Agriculture

Harvest elderberries when they are dark purple to black. Do not eat green or red elderberries, which are toxic. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Harvest elderberries when they are dark purple to black. Do not eat green or red elderberries, which are toxic. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Are elderberries a nuisance or nature’s gift?

From The LSU AgCenter
Friday, August 29, 2025
There’s an old saying that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. It’s a similar story for elderberries — nuisance for some, valuable crop to others. It’s true: Elderberries do behave like weeds in many ways. These large shrubs pop up along fences, in ditches, on vacant lots.
Okra thrives in the summer heat, making it a favorite in Louisiana gardens. Many varieties are available; Clemson Spineless, a popular choice, is pictured here.

Okra thrives in the summer heat, making it a favorite in Louisiana gardens. Many varieties are available; Clemson Spineless, a popular choice, is pictured here.

Easy-to-grow okra is a Louisiana tradition

From The LSU AgCenter
Friday, August 15, 2025
Okra holds a special place in the hearts of many Louisianans. For some, it’s an essential ingredient in gumbo, and for others, it’s a must-grow crop in the summer vegetable garden. It’s no wonder why: Okra is tasty and nutritious. It’s easy to grow and prolific, even in intense heat.

Bottom watering container plants

From the Eunice Bulb & Blossom Garden Club
Friday, August 8, 2025
Bottom watering house plants is a great watering technique where plants absorb water from the bottom up instead of being fed water from the top. It promotes stronger healthier roots by making them grow downward for their water source, which also helps to anchor the plant.
Damon Abdi, LSU AgCenter assistant professor of landscape horticulture, recommends using the three-cut method to remove tree branches. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter

Damon Abdi, LSU AgCenter assistant professor of landscape horticulture, recommends using the three-cut method to remove tree branches. Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter

Need to remove a tree branch? Follow these steps

From The LSU AgCenter
Friday, August 8, 2025
If you find yourself needing to remove a tree branch, there’s a right and a wrong way to do it. The wrong way can unnecessarily harm your tree — and even you! The right way gets rid of the problematic branch while keeping both you and the tree safe. So, where to begin?
El Niño desert orchid is an ornamental shrub with pink-to-violet blooms in late spring and summer. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

El Niño desert orchid is an ornamental shrub with pink-to-violet blooms in late spring and summer. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

El Niño desert orchid: A unique hybrid that’s as tough as it is attractive

From The LSU AgCenter
Friday, August 1, 2025
New woody ornamentals don’t come along as often as annual bedding plants. So when El Niño desert orchid hit the market, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg was excited to see the flowering shrub’s potential for Louisiana gardens. Something else about this new plant intrigued Stagg.
M.P. Hayes, an LSU AgCenter water quality expert, demonstrates a small, remote-controlled boat that can gather data to help monitor pond conditions. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

M.P. Hayes, an LSU AgCenter water quality expert, demonstrates a small, remote-controlled boat that can gather data to help monitor pond conditions. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Cloudy skies and cool research: AgCenter field day covers horticulture innovations

Olivia McClure / omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu
Friday, July 25, 2025
From turfgrass to tea production and rain gardens to robotics, there was something for just about everyone at the LSU AgCenter’s annual horticulture field day July 18.

How friendly is your garden soil?

From the Eunice Bulb & Blossom Garden Club
Friday, July 25, 2025
From Bulb and Blossom Garden Club Friendly soil structure is one of the most overlooked features of garden soil. Great garden soil is only about 50% dirt; the other parts are air and water. Friendly soil provides access to air, nutrients, and growth for tender roots.
Sparse canopies on trees that normally have dense canopies often suffer from some type of health issue. These trees may pose additional risks during a storm. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Sparse canopies on trees that normally have dense canopies often suffer from some type of health issue. These trees may pose additional risks during a storm. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Give your trees a checkup before peak hurricane season

From The LSU AgCenter
Friday, July 25, 2025
Hurricane season is ramping up. In Louisiana, we know the drill: It’s time to pick up some extra canned goods and batteries, make sure the generator cranks and think over evacuation plans. But your checklist may be missing one important item: the trees in your yard.
This savannah at the Marsh Bayou WMA shows some of the success of the initial restoration efforts from 15 years ago, with a mixture of longleaf pine in a diverse ecosystem that allows sunlight to get to the ground, encouraging growth of grasses and other plants animals like Eastern wild turkey, bobwhite quail and whitetail deer need to survive.

This savannah at the Marsh Bayou WMA shows some of the success of the initial restoration efforts from 15 years ago, with a mixture of longleaf pine in a diverse ecosystem that allows sunlight to get to the ground, encouraging growth of grasses and other plants animals like Eastern wild turkey, bobwhite quail and whitetail deer need to survive.

Cost-sharing assistance available to landowners for longleaf pine restoration and management

Jim Smilie / jsmilie@wlf.la.gov
Friday, July 18, 2025
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, along with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, conducted a Longleaf Pine...
Lantana leaves have a velvety feel and a distinct scent. These traits help deter deer. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Lantana leaves have a velvety feel and a distinct scent. These traits help deter deer. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Deer eating your plants? Try these strategies

From The LSU AgCenter
Friday, July 18, 2025
When you gaze upon your garden, you might see many things. Perhaps you delight in the bright colors of your flowers, the lush foliage of other plants. Maybe your eye is drawn to the delicate butterflies and buzzing bees that come to visit Deer, on the other hand, see a garden differently.