Agriculture

USDA hardiness zones maps are a useful tool for gardeners, dividing the country into climatic zones that can help determine what plants will perform best where. (Graphic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)

USDA hardiness zones maps are a useful tool for gardeners, dividing the country into climatic zones that can help determine what plants will perform best where. (Graphic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Navigating weather in Louisiana gardens

Harlan Kirgan
Thursday, December 23, 2021
One of the most important factors that influences a garden’s success is the weather. Temperatures have a major impact on the growth and survival of our plants. Preparing gardens for various weather conditions is both a discipline and an art — and there are many tools out there to help you get ready.
Bright yellow flower clusters on long stems make the flowers of ligularia an excellent cut flower plant. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Bright yellow flower clusters on long stems make the flowers of ligularia an excellent cut flower plant. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Tractor seat plant brings color to fall, winter landscapes

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, December 17, 2021
If you are looking to add a splash of bright color to shaded areas in the fall and early winter, ligularia is an excellent choice. Many people commonly refer to it as tractor seat plant, as the shape of the leaf resembles one.
Pollinators like this bee enjoy roses. (Photos by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Pollinators like this bee enjoy roses. (Photos by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Stop and smell the roses this fall

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, December 3, 2021
If you’ve been keeping up with your roses, you took care of fertilizing and trimming them in late summer during August or, at the latest, September. Undoubtedly, your repeat-blooming roses like Knockout and Louisiana Super Plant drift roses are looking gorgeous right now.
Crotons sport gorgeous colors of fall such as yellow, red, orange and green. (Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter)

Crotons sport gorgeous colors of fall such as yellow, red, orange and green. (Photo by Randy LaBauve/LSU AgCenter)

Crotons, a tropical fall plant

Harlan Kirgan
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Fall conjures thoughts of gorgeous landscapes dressed with the colors of the season: yellow, orange and red. During the fall holidays, there are a couple of traditional plants you may see used to create festive décor for our homes. One is mums, and the other is a tropical plant called crotons.
By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter horticulturist There are those who say you cannot force beauty — but I beg to differ. There are many beautiful bulbs out there that we can encourage to come out of dormancy by manipulating their environment, coaxing them to share their beauty even before they are naturally ready. Spring-flowering bulbs can be tricked, or “forced,” into blooming indoors. The term forcing refers to the act of tricking bulbs into believing that it’s time to bloom. This can be done both i

By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter horticulturist There are those who say you cannot force beauty — but I beg to differ. There are many beautiful bulbs out there that we can encourage to come out of dormancy by manipulating their environment, coaxing them to share their beauty even before they are naturally ready. Spring-flowering bulbs can be tricked, or “forced,” into blooming indoors. The term forcing refers to the act of tricking bulbs into believing that it’s time to bloom. This can be done both i

Can you force beauty?

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, November 19, 2021
There are those who say you cannot force beauty — but I beg to differ. There are many beautiful bulbs out there that we can encourage to come out of dormancy by manipulating their environment, coaxing them to share their beauty even before they are naturally ready.
Pollinators love cosmos. They attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and many other types of pollinators. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Pollinators love cosmos. They attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and many other types of pollinators. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

A cosmopolitan flower that thrives on neglect

Harlan Kirgan
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Are you looking for a gorgeous flower that thrives on pure neglect? Try cosmos. They are one of the most beautiful and easiest flowers to grow. While you’ll have to wait until the spring to plant seeds, look around this fall, and you may notice these flowers blooming profusely in local gardens.
Citrus trees at the Becnel’s family orchard were killed by a 10-foot storm surge brought by Hurricane Ida. Ben Becnel Jr. estimates that nearly 2,000 citrus trees were destroyed by the storm and 75% of his fruit was lost. (Photos by Craig Gautreaux/LSU AgCenter)

Citrus trees at the Becnel’s family orchard were killed by a 10-foot storm surge brought by Hurricane Ida. Ben Becnel Jr. estimates that nearly 2,000 citrus trees were destroyed by the storm and 75% of his fruit was lost. (Photos by Craig Gautreaux/LSU AgCenter)

Louisiana citrus growers reeling from Ida damage

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, November 5, 2021
While Hurricane Ida came ashore more than two months ago, its effect on the Louisiana citrus and vegetable industry will be measured in years. Thousands of citrus trees were lost along with many fall vegetable crops across Plaquemines and St.
Dr. Anna Paltseva examines soil samples in UL Lafayette’s Delta Urban Soils Laboratory. Paltseva, an assistant professor of environmental science, is the lab’s director. (Photo by Doug Dugas / University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

Dr. Anna Paltseva examines soil samples in UL Lafayette’s Delta Urban Soils Laboratory. Paltseva, an assistant professor of environmental science, is the lab’s director. (Photo by Doug Dugas / University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

What’s in your soil? New UL Lafayette lab goes below the surface to find out

Harlan Kirgan
Saturday, October 30, 2021
A new service at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is dishing the dirt on soil health. The Delta Urban Soils Laboratory can help small production farmers, gardeners, landscape designers and architects, homeowners and environmental firms better understand what’s in their soil.
Strawberries are typically grown on plastic or with a thick layer of pine straw to protect plants from strawberries sitting on the soil and rotting. (Photos by Kiki Fontenot/LSU AgCenter)

Strawberries are typically grown on plastic or with a thick layer of pine straw to protect plants from strawberries sitting on the soil and rotting. (Photos by Kiki Fontenot/LSU AgCenter)

Strawberries are sensational

Harlan Kirgan
Saturday, October 30, 2021
It’s strawberry planting time! Louisiana has a long history of strawberries dating back to the 1800s, and business really began to boom in the early 1900s. According to the LSU AgCenter’s latest data, the Louisiana strawberry industry has a gross farm value of $8.4 million.

Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction accepting nominations

Harlan Kirgan
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
The Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction is now accepting nominations for its annual induction ceremony, which will be held March 24, 2022, in Baton Rouge. The nomination form can be obtained online at www.louisianaagriculturehallofdistinction.com or through any parish LSU AgCenter office.