(Audio 03/01/10) March is a wonderful month for planting in the vegetable garden. Tomatoes are among the most popular vegetables grown this time of the year in Louisiana. Gardeners have a better chance of avoiding potential problems with their tomato crop if they plant early. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/08/2010) Even though milder weather is approaching for Louisiana, occasional freezes still make it tricky to know what flowers to plant. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill offers a good, dependable option. (Runtime: 1:26)
(Audio 03/29/10) April has some of the finest weather Louisiana experiences all year. Now is a wonderful time to get in your vegetable garden and begin planting. Hear which vegetables are best to grow this time of the year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/22/10) Tomatoes are one of the most popular and easily grown vegetables in the home garden. Now is a good time to get your tomato transplants planted so your crop will begin producing before the intense heat of summer. Learn more about which type of transplants produce the best tomatoes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/15/10) Perennials are great for adding bright, attractive colors in our landscapes. One of the greatest advantages of planting perennials is their ability to produce year after year. Gardeners should pay attention to overcrowding of perennials, however, and should transplant when necessary. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/15/10) Mirliton is a popularly grown vegetable, especially in south Louisiana. This unusual vegetable requires a well-prepared climbing area, such as a trellis or fence, that will receive lots of sunlight. Learn more about planting and growing mirliton. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/29/10) Spring is upon us, and with it comes the opportunity to plant colorful flowers. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill suggests planting an evergreen vine with beautiful yellow flowers and a fragrant scent. (Runtime: 1:21)
(Audio 03/22/10) Easter lilies are a beautiful plant popularly used in celebrating the Easter season. Don’t discard your Easter lilies. Find out how to plant them into your landscape, and they will keep producing for many years to come. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/15/10) The spring months allow for a lot of activity in the landscape. All new vegetables, bedding plants and shrubs need to be planted into well-prepared beds for maximum performance. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/08/10) Many of the transplants purchased from nurseries have been grown in greenhouses and are not prepared for life in a real garden. Gardeners should harden their plants before putting them into the landscape. Learn how to transition your plants into tolerating bed life. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/08/10) Many shrubs are beginning to wake up and grow, so March is a great month to fertilize shrubs in your landscape. Hear more about what type of products to use when choosing a fertilizer for your shrubs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/08/10) Regardless of whether they are grown for the roots, leaves, seeds, stem or fruit, all of these parts are consumed as vegetables. The vegetables discussed in this segment must be properly pollinated in order to produce well. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/22/10) At local nurseries now, you’ll find a family of beautiful tropical plants that grow well as houseplants. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill shows you different types of bromeliads and explains how to care for them. (Runtime: 1:52)
(Audio 03/29/10) The best time to prune spring-flowering trees and shrubs is when they just finish flowering. Be sure to prune only what is necessary. Find out some of the trees and shrubs that should be pruned this time of the year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/22/10) If you are growing fruit trees in your landscape, be sure you are spraying them properly. Some fruit trees need to be sprayed more frequently than others to be successful, such as peaches, apples, plums and pears. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/08/10) Right now there is a luscious display of flowers, including pansies, all around Louisiana. This wonderful exhibit may tempt gardeners to purchase and plant pansies in their own landscape now. Learn more about why that may not be the best option. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/08/10) Perennials brighten our landscapes and live for many years. This lifespan provides an advantage over annuals which must be replaced each year. Check your local nursery for a variety of perennials in several different sizes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/22/10) Spring is here, and lawns are waking up. As your lawn begins to turn green again, watch out for brown patch infestation. Listen for what to look for and how to treat your lawn for brown patch. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/01/10) Many areas of Louisiana have troubles related to the buck moth caterpillar. This insect lays its eggs primarily in oak trees, which stay there through the winter, and they begin to hatch in February. Be on the lookout for infestation in trees and learn how to control these pests. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/29/10) Now is a good time to clean out your water garden if it needs cleaning. Check for accumulated gunk at the bottom of your pond, and remove all plants and fish before cleaning. Learn more about the water garden cleaning process in this advice. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/01/10) Weed control is an important aspect of gardening and lawn care this time of the year. Learn about some effective methods that reduce the appearance of weeds in your landscape and garden. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/15/10) Most weeds growing in lawns this time of the year are cool-season weeds and will not survive much longer. If you would like to get rid of cool-season weeds and prevent them from popping up next year, you can apply a weed killer that is safe to use on your type of grass. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(For Release On Or After 03/05/10) I take great satisfaction in telling gardeners about all the many plants that will thrive in our state. These plants are excellent choices for your landscapes and gardens because they have proven records of thriving in our climate. But there are also many plants that will not do well here.
(For Release On Or After 03/26/10) With the introduction and more common use of alternate-season-blooming azaleas, such as the increasingly popular Encore azaleas, it’s not unusual to see azaleas blooming during late summer, fall and winter. Even so, March through April is still the time when azaleas really strut their stuff.
(Video 03/15/10) October through March is the best time to plant hardy trees. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill helps you meet your deadline by providing tips for selecting the best trees. (Runtime: 1:37)
(For Release On Or After 03/19/10) Your landscape is there to be enjoyed by you and your family. It’s the setting for your home and provides a space for outdoor activities. Lawn areas offer a wonderful place for kids to play, barbeques, family get-togethers and parties on decks and patios. If your family includes pets, your landscape will likely be used by them as well.
(Audio 03/01/10) Many spring-flowering bulbs begin to bloom in March. It is wise to take notes on successes and failures in your landscape to help you make decisions about what to plant next fall. Hear more about what to document, and learn which bulbs are annuals and which are perennials. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/22/10) Many people who are considering buying a home have the house properly inspected before putting an offer on it. This allows people to make sure they are buying a structurally sound house with no major problems. While going through that process, people should remember to have the trees surrounding the home inspected, as well. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(For Release On Or After 03/12/10) Perk up your ears… of sweet corn, that is. Corn harvested from the home garden and cooked within minutes is considered one of life’s great treats by those lucky enough to have enjoyed it – and now is the time to plant it.
(Audio 03/15/10) Many gardeners are wondering whether or not to remove old mulch prior to adding new mulch to their gardens this time of the year. Gardeners should leave the old mulch, which allows the organic matter in the mulch to enrich the soil while saving time and money for the gardener. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 04/05/10) Sculpting plants to look a certain way is called topiary. These plants can serve well to accent formal gardens. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill provides some key tidbits on topiary and its special demands. (Runtime: 1:34)
(Audio 03/01/10) Rose bushes were pruned back last month, and now it is time to get those roses blooming by using fertilizer. Another wise option would be to apply a special rose food containing an insecticide to decrease the number of pests on your bushes. Listen for more information on how to encourage growth on rose bushes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Video 03/01/10) Often there’s confusion about the best time to fertilize your lawn and the appropriate time to control weeds. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains the differences between the two processes and the best way to accomplish those goals. (Runtime: 1:38)
(Audio 03/29/10) March through early April is a good time to get gladiolas bulbs planted into gardens. Here are some tips on what to look for when choosing gladiolas corms and how to care for this tall, stately flower. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
(Audio 03/29/10) We expect our rose bushes to grow vigorously and produce many beautiful flowers. To allow this to happen, fertilizing your rose bushes this month is a great idea. Hear which types of fertilizers will work best for your roses. (Runtime: 60 seconds)