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News Release Distributed 07/29/11Food is a necessity for life, and as a result, a three-day emergency food supply is something you hear a lot about when a hurricane approaches. But just what is a three-day emergency food supply? LSU AgCenter nutritionist and food safety specialist Beth Reames says it involves more than just food. “People often stock up on the food they need and then forget to have a can opener on hand,” Reames says. “Or they don’t think about how they’ll prepare foods that really need to be heated or store foods that ordinarily would need refrigeration.” The nutritionist stresses that safely feeding yourself and your family after a storm means you also need to have some way to prepare food or keep it safe – on top of having ample food and water on hand to last the first few days after a storm or other emergency. “When making your plans and storing what you may need, keep in mind you may be without power, which means you may not have a way to heat things up or refrigerate them,” Reames says. “Make sure the foods you have on hand are adapted to those conditions.” Some of the foods you could have in your emergency supply include: –Ready-to-eat canned or packaged meats, fruits and vegetables. –Canned or powdered juices, milk and soups. (Be sure to store extra water if they’re powdered!) –Staples such as sugar, salt and pepper. –High-energy foods such as peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars and trail mix. –Foods for infants, the elderly or people with special diets (for example, people with diabetes or food allergies). –Comfort foods or stress-relief foods such as cookies, candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee and tea bags. Reames also recommends storing at least one gallon of water per person and pet per day for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. Consider storing at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family. If you are unable to store this quantity, store as much as you can. “Choose commercially bottled water or store water from your household system in clean containers for brief time periods when you think you might need it,” she says. The LSU AgCenter nutritionist also offers these tips to keep in mind when choosing the foods for your emergency supply: –Choose nonperishable foods that require little or no cooking and no refrigeration. –Purchase foods in can or jar sizes appropriate for one meal with no leftovers. Once opened or prepared, many foods lose their shelf-stable character and will go bad. –Select foods you like and normally eat. –If you don’t have a way to boil water when the power is off, do not include instant foods that require hot water. Keep in mind foods that require water also will consume your water supply more quickly. –Keep a supply of disposable plates, bowls, cups and utensils on hand. Otherwise, you could use far too much of your water supply washing dishes. –Don’t forget baby food, special dietary requirements and food for your pets. Reames says to buy – and practice using – a hand-crank can opener if you don’t have one already. “You’ll need it to open that can of tuna when the power goes off,” she says. As you assemble your food and other disaster supplies, keep them in a central location – above potential flood level. “You also want to store food in the coolest cabinets or a pantry away from appliances that produce heat,” she says. “Use metal, glass or rigid plastic containers to store food that comes in cardboard boxes, thin plastic or paper to avoid insect and rodent damage.” You can acquire and store your three-day food supply early, then rotate and use this food and water every six to 12 months – or as recommended on the food labels, Reames says.
News Release Distributed 07/29/11By LSU AgCenter Horticulturists Dan Gill, Kyle Huffstickler and Allen Owings It’s the time of the year, or at least one of the times of the year, when home gardeners have crape myrtle questions. We will answer a few here. Crape myrtles are battling Cercospora leaf spot. In addition, aphids and the resulting sooty mold can be prevalent this time of the year. And finally, it’s time to practice sucker control – do you need to cut them off and can you spray them with something to keep the suckers from growing or coming back after they are pruned off? Leaf spot The weather was hot and very dry this spring and this past fall, but Cercospora leaf spot can still be found on crape myrtles, especially in south Louisiana. This fungal disease usually begins appearing in late May to early June and continues into fall. Initial symptoms are the appearance of dark brown spots that develop first on the lower leaves and progress upward in the canopy from midsummer through fall. In most instances, infected leaves develop a yellowish to orangey red coloration due to the production of a toxin by the Cercospora pathogen. These leaves then fall prematurely, particularly in highly susceptible cultivars, and serve as a source of inoculum for spreading the pathogen and further disease development. Because of this, raking and destroying the fallen leaves should be a routine practice. Older varieties of crape myrtles are more susceptible than the newer varieties to this disease. Hybrid crape myrtles are also less susceptible. The crape myrtle varieties that are most tolerant to Cercospora leaf spot are Natchez, Muskogee, Basham’s Party Pink, Sioux and Tonto. Long term, this disease is not detrimental to the plant. It will slow down growth on younger plants, and if plants are growing in conditions that are not ideal, the leaf spot will weaken individual plants more than if the growing conditions are ideal. The use of fungicides to control this disease has not been very effective because they would have to be applied repeatedly throughout the growing season. Getting adequate coverage on larger crape myrtles is also problematic. Aphids Another problem that is frequent on crape myrtles is insect damage. Actually, most insects do not do much damage except for aphids that may feed on the new shoot growth in spring. White flies also are sometimes a problem on crape myrtles. Left unchecked, these insects will release bodily fluids onto the foliage, and the resultant honeydew leads to sooty mold on the leaves. This black discoloration occurs normally in early summer through fall. If you control the insects, no sooty mold will develop. Most insecticides control aphids. You can apply a systemic material early in the spring to control aphids before they appear or spray a contact insecticide once aphid problems become apparent. Sucker control Tired of suckers on crape myrtles? Many home gardeners and landscape professionals ask about sucker control on this popular tree. Suckers are more prone on juvenile, young trees. In addition, mechanical damage by weed trimmers to the lower stem and upper portion of the root system can cause sucker development. Trees with surface roots also have more suckers. When removing suckers by pruning, use sharp pruners and do not leave a stub. Most sucker control products work best when suckers that are present are cut off, then the sucker-control product is sprayed on the cut-over areas. You can spray napthaleneacetic acid (NAA - an organic auxin) to control suckers. Products available with this active ingredient are Sucker Stopper from Monterey Lawn and Garden Products and Fertilome Prune Smart Sprout Inhibitor. Visit LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge, across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. For more information, go to www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse or www.lsuagcenter.com/lyn.
News Release Distributed 07/26/11Hurricane season is a reminder that every family should have a family disaster plan, says LSU AgCenter child and family development specialist Becky White. A disaster plan can help save the lives of your family in the event of an emergency such as a hurricane or flood, White says. It also can help children cope with fears and worries they might have about safety or getting separated during the disaster. “To create a family disaster plan you need information about disasters that may occur in your area,” she says. You can do this by contacting your local emergency management office or going to the Federal Emergency Management Agency website at www.fema.gov. Then hold a family meeting and develop your plan. “In the event of a disaster, everyone in your family should know what to do, where to go and who to call,” White says. She suggests establishing two family meeting places in the event of a disaster. One should be a designated place outside your house. The other meeting place should be somewhere outside your neighborhood in case you are away from home or must leave your home when a disaster happens. “If you must evacuate, identify your evacuation routes and places where your family can go,” White says. Also, select an out-of-state relative or family friend as a point of contact for your family in case you get separated. Make sure each family member knows two ways to contact that person – phone numbers and address.” As you develop your plan, be sure to think about family members who may have special needs, White says. “Someone may need a cane for walking or a wheelchair,” she says. “For others, eyeglasses may be essential. In some cases special medical equipment or medicines are important to remember in planning.” If you have pets, plan for their safety as well. Remember, if you have to evacuate to a public shelter, you may not be able to bring your pets. “Family members may not always be together when disaster strikes, but families can get back together if they have a plan and it is followed,” White says.
News Release Distributed 07/22/11By LSU AgCenter Horticulturists Dan Gill, Kyle Huffstickler and Allen Owings Vinca is the most popular, most sold and most planted warm-season bedding plant in Louisiana. We sometimes call this plant periwinkle. Many home gardeners and landscape professionals claim that vinca is the only summer flower they want to plant. When asked, “Would you like to plant the Louisiana Super Plants Serena angelonias or Butterfly pentas this year?” people usually usual answer – “Oh no! I plant vinca.” Vinca is very drought-tolerant and has an extremely long blooming season. It can also tolerate the highest temperatures we face during the summer growing season. Great improvements have been made in vinca flower colors and varieties during the past 25 years. In the 1980s, gardeners had few choices in terms of vinca growth habits, flower colors or disease resistance. In the 1990s, new forms and new flower colors arrived with rapid expansion occurring between 2000-2005. Vinca flower colors now include pink, deep rose, red, blush, scarlet, white, white with a red eye, lavender blue, peach, apricot, orchid, burgundy and many others. You can have vinca varieties that are upright and vinca varieties that are spreading. Plants generally grow 18-20 inches tall with a spread of 12-14 inches. Spreading types, though, have more trailing or ground cover habits and reach only 6-8 inches tall (at the most) with spreads of 18-14 inches. We do have vinca problems in the landscape, and based on the number of calls with vinca issues this spring, this is a bad year for vinca. This is surprising considering we now have disease-resistant varieties and we had a very dry spring and early summer. The main disease culprit is a fungus called Phytophthora, which always is present in our soils. It is often responsible for root rots and crown rots, and it attacks many types of plants. This fungus causes a disease seen shortly after planting, but it also can be found later in the year. Rhizoctonia is another disease common on vinca in Louisiana. It normally shows up in the summer after plants are established. Plant pathologists can also find Botrytis (gray mold) and Alternaria (leaf spot) on vinca in summer and fall. To get the best performance out of vinca in your landscape, consider the following LSU AgCenter recommendations: – Begin with good quality plants. Inspect plants obtained from the greenhouse grower or retail garden center for healthy roots. – Select a full-sun location. Vinca need at least eight hours of direct sun daily for optimum performance. – Properly prepare the landscape bed to allow for drainage and aeration. Raise the bed at least 6 inches if drainage is questionable. If beds are already established, all debris from the previous planting needs to be removed. Possibly, mulch should be removed also and add another couple inches of landscape soil prior to planting. – Although late April through early May is the ideal first planting date for the spring, you can continue planting vinca through the summer. The main thing to remember is that vinca love warm soil. – Plant so that the top of the root ball is level with or slightly higher than the soil of the bed. Proper spacing also is important because a crowded planting limits air circulation and can create conditions more favorable to disease development. Space transplants at least 8-10 inches apart. The more quickly plants grow together, the higher the likelihood of disease moving through foliage later in the year. – Mulch to decrease splashing of rainfall and irrigation water from soil onto the lower stems and foliage of the plants. Bedding plants should be mulched to a depth of about 1 inch. Pine straw is the preferred mulch material. – Manage irrigation properly. This is the main culprit in plant decline in commercial landscape beds. Vinca need very little irrigation once they’re established. Avoid regular overhead irrigation. Even if the landscape bed drains very well, an adequate volume once a week is the most water that should be applied. – Don’t plant periwinkles in the same bed year after year. Rotate them with other summer bedding plants that like sunny locations, such as blue daze, lantana, pentas, angelonia, scaevola, verbena, melampodium or sun-tolerant coleus. Varieties of vinca available in Louisiana include Pacifica, Cooler, Mediterranean, Victory, Titan, Nirvana and Cora series. Cooler and Pacifica are older varieties that still perform well with correct care. Mediterranean vincas spread and should be planted only in hanging baskets and containers. Titans have the largest flowers of all the vinca groups. The newer and more expensive Nirvana and Cora vincas have genetic resistance to Phytophthora. A few other vincas we have evaluated at the LSU AgCenter recently are not being sold in any significant quantities in Louisiana. It is late in the bedding-plant season, but pay attention to vinca in landscapes. Are you noticing them looking good or looking bad? Try to figure out why a particular planting is performing well or not performing well. Vinca can have trouble through the summer and fall if proper practices are not followed, so consider the above options to improve your success. Visit LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge, across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. For more information, go to www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse or www.lsuagcenter.com/lyn.
News Release Distributed 07/19/11The onset of hurricane season is an important time for families to get ready for disasters, and parents can enlist their children to help get ready by assembling a family disaster preparedness kit, says LSU AgCenter child and family development specialist Becky White. “People – including children – cope best with disaster when they work together to prepare for emergencies and disasters,” White says. “All family members should know what to do in the event of a hurricane or other emergency.” The American Red Cross suggests every family develop a disaster supply kit that should have enough supplies for three days and include a family disaster plan and emergency contacts list. “Parents should talk to their children about the importance of being prepared for a disaster like a hurricane and discuss what their family would do,” White says. She suggests parents and children work together to assemble a family disaster supply kit that should contain the following: – Family disaster plan. – Family emergency contacts list. – Maps. – A three-day supply of nonperishable foods. – A three-day supply of water, including 1 gallon per person per day for drinking, washing and preparing food. – First aid supplies, including bandages, antibiotics, first aid manual, thermometer, pain relievers and prescription medication. – Simple tools and supplies, such as a radio, flashlights, can opener, utility knife, batteries and scissors. – General supplies to stay comfortable, safe and entertained, such as games, books, children’s favorite toys, paper, pencils, blankets, hygiene supplies, matches, toilet paper, garbage bags and disinfectant. – Pet supplies if needed. “Developing and having a family disaster supply kit ready in the event of a disaster is a proactive way to teach your children about family safety and may give your child some sense of comfort and control,” White says.
News Release Distributed 07/15/11By LSU AgCenter Horticulturists Dan Gill, Kyle Huffstickler and Allen Owings July is Smart Irrigation Month across the country. It’s a program of the Irrigation Association to inform industry professional and homeowners about proper irrigation in the landscape. In order for an irrigation system to be effective, it needs to be designed right, installed right, water right. What does all this mean? In the landscape, watering at the right time of day is important. It is best to irrigate when the sun is low, the winds are calm and temperatures are cool. This will save water – as much as 30 percent – by reducing evaporative losses. The best time to water is from early morning a couple hours before sunrise until midmorning. When irrigating, saturate the root zones. Roots are generally within the top 6 inches of soil. Let the soil dry between irrigations. Watering too frequently results in shallow roots, weed growth, disease and fungus. Water in a way that runoff is reduced. It is best to irrigate at a rate so the soil can take in the water being applied. You don’t want irrigation water to go into the parking area or down the street. Water a couple times weekly instead of watering a little bit every day. Where is water being applied? Take careful aim. Conserving water doesn't have to involve a lot of trenching and plumbing. Whether you own an automatic irrigation system or not, you have many ways to save water in a landscape. These tips can be implemented as part of your normal landscaping and gardening routine: – Aerate your lawn and around trees at least once a year to ensure good water penetration. Turn and cultivate soil, adding compost or fertilizer when planting. This helps the soil hold moisture and produces healthier plants that require less water to remain strong. – Mulch well around flowers, shrubs and trees. Using 2-4 inches of mulch reduces evaporation, moderates soil temperatures, improves water penetration and helps control weeds that compete for water. Pine straw is the best mulch in Louisiana. – Landscape to suit your lot. Evaluate conditions like sun and shade, dry and damp areas, the size plants you want now and at maturity, and how you want to use each section of your landscape. – Purchase turf or plant species that have low water requirements and are well-suited to the environment and the location where they’ll be planted. – Hydro-zone your yard. This means grouping landscape plants with similar moisture needs in the same area. Separate them from turf areas, which have different water requirements. – Plant in spring or fall when less water is needed to establish new plants. Smaller plants also need less water to become established. – Create functional turf areas, for example, play areas. Avoid using turf where it's difficult to irrigate properly, such as on steep slopes. Good alternatives for hard-to-irrigate areas are ground covers, perimeter plants and mulch. – Plant shade trees to lower the air and soil temperatures. This will reduce soil moisture loss, too. – Maintain your yard by mowing, weeding, pruning and irrigating as needed. A well-maintained yard requires less water. All of this is important information for using your irrigation system and watering your plants properly. Irrigation will continue to be important as we move through the rest of the summer in Louisiana. Visit LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge, across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. For more information, go to www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse or www.lsuagcenter.com/lyn.
News Release Distributed 07/05/11Summer is cookout time, and perfectly grilled Louisiana seafood is moist and flavorful. Seafood is also fast and easy to grill because it has smaller percentages of skeletal and connective tissues than equal portions of red meats or poultry, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames. “Louisiana seafood is safe, nutritious and tastes great,” Reames says. “It’s an excellent source of protein, low in fat and saturated fat, and contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.” Reames’ tips for perfectly grilled seafood include: – Preheat an outdoor gas or electric grill for at least 10 minutes. If you use a charcoal grill, start the fire about 30 minutes before cooking, let it burn until the coals are white-hot, and then spread the coals out in a single layer. “A moderately hot fire of 375 to 425 degrees F is best for cooking seafood,” Reames says. – Make sure that the grill grates are clean and then lightly brush them with vegetable oil to prevent the delicate skin of the fish from sticking. – Place the oiled grate on the grill and adjust the grill height to 4 to 6 inches above the heat. “Prepare seafood for grilling by very lightly spraying both sides of it with olive oil or vegetable oil (away from direct flames) and then sprinkle it with desired seasonings,” Reames says. “Avoid brushing or rubbing the seafood with your hands to prevent cross-contaminating other foods.” Marinating fish an hour before grilling also helps keep it moist. Remove excess marinade before grilling to avoid flare-ups. If you are going to use the marinade as an extra sauce on top of the cooked fish or seafood, boil the marinade at a rolling boil for 5 minutes to prevent foodborne illness. – Finfish and large shrimp may be placed directly on the grate. Put smaller varieties in an oiled fish basket, on a small-mesh seafood-grilling screen or on perforated aluminum foil for easier handling and to prevent sticking. – Cook small whole or butterflied fish, fish steaks, fillets, kabobs, crabs, shrimp and shellfish directly over the heat source. To estimate cooking time, measure the seafood at its thickest part, Reames says. Grill for 10 minutes at approximately 400 degrees F for each inch of thickness. Fish is done, but still moist, when it turns opaque and just starts to flake when tested with a fork. “Most seafood needs to be turned halfway through cooking,” she says. “Fish fillets less than 1 inch thick don’t need to be turned. Avoid turning fish more than once because this will break the fish apart.
News Release Distributed 07/01/11By LSU AgCenter Horticulturists Dan Gill, Kyle Huffstickler and Allen Owings Louisiana has many great plants that thrive in summer and fall. Some are tropical-like in appearance. They include cassias, princess flowers (also called tibouchinas) and durantas. All are low-maintenance. Cassias are among the popular plants that flower from late summer through fall and can be found at many retail garden centers. These plants are sometimes called sennas. They produce yellow flowers on prolific plants and are a landscape “showstopper” in September and October. Several cassias are common in Louisiana. Probably the best that fits a mostly tree-like description is Cassia splendida. Other species are Cassia alata (which we may know as candlestick tree) and Cassia corymbosa. Cassia splendida is usually the tallest-growing – making a 10- to 12-foot-tall tree. Cassia corymbosa is most often a medium to large shrub, and the candlestick tree can vary greatly in size depending on age and location. It is common to see them 12-15 feet tall in the more southern portions of the state with a 6- to 8-foot height common in the Florida parishes. Candlestick trees have more herbaceous-type growth, and the other species have more woody-type growth. All species have a tendency to need trimming and pruning occasionally to keep the plants in a manageable growth pattern. Although the best time to remove dead wood is right after new growth commences in the spring, you also can prune slightly during the growing season to manage growth. But don’t get carried away with pruning after early summer or you’ll sacrifice fall flowers. Cassias are trouble-free and easy to grow. Plant them in full to partial sun and fertilize them regularly. Cassias need minimum irrigation once established. These are perennial in south Louisiana and can return in other areas of the state after a mild winter. Princess flowers (Tibouchina) include several species. One of the lesser known species is glory flower (T. grandifolia), also known as big leaf tibouchina. It has much larger foliage and larger flowers than the other commonly grown princess flowers. Considered a tropical or tender perennial, the plant is winter-hardy most years in USDA hardiness zone 9A, which is generally south of I-10/I-12. Purple flowers start in late summer and continue through the fall. Plants can be easily rooted using softwood cuttings. A few garden centers in Louisiana sell this plant, which needs to be used more. Another great species is T. urvilleana. It is also called Athens Blue tibouchina or dwarf tibouchina. We have been growing it at the LSU AgCenter the past three years, and it is a great landscape performer with profuse blooms from late spring through fall on 18- to 24-inch-tall plants. A variegated-foliage form of this plant is now available. Dewdrops is a common name for durantas, which also are called sky flowers. One dwarf variety is Cuban Gold. It is low-growing, reaching only 16-20 inches tall in the landscape by fall. Durantas prefer full sun. Because chartreuse foliage color is its main characteristic, it can be a great substitute for chartreuse-foliaged ornamental sweet potatoes. It is recommended as a perennial in south Louisiana and is a great annual elsewhere. The variety Gold Edge produces few if any seed pods or flowers and grows to a height of 5 feet each year. Other varieties available in Louisiana include Lemon Drop, Variegated, White, Purple and Silver Lining. As we move into the heat of midsummer, try some cassias, tibouchinas or durantas if you can find them at your garden centers. You will be pleased with having some great plants that really will be showstoppers through fall. Visit LaHouse in Baton Rouge to see sustainable landscape practices in action. The home and landscape resource center is near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive (Louisiana Highway 30) in Baton Rouge, across the street from the LSU baseball stadium. For more information, go to www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse or www.lsuagcenter.com/lyn.
(Distributed 07/08/11) Many great plants perform well in summer and fall in Louisiana. Some of these are tropical-like in appearance, including esperanzas, Pride of Barbados and cassava. All of these are low-maintenance in the landscape.
