(02/20/18) BATON ROUGE, La. — As the weather begins to warm up, Louisiana gardeners are preparing for spring. And many will be anticipating that first opportunity to begin work in their gardens and flower beds.

With that in mind, the LSU AgCenter has announced its lineup of spring garden shows that will kick off in March and continue into May in Hammond, Raceland, Baton Rouge, Covington, Lake Charles and New Orleans.

March 10 to 11, Baton Rouge

The 14th annual Baton Rouge Spring Garden Show is set for March 10 to 11 at the John M. Parker Coliseum on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

The show will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day and include numerous vendors selling plants and a variety of yard, garden and patio merchandise.

LSU AgCenter horticulturist David Himelrick said the floor of the coliseum will be transformed into a world of plants and gardens for the event.

“You also will be able to walk next door and talk to some of the world’s best chili cooks,” Himelrick said.

In addition to the garden show participants also can visit the 10th annual Louisiana State and Regional Chili Cook-off and the seventh annual Baton Rouge Spring Car Show.

Children’s activities also will be available.

For more information, contact Himelrick at 225-578-2158.

March 16 to 17, Covington

The St. Tammany Master Gardeners will offer the 18th annual Northshore Garden Show and Plant Sale on March 16 to 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More than 50 vendors will be selling plants, and other garden-related items will be available.

The sale is held at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds, 1301 N. Florida St. in Covington. There is a $5 gate fee for all individuals over 18 years old. Proceeds from the garden show help fund the Bobby Fletcher Sr. Scholarship and the St. Tammany Master Gardener Association Scholarship.

Education programs will feature topics ranging from termites and citrus to vegetable garden diseases to Louisiana Super Plants. The programs will be held both days of the show from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

For additional information, contact William Afton at 985-875-2635.

March 23 to 24, Lake Charles

The 19th annual Southwest Louisiana Garden Conference and Expo will be held March 23 to 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day in the Burton Coliseum at 7001 Gulf Highway in Lake Charles.

The event will feature gardening, flowers, trees, shrubs, garden accessories, books, demonstrations, educational lectures and general garden tools.

Area, regional and interstate exhibitors and vendors will be there to assist with plant and garden needs.

Hours for the event are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

For more information, contact Robert Turley at 337-721-4080 ext. 6502 or rturley@agcenter.lsu.edu.

April 5, Amite

The Tangipahoa Master Gardener Association along with the LSU AgCenter will host its 2018 Spring Garden Day on April 5 at the Florida Parishes Arena at 1301 NW Central Ave, in Amite City from 1 to 7 p.m.

Admission is $5 per vehicle. The event will feature kids activities, a plant swap, plant sale, gardening seminars, gardening and agriculture exhibits, the plant diagnostic center and concessions.

This event is open to the public.

For more information, contact Whitney Wallace at 985-748-5462 or Annie Coco at 985-789-4301 or anniecoco400@gmail.com.

April 7 to 8, New Orleans

The 39th annual New Orleans Spring Garden Show will be held at the City Park Botanical Garden from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on April 7 and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on April 8.

Joe Willis and Anna Timmerman, LSU AgCenter horticulture agents in the r New Orleans area, said the show will feature plant and garden products, exhibits and sales throughout the garden as well as a kids discovery area, educational programs, music, and arts and crafts.

Master Gardeners and AgCenter horticulture experts will be available to answer questions from homeowners, who also may bring soil samples for analysis by the LSU AgCenter Soil Testing Lab for a fee.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5 to 12. Children under 5 and members of Friends of City Park may enter for free.

For additional information, contact Willis at 504-483-9471 or Timmerman at 504-736-6519.

May 5, Raceland

The La-Terre Master Gardener Plant Sale will be held May 5 at the Lafourche Parish AgCenter office in Raceland beginning at 8 a.m.

For additional information about the La-Terre Master Gardener Plant Sale, contact Barton Joffrion at bjoffrion@agcenter.lsu.edu or 985-873-6495.