(Video: 8/06/14) A coastal camp has been showing students the value of Louisiana’s marshland for a quarter of a century. During Marsh Maneuvers, 4-H’ers get into the marsh to learn how to preserve it. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has the story. (Runtime: 2:05 seconds)

(Video: 08/06/14) 4-H’er are used to entering cooking competitions, but the Great American Seafood Cook-off is a grand stage for 4-H’ers trying out their culinary skills. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard was there. (Runtime: 1:55 seconds)

(Video News 08/21/14) Louisiana sweet potato farmers will begin harvesting their crop in about a month. Acres are up, and growers have more viable options when planting varieties. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has this report.

(Distributed 09/02/14) Princess flowers include several species. One of the lesser known species is glory flower (Tibouchina grandifolia), also known as big leaf tibouchina. It has much larger foliage and larger flowers than the other commonly grown princess flowers.

(Distributed 08/29/14) HAMMOND, La. – A research and extension program at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station this year and next year – along with some work the past two years – is the evaluation of tropical and tropical-like landscape plants.

(Distributed 08/28/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will offer an agritourism workshop from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 30 at the Hammond Research Station.

(Distributed 08/28/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Terril Faul did not get the opportunity to participate in 4-H as a child. But as an adult he had the opportunity to shape the minds and character of countless 4-H students through a distinguished career as a parish 4-H agent and later as the state leader for Louisiana 4-H.

(Distributed 08/27/14) CROWLEY, La. – LSU AgCenter scientists held a field tour at the Rice Research Station here on Aug. 26 to discuss their work on controlling the major diseases that afflict rice. Clayton Hollier, AgCenter plant pathologist, said even varieties with the best resistance can be affected by disease.

(Distributed 08/27/14) FRANKLINTON, La. – The four-year Connect My Louisiana broadband Internet initiative of the LSU AgCenter is providing touchscreen computers, 3-D printers and other high-tech equipment to local offices for public use.

(Distributed 08/27/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – A Beef Cattle and Forage Field Day will be held Oct. 16 at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center here. Registration starts at 2:30 p.m. at the State Emergency Evacuation Shelter south of the LSU-Alexandria campus along U.S. Highway 71.

(Distributed 08/27/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Demand for food and fiber is growing faster than ever, but the agriculture workforce responsible for meeting that demand is shrinking.

(Distributed 08/26/14) ST. GABRIEL, La. – The LSU AgCenter’s Sustainable Bioproducts Initiative (SUBI) will hold two bioproduct short courses in September. Both are free and are open to everyone.

(Distributed 08/25/14) WINNSBORO, La. – Louisiana cotton farmers need to be on the lookout for target spot, a fungal disease that can quickly defoliate plants. Trey Price, LSU AgCenter plant pathologist at the Macon Ridge Research Station, said target spot is present in all cotton-producing areas of the state, with the most severe cases in Franklin, Madison and Tensas parishes.

(Distributed 08/25/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU AgCenter Food Incubator tenant Richard Hanley of Hanley’s Foods has upgraded to a co-packer in Louisiana that will manufacture his Sensation salad dressing. Hanley, who has been with the incubator since its opening in July 2013, will now be able to produce 650 gallons a day, which will help meet increasing demand for his product.

(Distributed 08/25/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will roll out the fall welcome mat with a corn maze and pumpkin patch festival Sept. 27-28 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in conjunction with the LSU Rural Life Museum’s Harvest Days.

(Distributed 08/25/14) CADE, La. – This has been a good year for weeds to flourish, but that also means killing the unwanted plants in pastures has been easier than usual, said LSU AgCenter weed scientist Ron Strahan.

(Distributed 08/22/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Most homeowners are aware that dead limbs and branches, as well as weak trees themselves, pose a threat to roofs during hurricanes and other storms. But even low-hanging branches can cause problems.

(Distributed 08/22/14) The Celebration series of purple fountain grass includes the well-known red-foliaged variety Fireworks and the lesser-know green and white variegated form called Sky Rocket, along with the white, green and pink variegated Cherry Sparkler.

(Distributed 08/22/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Casey Stannard stepped behind a curtain into a device that at first glance looks like a mix between an airport body scanner and a voting booth. Stannard, an assistant professor in the LSU College of Agriculture’s Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising Department, volunteered to have her measurements taken in the department’s new state-of-the-art 3-D and 4-D Size Stream body scanner.

(Distributed 08/22/14) HAMMOND, La. – Since the debut of a landscape horticulture research and extension program at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station eight years ago, we’ve continually expanded the gardens that support research. One of the largest programs evaluates new annual warm-season bedding plants and perennial flowers in the sun garden and shade garden.

(Video 08/20/14) Bees are an important part of the ecosystem, pollinating plants and making honey. A new LSU AgCenter program is helping potential beekeepers learn the business of bees. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard visited one of the training sessions.

(Video: 08/25/14) Porterweed is a summer plant that is not too well known. But as horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get It Growing, porterweed can enhance your landscape in multiple ways. (Runtime: 1:45 seconds)

(Distributed 08/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Cooler temperatures and abundant rainfall this spring and summer have led to a major increase of Cercospora leaf spot disease on crape myrtle trees in Louisiana.

(Distributed 08/20/14) BATON ROUGE, LA. – LSU AgCenter entomologists are advising Louisiana residents to avoid moving firewood in an effort to slow the movement of the emerald ash borer.

(Distributed 08/20/14) CROWLEY, La. – An LSU AgCenter scientist now has the capability for year-round testing of fertilizer and fertilizer additives on different soils.

(Distributed 08/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – As part of its Healthy Homes educational initiative, the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Resource Center in Baton Rouge will host a daylong Lead Certified Renovator Training course on Sept. 16 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

(Distributed 08/18/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Kayanush Aryana, an LSU AgCenter researcher and professor of dairy foods technology in the LSU College of Agriculture, received the International Dairy Foods Association Award in Dairy Food Processing at the American Dairy Science Association annual meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, in July.

(Distributed 08/19/14) DERIDDER, La. – A group of novice and would-be beekeepers suited up in protective gear to check hive boxes at Richard Hebert’s bee yard here. The group is part of the first basic beekeeper training class offered by the LSU AgCenter. Keith Hawkins, the Beauregard Parish county agent, organized the class, which met in July and August.

(Distributed 08/19/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Of all the issues farmers must contend with, aflatoxin-contaminated grain can be one of the most costly at harvest. Several strains of Aspergillus fungi produce aflatoxins, which are complex, harmful pathogens that attack several crops, including field corn. LSU AgCenter researchers are working to develop biological controls for these aflatoxin-producing fungi.

(Distributed 08/18/14) OAK GROVE, La. – With a 35 percent prevalence of obesity, Louisiana is the heaviest state in the nation. The side effects of that statistic are serious: many residents also suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other health problems.

(Audio 08/25/14) Mosquitoes are abundant the summer and can be a nuisance when you garden in early morning or late afternoon and evening. Make sure to take proper precautions such as wearing long clothing and using repellant. Listen to learn more about how to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/25/14) Gingers and cannas both can be pruned around this time of the year. Each stalk or shoot only produces one group of flowers, so once the stalk has bloomed, you can prune it down to the ground. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/25/14) Depending on how your lawn is growing determines if it needs to be fertilized. If you fertilized your lawn earlier in the summer and the grass looks to be growing properly, then you don’t need to fertilize again before winter. Listen to learn more about fertilizing your lawn. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/25/14) Roses need to be pruned twice a year so they can produce flowers properly. The timing of pruning is crucial because it comes right before the plants produce flower buds. Pruning allows roses to grow properly and provide you with beautiful flowers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/25/14) Summer showers and heat cause grass to grow rapidly, which in turn calls for your lawn to be cut more often. Grass clippings from mowing your lawn should be properly used. Listen to learn more about how to use those clippings. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 08/15/14) Firebush, also called firecracker plant, goes by the scientific name Hamelia patens.

(Distributed 08/15/14) LAFAYETTE, La. – The LSU AgCenter has scheduled two field days for Acadiana area cattle producers.

(Distributed 08/15/14) HAMMOND, La. – Since the debut of a landscape horticulture research and extension program at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station eight years ago, gardens supporting the research continue to expand.

(Distributed 08/15/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Fall armyworms and corn borers have long been a concern for Louisiana corn growers. While farmers in the U.S. have planted transgenic Bt corn varieties since the 1990s to biologically control pests, staying ahead of their ability to develop resistance is a constant battle.

(Distributed 08/15/14) BATON ROUGE, LA. – It has been about 12 years since West Nile virus, the mosquito-borne disease was, first identified in Louisiana, but this year the chikungunya fever has made its presence known.

(Distributed 08/15/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU AgCenter researchers are in the process of conducting two surveys of landowners in Louisiana in an effort to put a dollar figure on the amount of damage being done by feral hogs.

(Distributed 08/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU AgCenter entomologist Jeff Davis is working with redbanded stink bugs to see which soybean varieties have resistance to what has become the crop’s worst insect pest.

(Distributed 08/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A new exchange program will allow students and faculty from the LSU College of Agriculture and two universities in Slovakia and the Czech Republic to learn about agriculture in each other’s countries. The cooperation is the result of a recent trip by a delegation of five from the LSU AgCenter and the college to these two countries.

(Audio: 08/18/14) Palms are tropical, so they should be planted during summer. Palms can’t handle freezing temperatures and sometimes die from cold. If you have palms in your landscape that look dead, last winter’s frost probably killed them, and now is the time to replant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/13/14) Louisiana farmers planted more than 9,000 acres of sweet potatoes, up from last year’s 7,000. Most of the acres are in the variety Beauregard. But LSU AgCenter sweet potato breeder Don LaBonte said a new variety, Orleans, is gaining popularity. He said it looks and tastes like Beauregard, but has one advantage. (Runtime: 1:35)

(Distributed 08/13/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The members of two Louisiana 4-H shooting sports teams will have plenty to talk about when asked what they did during their summer vacations. The Louisiana 4-H shotgun and recurve archery teams won first place at the National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational Tournament in Grand Island, Nebraska. It was the first time a Louisiana 4-H shotgun or recurve archery team had won the tournament.

(Distributed 08/13/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – 4-H’ers from Naval bases in New Jersey and Florida spent almost two weeks in south Louisiana as part of the 4-H Navy Military Partnership Specialty Camp.

(Distributed 08/13/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Many wheat varieties developed by seed companies aren’t suited for Louisiana because the warm, humid Gulf South conditions encourage disease development. But LSU AgCenter wheat breeder Steve Harrison and his team are working to ensure that Southern farmers have varieties well-adapted to this region.

(Audio: 08/18/14) In the heat of the summer, it’s nice to work in the shade. Ferns are best grown in shade, so tending to them is easy to do in the heat of the summer. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio: 08/18/14) Pears are ready to be picked around this time of the year, but they aren’t quite ready to be eaten yet. The best method to ripening the pears is to wrap them in newspaper and let them sit for at least a week. Listen to learn more about what signs to look for when the pears are ready to be picked. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio: 08/18/14) Because most irises grow mainly in the winter, now is the time to transplant them to different parts of your landscape. Clumps of irises can become very large and need to be spread apart. Make sure to transplant them carefully and you’ll have beautiful arrangements of irises in your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio: 08/18/14) Butterfly weeds are grown in many Louisiana gardens. All butterflies come to feed on the nectar of the weeds, but the monarch butterflies lay their eggs on these plants. Monarch populations have fallen over the past couple of years, and by planting these plants, the butterflies will have a safe place to lay their eggs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 08/11/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Development is offering a SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) Camp for military kids on September 5-7, 2014, at the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center in Pollock, Louisiana.

(Distributed 08/11/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A group of youth from Louisiana and neighboring states recently completed Teen Leadership Camp on the LSU campus.

(Distributed 08/08/14) The pawpaw is a popular native fruit tree that’s sometimes hard to find at garden centers.

(Distributed 08/08/14) HAMMOND, La. – Late summer is the time to begin preparing for spectacular fall blooms on your roses. Roses need proper disease management and fertilization in August through early September for best fall performance.

(Distributed 08/08/14) CHASE, La. – Sweet potato farmers got updates on varieties, diseases, weeds and other topics at a field day on Aug. 7 at the LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station. The event attracted about 140 participants from Louisiana and seven other states.

(Distributed 08/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Russia’s announced one-year ban on most food imports from the West should have minimal effects on Louisiana agriculture, according to an LSU AgCenter economist. The embargo covers all imports of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, milk and milk products from the U.S. Canada, all 28 EU countries plus Norway, and Australia

(Distributed 08/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Soybean growers in Louisiana are seeing soybean damage this year that LSU AgCenter scientists believe has been in cotton for many years.

(Distributed 08/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Agriculture representatives from three countries spent time in Louisiana this summer to learn about the different areas of American agriculture, according to Susan Karimiha, LSU AgCenter International Programs coordinator.

(Distributed 08/07/14) NEW ORLEANS, La. – A team of young chefs from Vermilion Parish earned second place in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off 4-H Edition on Sunday, Aug. 3.

(Distributed 08/06/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The new home of LSU AgCenter food, animal and veterinary science faculty and students officially opened on Aug. 6. The state-of-the-art, $14 million Animal and Food Sciences Laboratories Building is a centralized research and teaching facility that provides the space and technologies needed to advance these disciplines.

(Audio: 08/11/14) The heat of the summer causes landscapes to dry out. Even though there is an abundance of rainstorms, certain areas get little water. Rain gauges are the easiest tool gardeners use to know how much their plants need to be watered. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio: 08/11/14) There are many ways to introduce color into the landscape, but the coleus is a plant that carries its color in the foliage. Coleus comes in many color variations that will bring a beautiful look to the landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio: 08/11/14) Mulching around the younger trees in the landscape is important for their growth. Listen to learn more about how to properly mulch a young tree. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio: 08/11/14) The end of summer means it’s time to repot those potted plants you planted earlier in the year. It’s likely they have become root-bound and need more room to grow. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio News 08/06/14) 4-H chefs from four states gathered in New Orleans for the Great American Seafood Cook-off 4-H edition. Teams from Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas each had an hour to prepare a dish using U.S. seafood. At competition time, Louisiana’s team, made up of 4-H’ers from Vermilion Parish, was ready to prepare their dish, seafood triathlon. (Runtime: 2:00)

(Distributed 08/06/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – As students prepare to board school buses and head back to the classroom, Louisiana 4-H is gearing up for a new year of projects and events that offer one-of-a-kind experiences for young people.

(Audio: 08/11/14) Eggplants and bell pepper plants, if in good condition, can produce again in the fall. Pay close attention to how the plants looks to determine whether it can last until at least late September early October. If so, then they will produce another healthy batch of vegetables for you to enjoy in the fall. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 08/05/14) NEW ORLEANS, La. – A team of young chefs from Oklahoma captured top honors in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off 4-H Edition on Sunday, Aug. 3.

(Distributed 08/04/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – After 35 years of work with sweet potato growers in northeast Louisiana, former LSU AgCenter agent Myrl Sistrunk has decided to come out of a two-year retirement.

(Distributed 08/04/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Nine faculty and staff from the LSU AgCenter Communications and Information Technology departments received awards at the 2014 International Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) annual conference in Portland, Ore, in June.

(Audio 08/04/14) Chinch bug populations build up over the summer. The damage will start in one particular area of your lawn, often along concrete and can spread rapidly. If your grass seems straw-like and brown, use an insecticide that controls lawn insects. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/04/14) Because Louisiana has a long growing season, bedding plants can become tall and leggy by August. Now is the perfect time to trim back bedding plants that are overgrown and unattractive. Listen to learn which plants should be trimmed. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/04/14) Pests in our landscape include insects, diseases and weeds. In late summer, we see a rise in these problems; this is usually because of an increase in rain. Your local LSU AgCenter office and county agent can help you identify and treat the problem. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/04/14) Louisiana’s long growing season allows us to plant a second crop of tomatoes this time of year. Plant tomatoes a little deeper in the soil to keep them cool. Listen to learn when to plant your transplants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video: 08/11/14) Crape myrtles are grown throughout Louisiana because they are reliable and beautiful, but you may have noticed the appearance of black spots and some yellow, orange and red leaves on your trees. As horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get It Growing, it’s not a sign of an early fall, but a disease. (Runtime: 1:45 seconds)

(Video: 08/18/14) If you’ve noticed a crusty grey or green growth on the branches of your plants, there’s no need to be alarmed. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains that these are lichens (lie-kins) and they are harmless. (Runtime: 1:45 seconds)

(Audio 08/04/14) Although it is brutally hot in August, you can plant all kinds of vegetables during this month. This includes a mix of both cool-season and warm-season vegetables. Listen to learn which vegetables to grow this month. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 01/27/14) Even with all the cold weather we've had, gardeners can still find mild days to do bed preparation. This is very helpful for vegetable gardens. Listen to learn how to do proper bed preparation. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 08/01/14) The burgundy-foliaged crape myrtle Delta Jazz would make a great landscape addition.

(Distributed 08/01/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A new invasive scale insect continues to infest crape myrtles in Texas, Louisiana and other south-central states.

(Audio News 08/01/14) Marsh Maneuvers, a week-long camp for 4-H’ers started 25 years ago, before there were iPhones or Facebook. Today students attending Marsh Maneuvers can unplug from the wired world and connect to the coast. The camp, which started in Vermilion Bay and now takes place at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish, teaches high school students about the value of Louisiana’s coastline. (Runtime 2:00)

(Distributed 08/01/14) HAMMOND, La. – Marigolds and zinnias for fall flowers? Yes! Zinnias and marigolds are two excellent examples of warm-season bedding plants to try from August through the first killing frost.

(Distributed 08/01/14) BATON ROUGE, La. The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will break ground on August 28 at 7 p.m. on the first phase of construction of the new teaching and demonstration herb garden.

(For Release On Or After 08/29/14) Late summer is time to think about pruning roses. Roses respond best to regular pruning each year.

(For Release On Or After 08/22/14) Bromeliads are a wonderful group of tropical or semi-tropical plants that are widely popular container plants. Because they are easy to grow, colorful and stay in bloom for a long time, they are commonly used by florists as gift plants.

(For Release On Or After 08/15/14) I once saw a refrigerator magnet that said, “When Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Substitute “root” for “Momma,” and you will have an essential message when it comes to plants.

(For Release On Or After 08/08/14) Right about now is a good time to look over your landscape and evaluate how things are growing. Our long growing season, combined with adequate soil fertility and water, can produce abundant and even rampant growth in landscape plantings.

(For Release On Or After 08/01/14) If you want to boost the color in your landscape now, don’t let the heat stop you. Nurseries have excellent selections of colorful bedding plants that will thrive in whatever heat summer throws at them.