently can be used to attract wildlife. If you want to attract hummingbirds or butterflies, for example, select plants that draw them. Come to LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is located near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. Go online to Louisiana Yards and Neighborhoods for additional information.
BATON ROUGE, La. – More than 200 people learned how to update their homes and make them safer during hurricane season at the Hurricanes, Homes and Yards event at the LSU AgCenter’s LaHouse on June 13. LaHouse is an educational and demonstration center built as a residential home near the Alex Box Baseball Stadium on the LSU campus.
(Distributed 06/03/09) The Louisiana Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences presented its highest award along with others at its annual conference in Lafayette May 6. New officers also were chosen.
(Radio News 01/19/09) Early Louisiana strawberries are arriving in grocery stores and farmers markets. Louisiana growers produce plenty of high-quality berries, but the state doesn’t have as many acres of strawberries as it did 10 years ago, according to Dr. Regina Bracy, director of the LSU AgCenter's Hammond Research Station. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/19/09) Louisiana strawberries are a springtime favorite, but consumers don’t have to wait this year to enjoy them. Some farmers started harvesting their crops back in November, says Dr. Regina Bracy, director of the LSU AgCenter's Hammond Research Station. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/05/09) 2008 had many ups and downs for Louisiana farmers. Farmers headed into the year with a good deal of optimism, says LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry, but he points out things changed along the way. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/05/09) Financial woes are affecting most sectors of the economy. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry says agricultural lending hasn’t felt the full brunt of the economic crisis. Guidry says the question isn’t whether there will be money to lend to producers this year but whether producers can convince lenders to make the loans. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/19/09) Broccoli on the school’s cafeteria menu may not excite many students, but broccoli growing in Valverda Elementary School’s courtyard excited two classes of fourth graders on a crisp winter morning. Fourth-grade teacher Joann Hebert says the garden is part of the curriculum for many classes at this Pointe Coupee Parish School. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/05/09) LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry makes predictions about Louisiana’s crop outlook for the new year. Guidry expects soybean and rice acreage to increase in 2009. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/12/09) LSU AgCenter agents are tackling nutritional needs in their communities. Agents are involved in a nutrition coalition taking on three issues. LSU AgCenter family and consumer sciences agent Terri Crawford explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 01/12/09) Community gardens are providing access to fresh vegetables for residents of some low-income neighborhoods in Shreveport. The LSU AgCenter program also is bringing neighbors together and changing communities for the better, according to LSU AgCenter horticulture agent Grace Peterson. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Distributed 05/28/09) FENTON, La. – Rice growers heard advice from a range of LSU AgCenter experts Tuesday (May 26) during the southwest rice field day.
(Distributed 05/14/09) Paul Coreil, vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter, and Marybeth Lima, professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, received the 2009 top awards from the LSU Kiwanis Club.
(Distributed 05/21/09) Every year, new shrub varieties are introduced for landscape use. At the same time, some varieties debuted in prior years are new in that they’re just catching on.
(Distributed 05/12/09) MAMOU, La. – Rice farmers can get the latest information on new varieties and agronomic practices at the Evangeline Parish Rice Field Day being held May 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The LSU AgCenter-sponsored event will be held at the farm of Kody and Larry Bieber, one mile west of La. Highway 13 on Bieber Road.
(Distributed 05/26/09) During a hurricane, you need some supplies just to survive. But many of those supplies are hard to find if you wait until a storm is approaching. So it’s better to make sure you’ve got some of the essentials now, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.
(Distributed 05/29/09) Eating only 1 teaspoon of salt a day is a challenge for many Americans. This is the amount recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
(Distributed 05/20/09) A Louisiana 4-H Centennial scavenger hunt has been a success at finding memorabilia and artifacts to be used in the new Louisiana 4-H Museum, according to museum officials.
(Distributed 05/27/09) The LSU AgCenter will offer a course on “Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners” June 2-3 at its Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center.
(Distributed 05/25/09) Are you ready for a hurricane? LSU AgCenter housing specialist Dr. Claudette Reichel offers a 20-question quiz to help you determine just how prepared you are.
(Distributed 05/11/09) CAMERON, La. – Newly built-to-code houses that have already survived one hurricane will be featured in this year’s Cameron Parish Tour of Hurricane-resistant Homes.
(Distributed 05/27/09) Having an “evacuation box” packed and ready to go with important papers and other items can prevent financial disasters and hardships if a serious storm comes your way, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker says there often isn’t time to gather up such items when you’re rushing to evacuate, so she recommends packing them up now and refreshing them as needed.
(Distributed 05/21/09) Do-it-yourself homebuilders in Louisiana have recently encountered problems with local parish building inspectors when attempting to get their structures approved if the house was built with lumber missing a grade stamp.
(Distributed 05/25/09) KENNER, La. – Although he may be known to the culinary world as a leading New Orleans chef, John Besh also is a leading proponent of serving locally grown foods in his four restaurants. “Our restaurants spend $8 million to $9 million a year on groceries,” Besh told participants at the Louisiana Master Gardeners’ state conference here May 21.
(Distributed 05/11/09) BATON ROUGE – The LSU AgCenter will conduct a short course for landscape management professionals June 16-17 in Baton Rouge.
(Distributed 05/05/09) The LSU AgCenter will host the third Louisiana Natural Resources Symposium July 16-17, 2009, at the Lod Cook Conference Center and Hotel on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.
(Distributed 05/30/09) LSU AgCenter 4-H will seek for the first time this year a school in Louisiana with outstanding character education practices to submit for national recognition through the Character Education Partnership, a youth advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.
(Distributed 05/01/09) Rice farmers are welcoming warmer, drier weather to help their young crop, but they would like to see relief from the wind, too.
(Distributed 05/07/09) CLINTON, La. – White-tailed deer were the focus of a wildlife field day May 2 at the LSU AgCenter’s Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station.
(Distributed 05/15/09) Joe and Diane Beatty of Heflin, La., recently donated $25,000 to the Louisiana 4-H Foundation to create an endowed scholarship for 4-H’ers from Webster and Bienville parishes.
(Distributed 05/25/09) The LSU AgCenter Pecan Research-Extension Station in Shreveport will not be affected by the alignment of Interstate 69 in southern Caddo Parish after all, according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).
(Distributed 05/26/09) The LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station will hold its annual landscape horticulture field day for industry professionals on June 25.
(Distributed 05/18/09) A workshop for economic development professionals, elected officials and community leaders will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 10 at the LSU AgCenter’s Scott Research and Extension Center in Winnsboro.
(Distributed 03/30/09) Mulching should be part of garden maintenance at least twice a year, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings. Pine straw is an excellent choice among mulch products currently available on the market, the horticulturist says.
(Distributed 03/30/09) Keeping up with the latest vegetable varieties is about like keeping up with the latest pop hit, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. University research takes time and money, so variety testing is not always on top of the products that the seed companies are promoting.
(Distributed 3/30/09) Cannas have enjoyed a rebirth of popularity because of the introduction of new varieties, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.
(Distributed 03/16/09) Azaleas are Louisiana’s most popular shrub. Fall is the best time to plant the flowering shrub, followed by winter, spring and summer. The vast majority of azaleas, however, are planted in spring.
(Distributed 03/30/09) Many home gardeners are aware that a soil test is a good practice to determine the soil’s nutrient status, pH and other characteristics. Most of us, however, do not know the proper procedures for taking soil samples, which can make the test results inconclusive.
(Distributed 03/02/09) Ground covers are low-growing plants other than turfgrasses. Typically, they are perennial, evergreen plants with sprawling or spreading habits. They generally are 1 foot or shorter, but taller plants are used occasionally. Ground covers are considered attractive, low-maintenance landscape options.
(Distributed 03/20/09) The major grass produced on Louisiana sod farms and most widely planted in residential lawns is centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides). It thrives with less care and usually requires less mowing than many other grasses.
(Distributed 03/30/09) Athens Select is a plant evaluation program that measures a variety’s heat and humidity tolerance. Founded in 1999 at the University of Georgia, the program includes trials at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Center in Baton Rouge and the Hammond Research Station in Hammond.
(Distributed 03/06/09) Even though most people agree that healthy eating is important, doing so may seem almost impossible when money is tight and time is short, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.
(Distributed 03/30/09) As lawns begin turning green in spring, the temptation is to add fertilizer to enhance the re-growth. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske warns against giving in to this temptation.
(Distributed 03/30/09) A dot-sized insect called the pecan phylloxera may infest pecan trees beginning in mid-March. Severe infestations of phylloxeras can cause loss of the pecan crop for the current year and also for the following year, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. John Pyzner.
(Distributed 03/30/09) Planting a spring lawn should start no sooner than it would be safe to set out your tomato transplants, that is, when soil temperatures reach the mid-60s and higher.
(TV News 03/16/09) Our society is always plugged in, and a price for being plugged in is wasted energy. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard looks at some ways we can cut energy consumption and reduce the size of our carbon footprints. (Runtime: 1 minute, 48 seconds)
(Radio News 03/30/09) Louisiana rice acreage likely will see a slight shift in varieties being grown this season. Australia is a major producer of medium-grain rice, but several years of drought has reduced the amount of rice that country is growing. California also has reduced its medium-grain acreage, according to LSU AgCenter rice specialist Dr. Johnny Saichuk, who says those circumstances present opportunities for Louisiana farmers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/16/09) The economic stimulus package brings changes to the 2008 farm bill’s disaster assistance program. Under the supplemental revenue assistance or SURE program, agricultural producers would have a revenue guaranty for their commodities based on level of crop insurance. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/09/09) The LSU AgCenter piloted a 12-hour leadership training course in Tensas Parish. Lead Louisiana attracted elected officials, community volunteers and emerging community leaders. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(TV News 03/30/09) Louisiana’s poultry industry suffered a blow when Pilgrim’s Pride announced plans to close it’s northeast Louisiana processing facility. The state is working on a deal to ensure the facility continues operating. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard talked with a grower who is raising his last flock of birds for Pilgrim’s Pride. (Runtime: 1 minute, 16 seconds)
(Radio News 03/30/09) The water that surged into Vermilion Parish during Hurricane Ike has long since retreated, but that water left the soil it flowed over contaminated with salt. LSU AgCenter county agent Stuart Gauthier has been sampling sites around the parish. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/02/09) Need help preparing your tax return? Many resources are available to taxpayers. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker says the IRS is a good place to start. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/23/09) New varieties can revolutionize a crop’s industry. Beauregard is the leading variety of sweet potatoes in Louisiana. After the variety became available in the late 1980s, the state’s sweet potato industry grew, says LSU AgCenter sweet potato researcher Chris Clark. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/02/09) In the last minute rush to get tax returns completed, taxpayers often make mistakes. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker warns about mistakes to avoid. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/30/09) Tod Hibbard figures he has grown nearly 10 million chickens in the 16 years he has been a poultry producer. Hibbard has eight chicken houses on rolling land in Jackson Parish. He said business was good initially but has had ups and downs over the years. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/30/09) The poultry industry is vital to north Louisiana’s economy, but nearly 200 poultry producers in the area may find themselves with empty chicken houses for a while. Pilgrim’s Pride plans to stop operating its poultry processing facility in Farmerville in May, and the plant could see some down time as it transitions to new owners. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/16/09) The economic stimulus package includes several provisions for farmers and rural America. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/16/09) Congress recently passed an economic stimulus package that includes a $50 million aquaculture block grant. The money is to assist aquaculture producers with the high cost of feed in 2008. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry says while Louisiana has an important aquaculture industry, it is unclear whether crawfish will receive much money from this grant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/23/09) Have you considered where your food comes from? Not just from farmers and farms -- but where those farms are located and how the food got to you? Emily Neustrom works with the LSU AgCenter’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and talks about the importance of buying local. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/09/09 LSU AgCenter's Delta Rural Development Center in Oak Grove, La., is working to change conditions in northeast Louisiana. Louisiana Delta Initiative joins the development center with other organizations hoping to improve the economic conditions of the Delta region. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/16/09) Agriculture revenue has grown in the past five years, according to an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation. Dr. Robert Young says in 2002, the agriculture industry recorded $250 billion in sales. Last year industry sales totaled more than $360 billion. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/23/09) Americans leave a large carbon footprint on the Earth. Making small changes can reduce the size of that footprint and help conserve natural resources. LSU AgCenter area housing agent Stephen Picou says a good place to start is by replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, which use 60 percent less energy. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/02/09) If you’ve taken a tour of a pumpkin patch or visited a working dairy farm, you have participated in agritourism. LSU AgCenter community rural development agent Dora Ann Hatch explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/16/09) Agricultural producers will have to make decisions based on new federal legislation. The 2008 farm bill offers an alternative to traditional farm subsidy programs. The Average Crop Revenue Election program, or ACRE, will require farmers that enroll in the program to give up 20 percent of their direct payments but will grant them a 30 percent lower loan rate. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/02/09) Showing livestock helps youngsters develop valuable skills, but at the heart of it is the enjoyment participants get out of the experience. Cobey Hendry says working with his Brahman bull is hard work, but he also says he's having fun. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/30/09) Hurricane Ike took some rice fields out of production in southwest Louisiana, but acreage is likely to go up in other parts of the state thanks to renewed interest in the crop brought by decreasing production costs. Experts say the state's overall rice acreage probably will hold steady at around 400,000 acres in production. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/09/09) The Delta Rural Development Center is offering classes on how to do business over the Internet. These classes promote expanded entrepreneurship in the 12-parish Delta region. LSU AgCenter agent Dora Ann Hatch teaches part of the class. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/23/09) It is not unusual to see Natalie Hummel in a skirt and heels carrying a bicycle helmet. On many days Hummel bikes to work. Hummel, an LSU AgCenter entomologist, says riding her bike allows her to conveniently fit in 40 minutes of exercise a day. She moved to Baton Rouge from Texas where she was driving close to 100 miles a day. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Radio News 03/23/09) Sweet potato breeders recently released a new variety that could rival the long-dominant variety Beauregard. The variety Evangeline was grown commercially last year, and experts say that while it doesn't rival Beauregard's resistance to plant diseases it does excel in taste. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/16/09) If you need to prune sumer-flowering shrubs, do it in March or early April. Have a plan before pruning, and do not prune if the tree or shrub doesn't need it. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/30/09) Spring-flowering shrubs beautify Louisiana landscapes in February and April. When these shrubs finish blooming, prune them if they need it. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/16/09) When planting shrubs into the landscape, Louisiana gardeners often are looking for shrubs that are tough, reliable, insect and disease resistant and relatively low maintenance. The Indian hawthorn certainly has all of those attributes. (Runtime: 1 minute, 48 seconds)
(Audio 03/23/09) The gladiola produces beautiful flowers in late spring or early summer. You can plant the bulbs from February through March. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/02/09) As the weather gets milder, we can begin planting warm-season vegetables. Freezes are still possible in the month of March, but early planting has some advantages. You can get better quality production and fewer insect problems. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/02/09) Now is an excellent time to purchase rose bushes from your local nursery and to plant them. By planting early in March, the rose plants will be in better shape in April, May and June. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/02/09) Ground covers are wonderful plants that we use in very large areas of our landscape. They usually are low-growing evergreens. Even evergreen ground covers can have old, unattractive growth. March is a good time to prune your ground covers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/23/09) By March most of our roses should be growing vigorously, and this is a great time to fertilize them. You can use an all-purpose or a slow-release fertilizer. Also, now is a good time to spray for black spot. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/30/09) In spring, many gardening organizations, businesses and others have events such as garden shows, plant sales and educational oppportunities. Take advantage of these events to find the latest local gardening information. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/09/09) Gardeners can plant a variety of vegetables in March. A few vegetables such as eggplant, okra and sweet potatoes are are sensitive to chilly temperatures, and gardeners should wait to until April to plant these crops. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/09/09) When you head out to the nurseries this spring, looking for azaleas for your landscape, you must keep in mind there are many different kinds of azaleas, and they mature at different sizes. (Runtime: 1 minute, 34 seconds)
(Video 03/30/09) As the weather warms up we spend more time outside in our outdoor living areas like porches, decks and patios. We use plants in beautiful containers to embellish these spaces. (Runtime: 1 minute, 45 seconds)
(Audio 03/30/09) Sap suckers are a group of birds that peck holes in trees. These birds feed on the sap and insects that collect near these holes. The damage they cause tends to look worse than it really is. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/30/09) Spider mites are difficult to see with the naked eye. Gardeners must look over their plants carefully if they suspect a problem. These insects damage the foliage of plants -- but they can be controlled. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/09/09) The hydrangea is a popular summer-flowering shrub for shady areas. It is important to remember that these flowers set their buds a year ahead. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/09/09) Mild weather moves in during the month of March, and we can expect lavish displays of color from our cool-season plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/09/09) We love perennials because they come back year after year. When you fertilize your perennials, you can use a variety of different fertilizers such as granular or slow-release fertilizers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/23/09) Beautiful spring colors and fragrances are in the air. While you might think the flowery show this time of year comes only from plants planted during the spring, that’s not the case. In this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to some pretty spring flowers that actually were planted in the fall. (Runtime: 1 minute, 40 seconds)
(Audio 03/16/09) Many landscapes include small decorative ponds or aquatic features. This is a great time to clean ponds, because the foliage and fish in them are not very active. Choose a mild day to get this done. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/30/09) Gardeners can plant a wide variety of vegetables in April. Tomatoes, the most popular home vegetable, can be planted in April, and many others can be seeded or transplanted this month. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/02/09) The buck moth caterpillar feeds on leaves of oak trees and delivers a painful sting. These caterpillars can be abundant in the spring. Spraying can help eliminate an infestation. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/02/09) If you’re looking for a great plant for a shady area where you maybe need a small patch of ground cover, ajuga is a delightful choice. Ajuga is a lovely plant. It’s spreading, low-growing and well-behaved in the landscape. (Runtime: 1 minute, 38 seconds)
(Audio 03/16/09) Interest in growing herbs has been rising in recent years. Louisiana gardeners can plant herbs in herb gardens or containers or in beds among existing plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/09/09) Orchids are wonderful flowering plants that are different from many other houseplants.(Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/23/09) The redbud is an outstanding, small, spring-flowering tree. Its tiny red flowers can really brighten up a landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/23/09) Check your local nurseries for flowering perennial plants. You can find these plants in gallon-size containers, which are good for planting this time of year. These plants will live for many years, and that gives them an advantage over annuals. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/02/09) Spring-flowering bulbs begin putting on a vivid display in March. So this is a good time to keep records. Walk through your garden and take notes on the color and size of plants, when they bloom and how well they work in your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
