(Distributed 10/16/08) LSU AgCenter researchers think the salvinia weevil may be what they’ve been looking for as a way to control giant salvinia – an invasive aquatic species in the state.

(For Release On Or After 10/31/08) Few flowering bulbs can surpass the stately beauty of the amaryllis. Typically blooming in April, this popular bulb is a star performer in the spring garden.

(Video 10/06/08) Most people plant roses in the spring. That’s a good time to plant them; but fall also is an excellent season to get your rose plants into the ground. In this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains the advantages of planting fall roses. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(Video 10/13/08) If you want a plant that produces fall shades of orange and red, then you might want to check out the croton. In this edition of Get it Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains the proper care for this tropical plant that brings us fall color. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(Video 10/20/08) Fall is a great time to plant shrubs and trees in your landscape. In this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to a sweet-scented shrub which becomes a magnet for bumblebees and butterflies (Runtime:1 minute, 30 seconds)

(Video 10/27/08) Fall is a great time to plant shrubs and trees into your landscape. In this edition of Get it Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to a purplish-looking plant that can be grown as a shrub or as a tree. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(Audio 10/06/08) Louisiana gardeners use tropical plants in containers outside during the summer. You should begin preparing these plants if you plan to keep them inside during the winter. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/06/08) Mulches are one of the most important gardening techniques we use in our landscapes. Mulches are particularly useful in supressing weed growth. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/06/08) Most summer-blooming perennials have stopped blooming by now. This is a good time to tidy up around where these plants were flourishing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/06/08) Sweet peas are one of the most outstanding annual, flowering vines we can grow here in Louisiana. They are attractive for both the color and the fragrance they provide. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/13/08) Gardeners should be cautious when pruning in the fall. Pruning shrubs now can encourage new growth, and that new growth won't have time to harden off before winter starts. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/13/08) Gardeners should be on the lookout for scale insects in their landscapes. These insects often are under a protective covering and don't move, so it’s easy to overlook them. Camellias and gardenias are commonly infested with scale insects. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/13/08) As the weather cools in October, many of the warm-season bedding plants in Louisiana gardens begin fading. Gardeners can pull those plants out and start preparing their flower beds for cool-season bedding plants. But they should decide what they want before going to the nursery. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/13/08) Gardeners must be careful about what they fertilize this time of the year. Nitrogen can stimulate plants that need to start preparing and shutting down for winter. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/13/08) Many of our perennials grow from clumps. The clumps become larger and larger each year and may need to be divided. This segment of Get It Growing has advice for Louisiana gardeners about dividing perennials. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/08) The chrysanthemum is often considered the floral emblem of autumn. You can find them already in bloom at local nurseries. They are a wonderful and very easy way to add color to your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/08) Many of the cool-season annual herbs or the hardy perennial herbs can be planted now. When planting, keep in mind a single plant generally will provide all the herbs an average family needs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/08) You may hear or see advertisements that recommend winterizing your lawn. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill says this process is optional and in many cases unnecessary. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/08) When planting spring-flowering bulbs, be aware they are only in bloom for a short period of time. You should plant them sparingly and use them to embellish small areas of your spring landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/08) The azalea lace bug is the leading insect pest of azaleas. These insects live underneath the leaves and feed on leaf tissue. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/08) October may not seem like a time to talk about roses, but it is one of state's primary blooming seasons. Roses generally begin blooming in October and continue to do so through December. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/08) Brown patch is a fungal disease that attacks lawns. Brown patch generally occurs when the daytime temperatures are mild and the nights are cooler. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill talks about what to look for and how to control brown patch. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/08) Persimmons are popular fruit trees you can plant in your home orchard. They are easy to grow and they are not prone to any major insect or disease problems. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/08) Although our trees really don't begin dropping their leaves until November, you can start thinking about what to do with these leaves when they fall. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill recommends composting them or using them for mulch. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/08) Hydrangeas are unique plants that come in lovely shades of blue or pink. They are unusual because the availability of aluminum in the soil dictates their color. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 10/17/08) As the days shorten and temperatures gradually become cooler, it is apparent summer is finally ending. Lawn care definitely begins to change during this time of year.

(For Release On Or After 10/10/08)In my previous column I discussed weed control in the landscape. I focused primarily on preventive and corrective methods of controlling weeds without using herbicides.

(For Release On Or After 10/03/08) There are lots of reasons why we shouldn’t let weeds grow in our landscapes.

(Radio News 10/27/08) LSU AgCenter researchers are looking for alternative sources of energy. High diesel prices are hurting farmers, but experts say new sources of energy might be as close as the farmers' fields. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Don Boquet says farmers are reluctant to grow crops for biofuel because of the lack of processing facilities. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/27/08) A plot of sweet sorghum towers over other crops at the LSU AgCenter’s Dean Lee Research Station near Alexandria. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Don Boquet is studying the sorghum as a potential biofuel source. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/27/08) The invasive species giant salvinia has been spreading through Louisiana’s waterways for nearly a decade. The plant reproduces rapidly and chokes the life out of the ponds and lakes it infests. LSU AgCenter weed scientist Dr. Dearl Sanders says homeowners with ornamental ponds actually started the spread of the aquatic weed. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/27/08) Researchers with the LSU AgCenter are trying a biological method to control the aquatic weed giant salvinia. It's a weevil that destroys the invasive weed by biting off the bud of the plant, according to LSU AgCenter weed scientist Dr. Dearl Sanders. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/27/08) Hurricanes Gustav and Ike damaged many trees across the state. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Dale Pollet says this could increase insect activity in trees. Beetles are attracted to decaying wood as a place to lay their eggs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/20/08) Large piles of debris sat on lawns in hurricane-ravaged areas for several weeks. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske says many lawns will be left with "storm spots" – a brown or dead area of grass. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/20/08) Grass can’t return from the dead, but if you have spots in your yard where debris sat, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske says to look closely to see whether the grass is truly dead or alive. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/20/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana 4-H Museum is hosting a centennial scavenger hunt to find items to display in the museum. Louisiana 4-H Museum coordinator Rose Anne St. Romaine explains.

(Radio News 10/20/08) Louisiana 4-H is an important part of many youngsters’ lives and has been for 100 years. A museum in the town of Mansura in Avoyelles Parish will tell the story of this youth organization. Rose Anne St. Romaine is the LSU AgCenter's Louisiana 4-H Museum coordinator. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/20/08) Think outside the candy aisle when shopping for Halloween handouts. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames offers alternatives to the pounds of candy children get every year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The outlook for soybeans across the state is mixed. Some fields saw little damage from the hurricanes Gustav and Ike; others saw more. LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. Ronnie Levy says it is still hard to determine exactly how much damage the storms did to the crop. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The 2008 cotton crop was an expensive crop to grow. High fuel and fertilizer costs were couple with high seed costs. LSU AgCenter cotton specialist Dr. Sandy Stewart says Louisiana cotton growers and the industry are struggling. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The cotton harvest is wrapping up across Louisiana, and LSU AgCenter cotton specialist Dr. Sandy Stewart says the situation is not good. Yields are down significantly. Growers are harvesting around 500 pounds to the acre, when, in an average year, a grower would get closer to 900 pounds. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) Some soybean farmers have dealt with any array of problems this year. Green bean syndrome, an issue where beans stay green and don’t mature, has shown up in some fields. LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. Ronnie Levy explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The economic crisis has left many Americans uncertain and worried about their financial futures. Looking at the crisis from an historical perspective, an LSU AgCenter family economist says individuals shouldn’t panic. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio New 10/06/08) Louisiana’s shrimp industry sustained significant damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The industry was recovering, but damage from Gustav and Ike will set them back again, according to LSU AgCenter aquaculture agent Mark Shirley. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/06/08) Wind and water damaged alligator farms, and the hurricanes will affect next year’s alligator crop. LSU AgCenter aquaculture agent Mark Shirley reports that some alligator farms sustained damage to sheds, and the real problem will come next summer when alligator farms typically pick up eggs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/06/08) Hurricanes Gustav and Ike affected crawfish ponds across the state. The biggest hit came from Ike’s storm surge in Southwest Louisiana. LSU AgCenter aquaculture agent Mark Shirley explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 10/24/08) The seasons are changing, and we are entering a transitional period in the flower garden when warm-season bedding plants begin to fade and cool-season bedding plants are planted to provide fall, winter and spring color.

(Distributed 10/8/08) Dozens of agricultural leaders from throughout Louisiana met recently to discuss ways to help make the state’s agricultural industry competitive in the 21st century, organizers said.

(Distributed 10/08/08) People in Louisiana love their gardens, and it shows in the new 2009 Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar from the LSU AgCenter. Inspiring photos of flowers, plants and lawns are just a few of the reasons Louisiana gardeners and calendar lovers alike have made the calendar a perennial favorite.

(Distributed 10/09/08) The LSU AgCenter is being recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its innovative efforts after the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. A team of faculty members and administrators from the LSU AgCenter have been selected to receive the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service’s Partnership Award for Innovative Program Models. The award will be presented Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C.

(Distributed 10/09/08) The 12th Louisiana Plant Materials Conference is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station.

(Distributed 10/10/08) The LSU AgCenter recently named Dr. Ben Legendre to head its Audubon Sugar Institute in St. Gabriel.

(Distributed 10/10/09) Carol Lammi-Keefe, professor in the School of Human Ecology, is recruiting pregnant women in the Baton Rouge area to participate in a study evaluating the fat content in breast milk of women with gestational diabetes. To qualify this must be their first pregnancy in the past two years, and the participants must plan to breast feed.

(Distributed 10/13/08) Cotton harvest is wrapping up across Louisiana, and the situation is not good, according to industry observers.

(Distributed 10/14/08) A commercial organic vegetable production and marketing workshop will be held Nov. 12 at the at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Center in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 10/20/08) When the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) said they were prepared with ice for this hurricane season, they meant it. And what was left afterward is benefiting the state’s economy.

(Distributed 10/22/08) A new Web site, Louisiana 4-H Kids’ Clubhouse, will be officially launched at the State Fair of Louisiana on Oct. 29 during 4-H Fun Day, according to Mark Tassin, director of 4-H and youth programs at the LSU AgCenter. The site at www.4-Hclubhouse.com is tailored to fourth through sixth graders and features nearly a hundred games, quizzes, downloadable activities and videos.

(Distributed 10/24/08) To recognize the outstanding contributions made to Louisiana through agriculture, the Louisiana Agri-News Network, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will honor the 2009 Louisiana Farmer of the Year. Nominations for the award are being accepted now through Dec. 15, 2008.

(Distributed 10/29/08) A former 4-H’er found out the lessons he learned in his Bossier Parish 4-H club 50 years ago came in handy halfway around the world in helping a war-torn nation. Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Lane Killen, who now resides at Fort Polk in Vernon Parish, used his knowledge of raising sheep and leadership in his job as an agricultural adviser on the Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team in Iraq from May 10, 2007, to March 16, 2008.

(Distributed 10/30/08) READHIMER – Zachary Page, a 15-year-old Natchitoches Parish 4-H’er, has won the Triumph Award through Special Olympics Louisiana.

(Distributed 10/31/08) Feeding cows for optimum performance is the theme of this year’s field day at the LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station near Franklinton, La., on Nov. 12.

(Distributed 10/31/08) They celebrated and educated at the 2008 State Fair of Louisiana 4-H Fun Day Oct. 29. Featured activities included the 4-H Express, the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council Junior Livestock Sale, the launch of a new children’s Web site, a Platoon Patrol skit for pre-schoolers and a Louisiana 4-H Foundation drawing for $10,000.

(Distributed 10/13/08) The Louisiana 4-H Foundation is conducting a “scavenger hunt” in a quest to find memorabilia for display in the new Louisiana 4-H Museum in Mansura.

(Distributed 10/31/08) They celebrated and educated at the 2008 State Fair of Louisiana 4-H Fun Day Oct. 29. Featured activities included the 4-H Express, the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council Junior Livestock Sale, the launch of a new children’s Web site, a Platoon Patrol skit for pre-schoolers and a Louisiana 4-H Foundation drawing for $10,000.

(Distributed 10/31/08) Feeding cows for optimum performance is the theme of this year’s field day at the LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station near Franklinton, La., on Nov. 12.

(Distributed 10/30/08) READHIMER – Zachary Page, a 15-year-old Natchitoches Parish 4-H’er, has won the Triumph Award through Special Olympics Louisiana.

(Distributed 10/29/08) A former 4-H’er found out the lessons he learned in his Bossier Parish 4-H club 50 years ago came in handy halfway around the world in helping a war-torn nation. Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Lane Killen, who now resides at Fort Polk in Vernon Parish, used his knowledge of raising sheep and leadership in his job as an agricultural adviser on the Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team in Iraq from May 10, 2007, to March 16, 2008.

(Distributed 10/24/08) To recognize the outstanding contributions made to Louisiana through agriculture, the Louisiana Agri-News Network, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will honor the 2009 Louisiana Farmer of the Year. Nominations for the award are being accepted now through Dec. 15, 2008.

(Distributed 10/22/08) A new Web site, Louisiana 4-H Kids’ Clubhouse, will be officially launched at the State Fair of Louisiana on Oct. 29 during 4-H Fun Day, according to Mark Tassin, director of 4-H and youth programs at the LSU AgCenter. The site at www.4-Hclubhouse.com is tailored to fourth through sixth graders and features nearly a hundred games, quizzes, downloadable activities and videos.

(Distributed 10/20/08) When the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) said they were prepared with ice for this hurricane season, they meant it. And what was left afterward is benefiting the state’s economy.

(Distributed 10/16/08) LSU AgCenter researchers think the salvinia weevil may be what they’ve been looking for as a way to control giant salvinia – an invasive aquatic species in the state.

(Distributed 10/14/08) A commercial organic vegetable production and marketing workshop will be held Nov. 12 at the at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Center in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 10/13/08) The Louisiana 4-H Foundation is conducting a “scavenger hunt” in a quest to find memorabilia for display in the new Louisiana 4-H Museum in Mansura.

(Distributed 10/13/08) Cotton harvest is wrapping up across Louisiana, and the situation is not good, according to industry observers.

(Distributed 10/10/09) Carol Lammi-Keefe, professor in the School of Human Ecology, is recruiting pregnant women in the Baton Rouge area to participate in a study evaluating the fat content in breast milk of women with gestational diabetes. To qualify this must be their first pregnancy in the past two years, and the participants must plan to breast feed.

(Distributed 10/10/08) The LSU AgCenter recently named Dr. Ben Legendre to head its Audubon Sugar Institute in St. Gabriel.

(Distributed 10/09/08) The 12th Louisiana Plant Materials Conference is scheduled for Oct. 29 at the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station.

(Distributed 10/09/08) The LSU AgCenter is being recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its innovative efforts after the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. A team of faculty members and administrators from the LSU AgCenter have been selected to receive the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service’s Partnership Award for Innovative Program Models. The award will be presented Oct. 21 in Washington, D.C.

(Distributed 10/08/08) People in Louisiana love their gardens, and it shows in the new 2009 Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar from the LSU AgCenter. Inspiring photos of flowers, plants and lawns are just a few of the reasons Louisiana gardeners and calendar lovers alike have made the calendar a perennial favorite.

(Distributed 10/8/08) Dozens of agricultural leaders from throughout Louisiana met recently to discuss ways to help make the state’s agricultural industry competitive in the 21st century, organizers said.

(Distributed 10/8/08) Dozens of agricultural leaders from throughout Louisiana met recently to discuss ways to help make the state’s agricultural industry competitive in the 21st century, organizers said.

(Distributed 10/06/08) Ray Schexnayder farms 1,800 acres of soybeans in Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge parishes. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike left his fields scattered with tree limbs, and some covered with water. “We had 200 acres that flooded. There’s nothing to them, just a little dry stem now.”

(Distributed 10/03/08) The aftereffects of two hurricanes last month are still being felt in north and south Louisiana rice fields.

(Distributed 10/01/08) Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) is Louisiana’s state tree, and it is one of our featured trees at LaHouse on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. As one of our most distinguished native trees, it is one of the top five tree species planted in Louisiana landscapes.

(Distributed 10-09-08) A survey of LSU AgCenter county agents reveals five major landscape problems in Louisiana yards and gardens. These problems are improper or inadequate landscape bed preparation, not knowing soil fertility and pH, improper ornamental plant selection, winter damage to plants and shade tree care.

(Distributed 10/10/08) What impact does a Federal Reserve rate cut have on you, the consumer? We hear and read about rate changes, but we don’t always understand how they affect us as consumers, according to LSU AgCenter family economist Gloria Nye.

(Distributed 10/10/08) Petunias are one of the best-performing plants in the spring landscape, but for top-notch performance they should be planted in fall, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

(Distributed 10/10/08) As our country endures economic crisis, consumers are worried about the safety and security of their jobs, homes, retirement and financial futures. The current stock market plunge has triggered a dramatic chapter in Wall Street’s history.

(Distributed 10/16/08) The LSU AgCenter has been promoting research-based best management practices in the home landscape for several years to educate residents on how to manage their lawns, gardens and landscapes to minimize nonpoint pollution, insects, weeds and diseases.

(Distributed 10/16/08) When asked what Halloween means, kids usually put candy at the top of their list before goblins or costumes. Even so, nutrition can play a role on Halloween, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed 10/17/08) Fall is a perfect time to enjoy sweet potatoes. The Louisiana yam is an exceptional type of sweet potato that is sweet and flavorful with a soft, moist flesh.

(Distributed 10/21/08) New Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are designed “so people can easily fit physical activity into their daily plan and incorporate activities they enjoy,” said LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed 10/21/08) More than 8 million identity thefts have occurred in recent years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. How does this crime happen? Thieves steal wallets, steal or open your mail, go through your trash, steal information from where you work or do business or complete a change of address form to divert your mail, says LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Gloria Nye.

(Distributed 10/24/08) Fall through winter is the recommended tree-planting season in Louisiana. Often, poor tree performance in residential, commercial and municipal landscapes can be traced to improper planting techniques, but common mistakes in planting, establishment and follow-up care of trees can be avoided by following easy guidelines.

(Distributed 10/31/08) Pansies continue to be the most popular cool-season bedding plant in Louisiana. They have long been relied on for their consistent outstanding landscape performance.