Agriculture

Markets open today

Reminder that it's a new month, and the City of Eunice is home to three different farmers' markets on the first Saturday of every month, including Eunice Tractor Supply Farmer's Market, Market on the Lawn and Eunice Farmer's Market on Second Street.

Beet it to the garden and plant some root vegetables

By Mary Ferguson LSU AgCenter While many are winding down their gardens, September signals the time when you can start to plant root vegetables like beets, carrots and radishes. If you don’t want to be out in the heat, many of these cool-season crops can be planted well into winter.

Heat affecting your garden?

By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter Horticulturist If hot and dry weather is stressing your garden (and you) out, you're not alone!

Native gardens, start small

Most native gardeners are not purists and start small. It is not necessary to transform your entire yard into a native prairie. Starting small can be accomplished in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as adding native plants to blend with current plants.
Cool Jazz is a new color in the Supertunia series of petunia hybrids and a great choice for cool-season gardens. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Cool Jazz is a new color in the Supertunia series of petunia hybrids and a great choice for cool-season gardens. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Try something different for cool-season color

After a few false starts, it seems that reliably cool weather has finally set in across Louisiana. Many of us have even gotten our first frost or freeze of the season under our belts.
Red hurricane lilies are a feature of many Southern gardens. (Photo by Kyle Peveto/LSU AgCenter)

Red hurricane lilies are a feature of many Southern gardens. (Photo by Kyle Peveto/LSU AgCenter)

Hurricane lilies are Southern garden heirlooms

Have you noticed some red flowers popping up, seemingly out of nowhere, lately? Chances are you have been graced by the presence of hurricane lilies. These flowers tend to show up in August and September — peak hurricane season in Louisiana, hence their name.

A symphony of dried flowers

From the Bulb and Blossom Club Dried flowers represent the beauty of life cycles and the passage of time. The summer season in South Louisiana is drawing to a close, gardens are beginning to wither and it is time to prepare your garden for a new phase of life.
When dividing irises, look for younger, smaller rhizomes that have leaves emerging from their tips. Plant these rhizomes and discard older, larger ones that are not producing new growth. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

When dividing irises, look for younger, smaller rhizomes that have leaves emerging from their tips. Plant these rhizomes and discard older, larger ones that are not producing new growth. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Got too many irises? Now’s a good time to divide, share them

Many of the perennial plants in our landscapes are slowing down at this time of year. With fall and winter drawing near, a season of dormancy is approaching for these plants. Not so for Louisiana irises. They rested up over the summer, and now, they’re gearing up for a period of growth.
Matt Garber, of Garber Farms, was the guest speaker Wednesday at the Eunice Rotary Club meeting.

Matt Garber, of Garber Farms, was the guest speaker Wednesday at the Eunice Rotary Club meeting.

Sweet potatoes are a core business at Garber Farms

Every sweet potato grown in the United States is a sweet potato.
As summer vegetable gardens succumb to the heat and slow down, consider leaving your plants for a while longer so you can collect seeds to grow next year. Southern peas, like these Louisiana Purchase peas, can be left on the vine to dry. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

As summer vegetable gardens succumb to the heat and slow down, consider leaving your plants for a while longer so you can collect seeds to grow next year. Southern peas, like these Louisiana Purchase peas, can be left on the vine to dry. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

As summer comes to a close, save seeds for next year’s garden

It’s always a bit sad to see our summer vegetable gardens peter out as the season comes to a close. Those once-verdant plants are now fading as the long, hot summer takes its toll.