(Distributed 04/29/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The agricultural economy in Louisiana grew to a record high value of $11.4 billion in 2012, an increase of 6.5 percent over the 2011 amount of $10.7 billion, according to the latest figures released by the LSU AgCenter.

(Audio News 04/30/13) Louisiana’s agriculture economy reached a record of $11.4 billion in 2012. LSU AgCenter economist John Westra said this was almost a seven percent increase over last year’s total of $10.7 billion. (Runtime: 2:00)

(Distributed 04/29/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new pavilion on April 25.

(Audio 04/29/13) It is not too late to add roses to your landscape. Plant roses into well-prepared beds enriched with organic matter. Remember, roses enjoy full sun. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/29/13) CROWLEY, La. – Southwest Louisiana farmers are frustrated this year with a larger-than-usual number of birds eating rice seed, causing many farmers to replant.

(Distributed 04/26/13) HAMMOND, La. – One of the nicest small, flowering trees for Louisiana landscapes is the chaste tree or vitex (Vitex agnus-castus). Midspring through early summer is the main time for flowering on this increasingly popular plant.

(Audio 04/29/13) Caladiums allow gardeners to work in the shade during summer. These plants grow from tubers and can be planted in May and June. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/29/13) Gardeners can begin planting more heat-tolerant vegetables in May. The temperatures will be hot as the vegetables develop. Listen to learn what vegetables can be planted this month. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/29/13) Bell peppers are popular in home gardens. You may see bell peppers in red, yellow and orange. These are simply green bell peppers that have stayed on the plant long enough to fully ripen. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/29/13) Louisiana gardeners use a wide variety of evergreen shrubs and trees in their landscapes. Even though evergreen plants never drop all their leaves at once, it is important to know that leaves do get old, will turn yellow and drop off the plant. Generally this is nothing to worry about. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/24/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Matt Fannin, an associate professor in the LSU AgCenter Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, has been appointed as associate director for analytic and academic programs in the Rural Policy Research Institute.

(Distributed 04/24/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The day after the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig – April 21, 2010 – Linda Hooper-Bui, an LSU AgCenter entomologist, had a graduate student sampling insect populations in the marshes of southeast Louisiana.

(Distributed 04/24/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana cotton producers have the opportunity to provide direction for prioritizing cotton research in Louisiana by participating in a survey being conducted by the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 04/23/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Many area students who know little about where their food comes from received a lesson complete with live farm animals when they attended Farm Day at the LSU AgCenter dairy on April 18-19.

(Distributed 04/22/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are presenting a workshop on complying with regulations on genetically engineered organisms on April 30 in Baton Rouge.

(Video 04/29/13) A strikingly beautiful summer plant is the verbena. It’s been around for a while, and as LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get It Growing, breeders have developed many colorful variations of this outstanding plant. (Runtime: 1:40)

(Distributed 04/19/13) WINNSBORO, La. – The 2013 wheat harvest in Louisiana is only a few weeks from beginning, and experts aren’t sure how the crop will turn out.

(Audio 04/22/13) Plants growing in containers have special needs. They have to be in potting soil. They also need frequent watering and fertilizing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video 04/22/13) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plants program highlights tough and beautiful plants that work well in Louisiana landscapes. The Bandana lantana, also called Bandana Rose, is a beautiful, low-maintenance lantana with an improvement over its relatives. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how the Bandana’s compact size – only 20 inches tall and 2 feet wide – make it even more manageable than other lantanas. (Runtime: 1:33)

(Distributed 04/19/13) HAMMOND, La. – Lantanas continue to be one of the most popular herbaceous perennials for Louisiana landscapes. Many varieties, some old and some new, offer a multitude of growth forms and flower colors.

(Video News 04/19/13) Bombs that exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon sent scores of people to the hospital, with more than a dozen critically injured. An LSU AgCenter scientist is working on a type of gene therapy that improves healing of catastrophic injuries. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has the story. (Runtime: 1:57)

(Audio 04/22/13) Crape myrtles are popular in Louisiana landscapes. They bloom beautifully throughout the summer. The leading insect pest of crape myrtles is the crape myrtle aphid. They are sucking insects that create honeydew on the trees, creating a sooty mold. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video News 04/18/14) Farmers attempting to plant soybeans keep hitting delays. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports now is the perfect time to plant soybeans in Louisiana. (Runtime: 1:21)

(Distributed 04/18/13) BOSSIER CITY, La. – Growing grass efficiently was the focus of the LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station Beef and Forage Field Day held April 16.

(Audio 04/18/13) Louisiana farmers are trying to get their soybeans planted. Prices are good, and LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Ronnie Levy expects farmers to plant around 1.2 million acres of soybeans – that is if they can get them in the ground. (Runtime: 1:15)

(Audio 04/22/13) When planting herbs in April, gardeners should focus on heat-tolerant herbs. Basil is one to consider planting. Harvest herbs you planted in fall because they will start to languish as the weather warms. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/22/13) Mulching offers many benefits to flower beds and vegetable gardens. A good layer of mulch suppresses weeds, helps retain soil moisture and regulates soil temperature. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/22/13) Many of the plants we grow in containers are tropicals. If you brought plants inside for the winter, now is the time to move them back outdoors. Make the transition slowly to help the plants adjust to greater light conditions. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio News 04/17/13) Bombs that exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon sent scores of people to the hospital, with more than a dozen critically injured. An LSU AgCenter scientist, Daniel Hayes, is working on several projects aimed at improving healing of catastrophic injuries. (Runtime: 2:00)

(Distributed 04/12/13) HAMMOND, La. – As the peak of the spring bedding plant season arrives, we may need a few warm-season flowers in our shade areas around the landscape.

(Video News 04/11/13) An LSU AgCenter program has youngsters on a mission to live healthier. And along the way, they are learning about new technology. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard visited students on the Body Quest. (Runtime: 2:10)

(Distributed 04/11/13) CAMERON, La. – LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant representatives met with a handful of shrimpers April 9 to tell them about ways to make more money.

(Audio 04/15/13) There are four main lawn grasses used in Louisiana. These grasses love the heat and grow well during summer. If you are thinking of planting a new lawn, do it is as the weather warms up. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/10/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will hold the groundbreaking ceremony for its new pavilion at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 25.

(Audio 04/15/13) Summer bedding plants are ready to go into the garden. Nurseries are full of great selections. Consider planting spring Super Plants to brighten your landscapes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/15/13) Lawn care kicks into high gear as the weather warms. If you didn't have your blades sharpened before putting the mower away for the winter, consider having them sharpened now. This will keep the turf healthy. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/10/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana agricultural producers are highly dependent on the world market to sell their commodities, and a new export facility at the Port of Baton Rouge could increase the amount of ag products shipped abroad.

(Audio 04/15/13) April is a good time to plant caladiums. These plants are wonderful in shady locations. There are some varieties that will work in full sun. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/10/13) CHALMETTE, La. – Darion Dewhirst had never tasted a tomato before Beth Gambel brought her mobile iPad lab and bags of fresh vegetables to his school. Now the third grader looks forward to trying new vegetables.

(Audio 04/15/13) Lantanas provide reliable color in Louisiana landscapes. They typically grow rather large, but a new series called Bandana lantana produce mounding plants covered in flowers. They are drought-tolerant and attractive to butterflies. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/09/13) CROWLEY, La. – Rice planting in the southern part of Louisiana is wrapping up, and north Louisiana farmers are getting ready to plant.

(Audio 04/09/13) Technology can keep youngsters from being active, but the LSU AgCenter has employed iPads to encourage third-graders to move more and eat better. Body Quest: Food the Warrior uses animated characters to challenge elementary youth to develop healthful behaviors. LSU AgCenter family and consumer science agent Beth Gambel is conducting the program at Chalmette Elementary School. (Runtime: 2:05)

(Audio 04/08/13) New Orleans is famous for its food. Fried seafood, rich gumbos and spicy etouffees are some of the city’s staples. But healthier fare is making its mark on the city’s landscape in the form of urban farms. Arugula, beets, basil and parsley are popping up in small plots and even on rooftops – like one above a Rouse’s grocery store just blocks from the French Quarter. (Runtime: 2:10)

(Distributed 04/09/13) FRANKLINTON, La. – Scientists from the LSU AgCenter and Mississippi State University shared findings from research on forage and feed at a Southeast Research Station field day here on April 5.

(Distributed 04/09/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – This prom season high school girls will spend weeks struggling to find the perfect dress – will it be gold metallic, ravishing red, bright white or the hottest color? The dress is just the beginning.

(Distributed 04/05/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – April is the ideal time to resume the annual war against red imported fire ants in Louisiana, according to experts in the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 04/09/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana 4-H Foundation has announced that it has met its financial goals to begin construction on the first phase of its multipurpose building at the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center near Pollock, La.

(Distributed 04/08/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – An LSU AgCenter researcher recently received a $100,000 grant from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources pending final approval from the state contracting office to provide a series of water project evaluations and management plans regarding the Atchafalaya Floodway System.

(Video News 04/08/13) With mild weather in early March, farmers were able to get a lot of rice planted. But farmers weren’t expecting the dip in temperatures late in the month. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has the story. (Runtime:1:21)

(Audio 04/08/13) Little Ruby alternanthera is a low-growing plant grown for its beautiful foliage. Its deep burgundy, purplish foliage stays lovely all summer long. It also is a spring 2013 Super Plant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/08/13) In Louisiana, we can begin fertilizing lawns in the last week of March, and this can continue into May. It is a great idea to fertilize lawns that are low in vigor and need a deeper color. Gardeners can use a weed-and-feed to also control weeds in the yard while fertilizing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 04/05/13) HAMMOND, La. – Joseph’s coat, which includes several species of Alternanthera, is one of those old garden plants that is becoming new again. These are foliage plants for the landscape.

(Distributed 04/05/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Tax credits can reduce the amount of tax you must pay. A refundable tax credit not only reduces the federal tax you owe, but may also result in a refund.

(Distributed 04/05/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Connecting Cooperative Extension Service personnel in each state when information is needed after a disaster is the goal of LSU AgCenter disaster specialist Pat Skinner.

(Distributed 04/04/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter and Junior League of Baton Rouge will offer the last of the Story Time at Burden series on April 13 at the Steele Burden Orangerie.

(Audio 04/08/13) Louisiana gardeners use a wide variety of spring-flowering bulbs. Some of the bulbs will come back and re-bloom year after year, while others don't re-bloom well. Learn how to care for ones that do bloom again and again. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video 04/15/13) Hanging baskets offer a unique aesthetic perspective to patios and porches. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill offers some tips on maintaining the health and beauty of plants you choose for your hanging containers. (Runtime: 1:32)

(Audio 04/08/13) The warm weather of spring brings out more pests in our landscapes. Insecticides may be necessary to control insects on vegetable plants. Make sure you know what kind of insects you have so can best control them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/08/13) With warmer weather in April, gardeners can plant tomatoes in any area of the state. When selecting tomato transplants, decide what type of tomatoes you want. You can choose from many different varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video 04/08/13) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plants program highlights tough and beautiful plants that work well in Louisiana landscapes. Little Ruby alternanthera is a colorful, tough new Super Plant selection. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains why the low-maintenance Little Ruby is an excellent choice to grow in containers or in your flower beds. (Runtime: 1:32)

(Distributed 04/04/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Before the LSU AgCenter’s Operation Military Kids program began, Louisiana children who were not connected to a military base felt detached and alone, but this is changing, according to Christina Lawson, the program’s coordinator.

(Distributed 04/02/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The next lead-certified renovator training class will be held at the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Resource Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 16.

(For Release On Or After 04/26/13) As May approaches, we transition from the warm days and cool nights of spring and early summer to the hot days and warm nights that will be with us until September. With the increasing heat, you should be noticing the inevitable decline of your cool-season bedding plants.

(For Release On Or After 04/19/13) Lantana (Lantana camara) is one of the first flowers I became aware of as a young child in Chalmette. After all, who could resist a plant so perfectly named with the common name “ham and eggs”?

(For Release On Or After 04/12/13) The foliage of ornamental plants generally plays a supporting role to their colorful flowers. Leaves, in all their many different shades of green, typically provide a backdrop for the flowers that delight the eye and dominate our attention.

(For Release On Or After 04/05/13) Blue, particularly true blue, is a color relatively rare among garden flowers. Blame the pollinators. Remember, flowers are not produced by plants for our enjoyment.

(Video 04/01/13) Did you know cantaloupes and watermelons belong to the cucumber family? Right now is a great time to plant all of these. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill tells you what you need to know about selecting vegetables from the cucumber family.

(Audio News 04/01/13) It’s been a cold start for rice. About half of the state’s crop has been planted, but freezes and frost in late March slowed planting and seed germination. Also the weather has been dry since planting began. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/01/13) The weather turns warm in April. This month is a transition time in the garden. Cool-season bedding plants are blooming beautifully now, but gardeners interested in putting in new plants should look for warm-season plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/01/13) Sapsuckers are birds related to woodpeckers. They have strong beaks they use to peck holes into the trunks of trees. They are after sap in the trees. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/01/13) Easter was early this year, but you may still have Easter lilies. You can plant these in a flower bed where they will bloom for you year after year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/01/13) Many spring-flowering shrubs have been blooming during the past month and will continue to bloom into April and early May. The best time to prune them is right after they finish flowering. If you wait too long, you could disrupt next year's blooms. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 04/01/13) We can count on warmer weather during the month of April. Gardeners can start planting transplants of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Hear more to learn about other vegetables ready for planting. (Runtime: 60 seconds)