Agriculture

Agriculture escaped severe destruction from hurricane

Although definitive results won’t be available for a few days, the effects on agriculture appear to be less destructive than most people feared before Hurricane Laura struck, but forests and residences sustained significant damage.

La. farmers rushing harvest before Hurricane Laura hits

North Louisiana farmers are rushing to get their corn crop out of the field before Hurricane Laura hits, and so far, the crop looks good.   Laura also has the potential to inflict serious damage to the state’s soybean crop.

Hurricane can harry crawfish production

Widespread flooding from Hurricane Laura could affect crawfish production for the upcoming season, but the extent of any damage will depend on whether crawfish producers are able to get the unwanted water off their fields in a timely manner.

Farmers prepare for Laura

Farmers are preparing for Hurricane Laura by getting their crops out of the fields and moving livestock away from coastal areas. A previous storm that hit the Cameron Parish coast almost 15 years ago is being used as a reference with expectations Laura will bring a devastating storm surge.

USDA assistance available for crawfish farmers hurt by pandemic

From now until Sept. 11, crawfish farmers can apply for assistance from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program to compensate them for losses related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Get It Growing: Why won’t my figs ripen?

Fig season is well underway, and many fig varieties are wrapping up their production while others are still producing and ripening. Fig season can begin in Louisiana as early as mid-June and end as late as early October, depending on the varieties.

Sugarcane planting off to successful start

Good weather has allowed sugarcane farmers to get started planting their new crop. LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois said July was wet. “These first two weeks in August have been drier, and people have made tremendous progress.

August gardening means going slow

It’s August in Louisiana, and we don’t recommend doing much in the garden or, shall we say, not much in this heat. Right now, it’s enough of a chore to help our struggling plants survive. It’s best to stay on top of watering, preventing pests and removing weeds from garden beds.

Take-all patch creeping up in Louisiana lawns

Take-all patch, also known as take-all root rot, is causing problems in some Louisiana lawns. The fungus is frequently found in turfgrass roots without causing significant disease, said Raj Singh, LSU AgCenter plant doctor.

Louisiana rice harvest reaching half-way mark

The harvest for the 2020 rice crop in south Louisiana is nearing the halfway point, and the result is a big improvement over a string of bad to mediocre years.