(Distributed 09/27/13) HAMMOND, La. – One of the great new groups of almost-everblooming plants, the Drift series of low-maintenance roses, fits a special niche in the shrub rose market. These roses are from Conard-Pyle/Star Roses, the same folks who gave us the Knock Out series of low-maintenance landscape roses.

(Distributed 09/30/13) LAKE CHARLES, La. – Thirteen high school students participated in the Calcasieu-Cameron Rice Growers Association rice cooking contest on Sept. 25 as part of National Rice Month, which is sponsored by the USA Rice Federation.

(Distributed 09/27/13) BATON ROUGE, La – The threat of mosquitoes can keep people from enjoying the outdoors, but the LSU AgCenter has a public health entomologist whose work will help fight the bite.

A past Louisiana Super Plant, Belinda’s Dream rose is one of the most popular Earth Kind roses grown in Louisiana. This variety was named a Texas Superstar plant in 2002 – the first rose to be so honored.

BATON ROUGE, La. – Jeff Lockwood, a professor at the University of Wyoming and award-winning writer, will present a lecture about his book “Six-Legged Soldiers: A History of Insects in Torture, Terrorism, and Warfare” on Oct. 4 at 2 p.m., Room A101, Life Sciences Annex, on the LSU campus.

(Distributed 09/24/13) MANGHAM, La. – Cattle producers interested in learning proper cattle handling procedures were not disappointed by attending a beef and forage field day at the Goldmine Plantation on Sept. 19.

(Distributed 09/24/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Children between the ages of three and eight can get in the spirit of fall and increase their reading skills at a series of free events in October and November at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden.

(Distributed 09/23/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Professors, graduate and undergraduate students were recognized at the LSU College of Agriculture honors and awards ceremony at the Lod Cook Alumni Center on Sept. 18.

(Distributed 09/20/13) The Conversation Piece azalea belongs to the Robin Hill group. This group of azaleas is known for multi-season blooming and large flowers on hardy plants.

(Distributed 09/20/13) HOMER, La. – Poultry producers from across the state were taught practices that will make their operations more environmentally friendly and efficient at a field day at the LSU AgCenter Hill Farm Research Station on Sept. 18.

(Distributed 09/20/13) HAMMOND, La. – Fall is the best time of year to garden in Louisiana. Now through November and December is recommended for adding new trees and shrubs to your landscape. Also consider some cool-season flower additions or some herbaceous perennials.

(Distributed 09/17/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – A late-winter freeze set this year’s Louisiana sugarcane crop back, but the outlook for harvest is optimistic, said LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois.

(Distributed 09/16/13) ALEXANDRIA, La. – An LSU AgCenter cattle expert advised owners of small cattle operations that they should consider artificial insemination with technology available to make the option affordable and easier.

(Distributed 09/16/13) LAFAYETTE, La. – Thousands of gardening enthusiasts attended the Master Gardeners’ Plant Fest in Lafayette, held Sept. 14 at the Horse Farm.

(Distributed 09/16/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Faculty members and volunteers from across the state involved in nutrition education spent Sept. 10-12 at the Lod Cook Conference Center at LSU recognizing the new School of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

(Distributed 09/13/13) One of the most popular herbaceous perennials in Louisiana is the purple coneflower. The scientific name of this plant is Echinacea purpurea. It is native to a geographic area from the Midwest into the Southeastern United States.

(Distributed 09/13/13) HAMMOND, La. – Each fall, research gardens across the country, such as those located at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station, announce some of the best landscape plants that have performed well in trials during that year.

(Distributed 09/12/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Now that the Louisiana corn harvest is nearly complete, growers have been given a few ways to decrease the chance of the Goss’s wilt bacteria overwintering in their fields.

(Distributed 09/12/13) HAMMOND, La. – The LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station will hold its annual landscape horticulture field day for nursery, landscape and garden center professionals on Oct. 10.

(Distributed 09/11/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Possibly the hardest part of changing eating habits to lose weight is deciding where to begin and how to sustain, says LSU AgCenter Smart Bodies program director Denise Holston-West.

(Distributed 09/10/13) CROWLEY, La. – Dustin Harrell, LSU Agcenter agronomist at the Rice Research Station here, is participating in a multistate study on arsenic in rice to determine if levels of the element are higher in different varieties and to see if varied flooding methods affect arsenic content.

(Distributed 09/10/13) MACON RIDGE, La. – LSU AgCenter scientists shared the latest research findings and progress with participants who braved sweltering heat at the Macon Ridge Research Station near Winnsboro on Sept. 5.

(Distributed 09/06/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture will be consolidating dairy science programs over the next nine months to expand and better integrate the research, extension and teaching efforts.

(Distributed 09/09/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Financial professionals from throughout the area will conduct a financial education event for consumers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(Distributed 09/16/13) One of the popular fall-flowering plants offered at many retail garden centers in Louisiana during late summer and early fall are cassias.

(Distributed 09/06/13) HAMMOND, La. – Ornamental peppers are a unique, specialty plant for home landscapes. Appealing characteristics include colorful berries and foliage. Ornamental peppers have traditionally been thought of to some degree as a holiday potted plant, but they are enjoying increased use among home gardeners as an alternative color addition to annual and herbaceous perennial beds.

(Distributed 09/05/13) DELHI. La. – An outdoor business workshop for landowners will be held here Oct. 2 at the Delhi Civic Center.

(Distributed 09/04/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens will host a fundraising event for the Burden Horticulture Society, called Cocktails in the Gardens, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 15.

(Distributed 08/30/13) Oak trees are very popular in Louisiana landscapes. We are all very familiar with the evergreen Southern live oak. Popular deciduous oak trees in Louisiana include water oak, shumard oak, southern red oak and willow oak. But the one with possibly the best potential for landscape use is the nuttall oak.