(Audio 03/26/12) Gardeners often wait until roses are in bloom to go to the nursery and buy them. Planting them while they are blooming is stressful to the plant. Plant them earlier to get the best results. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/26/12) Hydrangeas are popular shrubs for shady areas. These plants are deciduous and soon will be sending out new leaves. You can manipulate the color of your hydrangeas by adding lime or aluminum sulfate, depending on what color you want, to the soil now and again in October. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/26/12) Thrips are tiny insects that invade the flower buds of roses and feed on the petals, causing damage. Controlling them is difficult because they are inside the flower, but there are two insecticides that can control them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/26/12) Louisiana gardeners across the state use tropical plants in their landscapes. They may not look their best right now. You can trim them back, but if you are considering new tropical plants, wait until April or May to plant them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/19/12) Deadhead is an odd term gardeners use to talk about removing faded flowers from plants. This helps the plant look neat and can encourage additional flowering. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/19/12) The buck moth caterpillar, typically found on live oaks, has black stinging spines on its body. Usually by late March you can see caterpillar masses in trees. If you've had problems with them in the past, consider having your trees sprayed. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/19/12) Buyers typically have a home inspected before the purchase. It is a good idea to have an arborist inspect the trees on the property as well. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/19/12) Your local nursery or garden center probably stocks many different types of fertilizers. You don't need a different fertilizer for each plant. A general-purpose fertilizer will work for most plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 03/19/12) When it comes to spraying fruit trees, it's important to remember this has to be done preventively. Start a spray program well before problems show up. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video 3/5/12) Now is a transitional time for plants. So when you visit your nursery, it’s important to ask some questions. Is this plant a cool-season annual, a warm-season annual, or is it a perennial? LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get It Growing. (Runtime: 1:36)