Agriculture

Leaves turn yellow, orange and red, then fall from the tree as if it were autumn. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Leaves turn yellow, orange and red, then fall from the tree as if it were autumn. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

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Spots and dots are signs of wet weather

Clark L. Robertson / LSU AgCenter horticulture agent
Friday, September 2, 2022
It’s a sign of the times: spots and dots appearing before our very eyes, seemingly overnight. No, it’s not your vision failing you, and there’s no need to clean your glasses. We’re dealing with something that’s been lurking for the right time to show itself.
Swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) is an excellent native milkweed for monarch butterflies. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) is an excellent native milkweed for monarch butterflies. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

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Monarch mayday: Send in the natives

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, August 26, 2022
The monarch butterfly has been listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on its Red List of Threatened Species.
Pomegranates produce hundreds of seeds encased in an edible membrane that produces a delicious juice. (LSU AgCenter file photo)

Pomegranates produce hundreds of seeds encased in an edible membrane that produces a delicious juice. (LSU AgCenter file photo)

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Black-eyed peas and cabbage are not the only foods that bring luck

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, August 19, 2022
Pomegranates are unique fruits whose origins have been traced to Persia. Native to Iran through northern India, they are grown around the world today. The fruit is considered sacred and is believed to provide abundance, fertility and even luck.
Rock garden with plants. (Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Rock garden with plants. (Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

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Finding garden inspiration

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, August 12, 2022
By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter horticulturist I have the great fortune in my profession to get to visit many gardens. Some are associated with land-grant universities and some are large-scale nursery producers, with many having trial gardens to evaluate new plant cultivars.
Muscadines ripening on the vine. (Photo by Kiki Fontenot/LSU AgCenter)

Muscadines ripening on the vine. (Photo by Kiki Fontenot/LSU AgCenter)

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‘Grape’ expectations: It’s muscadine time in Louisiana

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, August 5, 2022
Grapes are one of the oldest and most extensively cultivated food crops in the world. The earliest archaeological evidence of the domesticated grape comes from an area between the Black Sea and Iran.

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Tips for gardening in the heat

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, July 29, 2022
Summer can be a tough for plants. Heat and high humidity often lead to an increase in disease and insect pressures. Despite the increased stress, many plants are still performing well — and summer can be a productive month for us as gardeners. Throughout the U.S.
Tropical hibiscus comes in single- and double-flower forms in nearly any color combination imaginable.

Tropical hibiscus comes in single- and double-flower forms in nearly any color combination imaginable.

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Create a ‘florgeous’ garden with blooming tropicals

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, July 22, 2022
Blooming tropicals are a gorgeous addition to the summer garden, and with so many to choose from, you can create a tropical oasis in your landscape. Thanks to our semi-tropical climate, we can add many of these to our landscapes and patios and enjoy the beauty they provide.
LSU AgCenter rice specialist Ronnie Levy describes the latest studies in the rice agronomy project during the 113th annual Rice Field Day at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station held recently at the Crowley facility. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

LSU AgCenter rice specialist Ronnie Levy describes the latest studies in the rice agronomy project during the 113th annual Rice Field Day at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station held recently at the Crowley facility. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

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New varieties spotlighted at 113th Rice Field Day

Derek Albert / LSU AgCenter
Friday, July 22, 2022
As the 2022 rice growing season rolls steadily along, rice growers and rice industry professionals gathered recently at the LSU AgCenter’s H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station for its 113th annual Rice Field Day.
Peach Perfection has beautiful peach-pink flower clusters that are abundant in summer through fall. (Photo by Max McKeown/LSU AgCenter)

Peach Perfection has beautiful peach-pink flower clusters that are abundant in summer through fall. (Photo by Max McKeown/LSU AgCenter)

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Abelias are tough and beautiful

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, July 8, 2022
Flowering ornamental shrubs that require little to no effort are a prized possession of both homeowners and landscapers. One underutilized and under-appreciated flowering shrub is the abelia. Abelia is an evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub in the honeysuckle family.
By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter horticulturist This week’s full moon drew many people out to sit in awe of the bright, beautiful moon. It reminded me of moon gardening. Someone asked me about moon gardening in the past, and I wasn’t sure of what it was. Curious, I did some digging into the subject. Here is what I discovered. Moon gardens are enjoyed at night and defined by the type of plants they include — typically, plants with white or cool-colored flowers in addition to silver or variegated foliag

By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter horticulturist This week’s full moon drew many people out to sit in awe of the bright, beautiful moon. It reminded me of moon gardening. Someone asked me about moon gardening in the past, and I wasn’t sure of what it was. Curious, I did some digging into the subject. Here is what I discovered. Moon gardens are enjoyed at night and defined by the type of plants they include — typically, plants with white or cool-colored flowers in addition to silver or variegated foliag

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Gardening by the moonlight

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, June 24, 2022
By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter horticulturist This week’s full moon drew many people out to sit in awe of the bright, beautiful moon. It reminded me of moon gardening. Someone asked me about moon gardening in the past, and I wasn’t sure of what it was.