(Video News 01/09/12) Burning a sugarcane field is a long-standing practice among farmers. But how they burn has evolved over the years to make it cleaner and safer. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports that researchers are looking at reducing emissions from this and other agriculture practices.

(Video News 01/30/12) Strawberries are a springtime staple, but these berries already are plentiful this year. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports warm weather is making strawberries abundant now. (Runtime: 1:23)

(Video News 01/16/12) Soybean growers from three states met in north Louisiana for a soybean forum. Market outlooks and priority issues for growers were discussion topics. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard was there. (Runtime: 1:44)

(Video News 01/23/12) As farmers reduced the amount of tillage they did in their fields to conserve soil, they began relying on herbicides to remove winter weeds from their fields. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports that removing these weeds now will give crops a healthy start. (Runtime: 1:48)

(Video 01/16/12) Winter creates visions of dead or dying plants. But that’s not the whole picture. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how you can grow plenty of colorful plants – even with colder weather. (Runtime: 1:32)

(Video 01/09/12) Certainly, not as many plants bloom during the winter as at other times. But the cyclamen is a popular winter-blooming plant that will keep its flowers through most of the spring as well. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to take care of this spectacular winter bloomer. (Runtime: 1:38)

(Video 2/6/12) If you search your local nurseries, you can find lesser known plants that add nice variety to your landscape. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains why the beautiful, but not well known, Nemesia can work well as a cool-season bedding plant or as a potted plant. (Runtime: 1:39)

(Video 1/30/12) Plants can be grown for different reasons -- for instance, simply beautifying your landscape. Occasionally, though, we find plants that have dual uses. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to one of these multipurpose plants. (Runtime: 1:41)

(Video 1/23/12) Many native Louisiana plants need special care to help them thrive. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains why it’s a good idea to plant yaupon holly – a tough native plant that doesn’t need pampering. (Runtime: 1:37)

(Video 01/02/12) Indoor plants can be very temperamental. That’s why some people choose fake plants that look real. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to a real plant that, believe it or not, is almost as indestructible as a silk or plastic one. (Runtime: 1:36)

(Distributed 01/13/12) LAFAYETTE, La. – Eleven men and women were honored on Jan.12 for completing the Louisiana Master Farmer Program part of the annual convention of the Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts. “This is one of the most rewarding things we do – recognize farmers who have gone through this rigorous program,” said Bill Richardson, LSU AgCenter chancellor.

(Distributed 01/10/12) BATON ROUGE – Youth from across Louisiana are preparing to compete in the 77th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show next month at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 02/01/12) Three workshops will provide information on managing legal risk for forest landowners and foresters in Arkansas and Louisiana.

(Distributed 01/31/12) HAMMOND, La. – The LSU AgCenter and the Tangipahoa Master Gardeners are sponsoring their annual camellia garden stroll from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Hammond Research Station.

(Distributed 01/27/12) RAYVILLE, La. – LSU AgCenter rice breeder Steve Linscombe told north Louisiana rice farmers at their annual meeting on Jan. 26 that grain quality is becoming more important to buyers.

(Distributed 01/27/12) CROWLEY, La. – Dr. Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, told rice farmers at a Jan. 25 meeting of the Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers Association that he is working to address the problem of saltwater entering irrigation ditches.

(Distributed 01/27/12) Pruning is one of the activities that many home gardeners have questions about. When to prune? How to prune? Why prune?

(Audio 1/30/12) Tropical plants are popular across Louisiana, but cold weather can damage these plants. We grow both herbaceous and woody tropicals, and when you prune off any winter damage depends on what type of tropical plant you're dealing with. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/30/12) Many people have plants indoors during winter. The lack of wind, rain and predatory insects can allow indoor pest problems to thrive. Spider mites often are found on indoor plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/30/12) Swiss chard is a great leafy vegetable. It is closely related to the beet but actually is grown for its foliage. Swiss chard is easy to grow and can be planted from seeds or transplants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 01/26/12) The mild weather across Louisiana makes it feel more like spring than winter. Another sign that this isn’t your typical winter is the abundance of strawberries. Although growers started harvesting early varieties in November, the normal seasonal onset of colder temperatures usually causes a dip in production, according to LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station Director Regina Bracy.

(Distributed 01/26/12) Retail garden center owners, wholesale nursery growers and landscapers are cautiously optimistic about having a good year in 2012, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Allen Owings.

(Distributed 01/25/12) RAYVILLE, La. – Research by the LSU AgCenter is the reason ConAgra built a state-of-the-art sweet potato-processing facility near Delhi, state Sen. Francis Thompson, of Delhi, said at a farm forum.

(Audio 01/30/12) February can be a cold month, but there are hardy vegetables that can be planted into the vegetable garden. Some things to consider planting include beets, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/30/12) The United States is divided into hardiness zones. Louisiana falls into zones 8 and 9. You can figure out what zone you garden in by how low your winter temperatures get. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 01/24/12) WEST MONROE, La – For more than 2,000 first-and fourth-graders from northeast Louisiana, the LSU AgCenter’s Ag Alley at the 30th annual Ag Expo on Jan. 18-19 offered a chance to get up close and personal with plants and animals.

(Distributed 01/24/12) WEST MONROE, La. – With excess houses on the market and no immediate sign of increased housing construction, forestland owners and others were told to be patient at the 2012 Ag Expo Forestry Forum presented by the LSU AgCenter Jan. 20 at the West Monroe Convention Center.

(Radio News 01/24/12) By late January many people may have abandoned their resolutions to live healthier. LSU AgCenter food scientists can’t make you go to the gym or eat more fruits and vegetables, but they are trying to make foods more healthful by reducing sodium, fat and cholesterol and increasing fiber. (Runtime: 1:50)

(Distributed 01/23/12) Louisiana rice farmers overwhelmingly agreed to continue paying a nickel for every 100 pounds of rice for research and 3 cents per hundred pounds for promotion for the next five years.

(Distributed 01/20/12) B. Rogers Leonard, associate vice chancellor for research at the LSU AgCenter, has been named the first recipient of the Insect Research and Control Conference Award for Excellence in Cotton Integrated Pest Management.

(Distributed 01/20/12) One of the great flowers that continues to be popular in our Louisiana landscapes is perennial verbena.

(Distributed 01/19/12) The LSU AgCenter will be presenting two short courses on food processing sanitation control and safety.

(Audio 01/23/12) Camellias are beautiful shrubs that bloom in the winter. You can plant camellias now and see plants in bloom at nurseries or garden centers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/23/12) Everblooming roses need to be pruned back in late January or early February. Roses can still be blooming this time of the year, but you can cut those flowers and bring them indoors. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/23/12) Winter vegetables gardens have fewer problems with pests. You may still see caterpillars, aphids, slugs and snails in your gardens. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/23/12) During the winter, we probably have more container plants inside our homes. These plants need proper watering to keep them healthy. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/23/12) Insect problems on indoor plants can become worse than problems outdoors. These indoor plant pest generally have no predatory pests or weather conditions to keep them under control. Scales can be particularly bad on indoor plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 01/13/12) Planting for crops such as corn and soybeans is still a couple of months away, but farmers can prepare their fields now for those spring plantings by starting off with a clean seedbed. LSU AgCenter weed scientist Jim Griffin says that means removing winter weeds. (Runtime: 1:45)

(Distributed 01/13/12) We are midwinter in Louisiana, and this is the time when crape myrtle pruning becomes commonplace. Unfortunately, these are among the most abused trees in Louisiana’s residential and commercial landscapes. Crape myrtles need only occasional pruning, in most cases, to obtain the desired landscape effect.

(Distributed 01/13/12) OPELOUSAS, La. – Farmers received recommendations and advice from LSU AgCenter experts at a wheat and soybean production meeting Jan. 12.

(Distributed 01/12/12) BUNKIE, La. – Two rice varieties developed by the LSU AgCenter have been approved by the Kellogg Co. for use in their products, rice farmers learned at a meeting here Jan. 11.

(Distributed 01/11/12) A referendum will be held Jan. 17 for the renewal of a rice check-off program in existence for the past 40 years. Balloting will be conducted at the LSU AgCenter extension offices in parishes with more than 50 rice producers, including Acadia, Evangeline, St. Landry, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion and Calcasieu parishes, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

(Audio 01/16/12) January is a good time to prune plants such as shade trees. These trees are leafless now, and the advantages to pruning them now are a reduction in weight on the branches and an easier view of the structure of the tree. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 01/11/12) This year’s outlook is favorable for soybeans. Growers from Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi gathered in Oak Grove, La., for the Tri-state Soybean Forum. (Runtime: 1:45)

(Audio 01/16/12) Irish potatoes are a wonderful cool-season crop that can keep our vegetable gardens productive through late winter into spring. They are a nutritious vegetable and are easy to grow. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/16/12) Very few plants need to be fertilized during the winter season. Cool-season flowers and winter vegetables are two exceptions. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/16/12) Beets are a nutritious root crop with edible foliage. They are direct-seeded into the vegetable garden and can be planted this time of the year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/16/12) With colder weather in January, gardeners may not want to work out in their yards. This month is the prime time to plant hardy trees and shrubs into landscapes. Arbor Day in Louisiana is celebrated on the third Friday in January. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 01/10/12) The deadline for submitting photos to be considered for the LSU AgCenter’s 2013 Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar is rapidly approaching. Although 2012 just arrived, it’s already time to begin work on next year’s calendar. Photographers interested in having their photos considered for the calendar must submit them by Jan. 31, 2012.

(Distributed 01/09/12) OAK GROVE, La. – An LSU AgCenter economist gave an outlook for the 2012 soybean market at the Tri-State Soybean Forum on Jan. 6.

(Distributed 01/06/12) CROWLEY, La. – U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany said Thursday (Jan. 5) that the upcoming effort to pass a new farm bill will be a difficult struggle that threatens to divide commodity groups.

(Distributed 01/06/12) A workshop that addresses the financial concerns and challenges of graduating high school seniors and their parents will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tara High School in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 01/06/12) Happy New Year! It's time for new projects, new resolutions and making plans for another gardening season in Louisiana.

(Distributed 01/06/12) ABBEVILLE, La. – An LSU AgCenter workshop that will provide information for raising cocahoe minnows as baitfish for recreational anglers will be held at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 17, at the Vermilion Parish Extension Office.

(Distributed 01/05/12) Making sure that children get a head start on reading was the goal of the LSU AgCenter Little Bookshelf recent book donation to infants and toddlers at YWCA Head Start sites in Baton Rouge.

(Audio 01/09/12) A big challenge of growing plants inside is providing adequate light. Plants need light to create their food. Make sure plants are near windows. Cleaning windows can help plants get the light they need. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/09/12) Parsley is a useful herb for cooking or embellishing a plate. You can choose between curly or flat-leaf varieties. Now is a good time to plant parsley. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/09/12) Most Louisiana vegetable gardeners buy transplants of eggplants, peppers and tomatoes in the spring. But you can grow transplants from seed this time of the year. They will need special care. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/09/12) Gardeners can plant cool-season bedding plants through the month of March. Some plants will do better if planted now. Try cool-season Louisiana Super Plants such as Camelot foxglove and Swan columbine. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/09/12) Spring bulbs are typically planted in the fall. Tulips and hyacinth, however, are refrigerated until winter. Now is the time to get them out of the refrigerator and plant them in the ground. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/02/12) The poinsettia is the premier plant for decorating during the holidays. These plants are hard to grow in Louisiana, so it's best to compost these plants after the holidays. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 01/27/12) There is an invisible pest living in the soil of our vegetable gardens. For many Louisiana gardeners, high population levels of nematodes can reduce the vigor and productivity of their vegetable plants.

(For Release On Or After 01/20/12) If you are considering planting a hedge, now is a great time to get it done. This allows the shrubs to take advantage of the less-stressful conditions during the cool season to get established in the landscape. Newly planted hardy shrubs will not be bothered by winter freezes.

(For Release On Or After 01/13/12) The third Friday in January is Arbor Day in Louisiana – a day we set aside to celebrate and appreciate the role living trees play in improving our lives and our environment. Many people plant trees to celebrate the occasion.

(For Release On Or After 01/06/12) All-America Selections is a non-profit organization that tests newly developed seed-grown varieties of bedding plants and vegetables in garden plots all across the United States. Duplicating conditions in the average home garden, the testing program is independent and unbiased.

(Audio 01/02/12) Roses can be purchased in local garden centers, but more varieties are available online or through mail order catalogs. Plant them soon to give them the best start. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/02/12) Lawns don't require much care in the winter, but winter weeds may grow in a dormant lawn. You can take care of these on a mild day. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/02/12) Cool-season bedding plants brighten up the winter landscape. Plants like pansies and violas can be planted now. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/02/12) Louisiana vegetable gardens can remain active in January. The vegetables we plant must be able to tolerate the cold. Vegetables that fit in that category include root crops and leafy vegetables. (Runtime: 60 seconds)