(Video 10/29/14) Sweet potatoes are a holiday staple, and Louisiana sweet potato producers are busy with their harvest. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux explains how this year’s weather is contributing to a successful harvest.

(Video 10/19/14) Beef cattle producers learned about research that can benefit them at an LSU AgCenter cattle and forage field day. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports on two studies, one that aims to improve water quality and another that can affect cattle reproduction.

(Video 10/15/14) While 4-H is widely known for its agricultural roots, the youth organization is making a concerted effort in science and engineering. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux explains how one group of 4-H’ers is building rockets to help solve a problem.

(Video 10/15/14) Louisiana farmers have another excellent cotton crop this year, but low prices persist and continue to keep acreage down. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux has the story.

(Video 10/3/14) An urban forest in the heart of Baton Rouge is helping students understand the natural world around them. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard toured Trees and Trails with a group of third-graders and has this report.

(Video 10/3/14) Cooler weather means fatter and tastier oysters for cooking seafood gumbos or oyster dressing. A researcher with the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant is working on getting oysters to maintain their size and flavor all year round. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux has the story.

(Distributed 10/28/14) OAK GROVE, La. – West Carroll Parish is made up of quiet little Southern towns — the kinds that cannot be located on maps, that exist unknown to the outside world in a region where change occurs almost as slowly as the pace of life. These are places that seem charming to some and backwards to others.

(Video 11/10/14) The Louisiana Super Plants program highlights plants shown to be reliable through research. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to rabbiteye blueberries. These deciduous plants turn beautiful orange during the fall and produce delicious fruit in the spring and early summer.

(Video 11/3/14) Fall brings the diverse colors of chrysanthemums or mums into full display. But did you know there are three different types of mums? On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains the differences – so you can pick the ones that work best for you.

(Distributed 10/29/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – At 7 a.m., many LSU students are probably still in bed. Others are trekking from far-away commuter parking lots to their early morning classes. But animal science junior Morgan Richard’s Thursdays begin quite differently – with 20 hungry calves mooing at her.

(Distributed 10/29/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community members used their 2014 Mini College fall training program on the LSU campus as an opportunity to celebrate the 100 years of the Cooperative Extension Service on October 15-16.

(Distributed 10/28/14) CHASE, La. – Sweet potatoes are a staple of many holiday meals, and Louisiana sweet potato producers are nearing the completion of a successful harvest, according to an expert with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 10/27/14) SHREVEPORT, La. – Thanks to the LSU AgCenter’s AgMagic, Doyline students Jamaria Clark and Jordan Fuller went on a magical tour harvesting cotton during the 2014 State Fair of Louisiana on Oct. 23.

(Distributed 10/27/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Faculty from one of the LSU AgCenter’s newest international partners, Mendel University in the Czech Republic, visited Baton Rouge Oct. 20-24.

(Distributed 10/27/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana gardeners and others have a chance to “Get It Growing” next year with the publication of the 2015 calendar from the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 10/27/14) Want to add color to your fall, winter and early spring garden? Plant some colorful Sorbet series violas.

(Distributed 10/24/14) VILLE PLATTE, La. – Most Louisiana farmers harvesting this year’s soybean crop are reporting one of their best years, according to the LSU AgCenter soybean specialist.

(Distributed 10/24/14) HAMMOND, La. – November is prime time for cool-season bedding plants, and dianthus have been among the plants in this group gaining considerable popularity the past 10 years.

(Distributed 10/23/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will present Cocktails in the Garden, an evening of entertainment and dancing, from 7:30-10:30 p.m. on Nov. 14.

(Distributed 10/22/14)BATON ROUGE, La. – “Welcome to 4-H Camp. Unpack a positive attitude, and you will see the endless possibilities.”

(Distributed 10/22/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Injectable trace minerals may improve reproductive rates in cattle. This was one of several research projects cattle producers heard about at the LSU AgCenter beef cattle and forage field day on Oct. 16 at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center.

(Audio 10/27/14) Various types of blueberries can be found in the United States, but the rabbiteye blueberry is most common in Louisiana. These blueberries have been named a Louisiana Super Plant for 2014. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/14) During the month of October, Louisiana provides a beautiful fall wildflower season. Look for narrow-leaf sunflowers, asters and goldenrods along the roadsides. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/14) Help lawns get through the winter by fertilizing. Some lawns with low potassium content in the soil may need to be winterized more than others. Check the potassium level of your fertilizer and use appropriately. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/27/14) Add fall color to the landscape with cool-season bedding plants. Prepare the bed properly by turning the soil and adding compost and fertilizer. Prepare a color scheme when picking out plants for each bed. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 10/21/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Nominations for induction into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction are being accepted now through Dec. 15. Inductees will be recognized at a banquet at White Oak Plantation in Baton Rouge on March 5, 2015.

(Distributed 10/21/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – An LSU College of Agriculture nutrition and food science team placed first in the national DuPont Knowledge Award, winning $10,000 for a new food product the team developed.

(Distributed 10/17/14) HAMMOND, La. – Landscape professionals who attended the landscape horticulture industry field day on Oct. 9 got a two-for-one deal. In addition to the LSU AgCenter’s annual field day, where the latest research is presented, the Southeast Louisiana Nursery Association Trade Show was an added attraction this year.

(Distributed 10/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold four meetings in November to inform agricultural producers about proposed Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules. The meetings will be conducted by AgCenter extension food safety specialist Achyut Adhikari, pecan specialist Charlie Graham and horticulture specialist Kiki Fontenot.

(Distributed 10/17/14) Louisiana gardeners are always looking for attractive trees for the landscape. The sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is an excellent native tree that is not nearly as well known as it should be.

(Distributed 10/17/14) HAMMOND, La. – The ideal planting time for cool-season bedding plants in Louisiana runs from late September through early December. Some of our common cool-season flowers prefer the earlier planting dates, and some do better with the later planting dates.

(Distributed 10/16/14) CROWLEY, La. – Farmers soon will have to make several choices that will stand for the life of the new farm bill, which will expire in 2018.

(Audio 10/20/14) Spring-flowering balls can be planted in October, November and early December. Generally, these bulbs will only bloom for one spring then will be discarded. Bulbs to plant now include narcissus, daffodils, crocus and scillas. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/14) Hydrangeas have already set their flower buds for next year. Do not cut hydrangeas back until they have finished flowering. Apply aluminum sulfate to turn pink hydrangeas blue, and scatter lime around the plant to turn blue flowers pink. (Runtime 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/14) Louisiana’s mild winters allow a year-round blooming season. Replace warm-season bedding plants with cool-season bedding plants in October. Listen to learn which plants are cool-season bedding plants appropriate for Louisiana. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/14) Caladiums provide color in shady areas throughout the summe, but have come to the end of their season. Dig up tubers to store them over the winter and replant them next year. Listen to learn the proper method for digging up and storing caladium tubers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/20/14) Wisteria vines are common in the Louisiana landscape. The vine grows rapidly, but can take years to bloom. Severing the roots will slow the growth of the plant and may cause it to bloom. (Runtime 60 seconds)

(Video 10/27/14) Fall means some nice colors on trees and plants in Louisiana. If you’re one who complains there’s not enough color, you can do something about it. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill shows you some plants that can make your landscape burst with those warm fall shades of orange, red and gold.

(Distributed 10/16/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Members of Louisiana 4-H Clubs are recognizing the week of Oct. 26 as Bullying Prevention Week. 4-H’ers voted for bullying prevention as the theme of their yearly statewide service-learning project at 4-H University this summer.

(Video: 10/20/14) Now is a great time to plant cool-season herbs. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to chives – an herb with beautiful flowers and tasty foliage.

(Distributed 10/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Horse owners should take precautions against rain rot, a skin disease that can flourish in Louisiana’s wet and humid weather, according to LSU AgCenter equine specialist Neely Walker.

(Distributed 10/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Sodium alginate in LSU purple and gold attracted youngsters to the LSU Food Science Club’s booth at Super Science Saturday on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the LSU Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

(Distributed 10/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will host two timber tax workshops to provide those in the industry with the latest information.

(Distributed 10/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – For the past two years, LSU AgCenter scientists have monitored the movement of the kudzu bug since it was discovered in northeast Louisiana.

(Distributed 10/10/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – With roots in Central America and a good grasp of the Spanish language, Maria Moore felt comfortable being one of the first students from LSU to do an exchange with Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

(Distributed 10/10/14) Looking for some of the best of the multi-seasonal flowering azaleas? Look no further than the Encore azaleas – the “azalea that knows no season.”

(Distributed 10/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU AgCenter housing specialist Claudette Reichel recently appeared in a national disaster campaign that includes a region-specific publication and three disaster-recovery videos for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(Distributed 10/10/14) HAMMOND, La. – The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plant program is now on its fifth year of educating, promoting, recommending and marketing truly great landscape plants that have performed well in test gardens at the Hammond Research Station and elsewhere around the state. Plant selections are announced each spring and fall.

(Distributed 10/10/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Beginning on October 15, all forages tested by the LSU AgCenter will have results coming from new, high-tech equipment on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

(Audio 10/3/14) The Mesa gaillardia has been named a Louisiana Super Plant for fall 2014. The plant will bloom through the fall season, take a break in winter, and continue to bloom throughout spring and summer. Mesa gaillardia is available in three colors. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 10/08/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – While the United States and Slovakia are different in many ways, the two countries’ agriculture industries share similar challenges.

(Audio 10/3/14) Home gardeners have great success with backyard persimmons. Fall is a great time to plant the trees, which can be found at your local nursery. Be aware that there are two distinctive types of persimmons, astringent and non-astringent. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/3/14) It is almost time to move tropical container plants inside for the winter. Move the plants into a very shady area for a couple weeks. Once they are used to the lower light conditions, move them inside of the home sometime during late October. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/3/14) Many herbs provide a bountiful harvest in the month of October. Choose herbs that you really intend to use such as herbs that you commonly cook or garnish with. Listen to learn which herbs are best to plant during fall. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/3/14) Plant young strawberry plants now for a spring harvest. Prepare beds in a sunny, well-drained location and place plants about a 12 inches apart. Consider covering the beds with netting to protect the berries from birds. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 10/02/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Sweet sorghum is not currently grown as a commercial crop in Louisiana, but in the future, producers may consider growing it for use as a biofuel feedstock.

(Distributed 10/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Thirteen LSU students were awarded undergraduate research grants with funding coming from the LSU College of Agriculture and the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 10/06/14) CALHOUN, La. – The LSU AgCenter is returning 329 acres of land that housed the former Calhoun Research Station to the Ouachita Parish Police Jury. The AgCenter will retain a 57-acre forest stand for research, according to Dale Frederick, director of AgCenter Facilities Planning.

(Distributed 10/06/14) ABBEVILLE, La. – Cattle owners considering an increase in their herds should be mindful of paying too much for heifers, LSU AgCenter beef cattle experts advised Thursday (Oct. 2).

(Distributed 10/06/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – In a game called habitat scramble, third-graders visiting the LSU AgCenter’s Trees and Trails at Burden Museum and Gardens learned what happens when an animal’s habitat is destroyed.

(Distributed 10/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A biofuels company will receive a $91 million loan guarantee to build a processing plant in Alexandria, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday (Oct. 3) in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 10/03/14) CROWLEY, La. – The 2014 Louisiana rice crop is better than we expected “but not as good as last year,” said Johnny Saichuk, LSU AgCenter rice specialist.

(Distributed 10/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter and U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency will host 13 educational meetings in October and November to help Louisiana farmers prepare for changes in the new farm bill. The meetings will be conducted by Louisiana FSA personnel along with AgCenter economists Mike Salassi, Kurt Guidry and Michael Deliberto.

(Distributed 10/03/14) Fall is the time of the year for ornamental peppers. These are a unique, specialty plant for home landscapes.

(Distributed 10/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Gina E. Eubanks, an administrator with the LSU AgCenter and the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, received the Leadership Award at the Booker T. Washington Economic Summit at Tuskegee University, in Alabama.

(Distributed 10/03/14) HAMMOND, La. – It’s getting to the time of year when multiseason-blooming azaleas will begin their fall floral displays. Popular fall-flowering azaleas include the Robin Hill and Encore types.

(Audio 10/6/14) Enjoy the mild weather while working in your vegetable garden. Vegetables you should plant in October include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Listen to learn which root crops and transplants will do well this time of year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/6/14) Sweet peas are a vining, cool-season annual. Plant the seeds in October so they can develop properly before spring. Find a sunny, well-drained location near a fence or trellis. The flowers will begin to appear in March. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/6/14) One of the most common diseases found in the fall is a fungal disease called brown patch. The disease will start in a small area and then rapidly get worse. Contact your local nursery for treatment and make two applications. Do not apply nitrogen-containing fertilizer. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/6/14) Roses bloom heavily during this time of year. If the roses have faded and become unattractive, deadhead them by trimming the old flowers off. Make the pruning cut just above the fifth leaflet. This will encourage more flowers to form. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/6/14) Louisiana residents love to decorate their porches for fall. Use natural decorations such as pumpkins, gourds, ornamental peppers and corn. Keep an eye out for seed pods, dried flower heads and plumes that may also be used for fall decorating. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video 10/13/14) The Louisiana Super Plants program recommends beautiful plants shown to be reliable through research. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to a 2014 fall Super Plant called Mesa gaillardia. It’s a perennial plant that blooms in beautiful colors from the cool season through the summer – and it attracts butterflies.

(Video 10/6/14) Have you noticed brown spots at the end of some of your plant leaves? On this edition of Get It Growing, horticulturist Dan Gill explains what those brown leaf tips might be indicating and what you can do to solve those issues.

(For Release On Or After 10/31/14) The ghouls and goblins will be out tonight, and the candles in the jack-o'-lanterns will be burning brightly. The Halloween season has put me in mind to look at scary traditions and relate them to some common gardening ideas and misconceptions.

(For Release On Or After 10/24/14) As the weather cools down and nights get nippy over the next few weeks, gardeners need to decide what to do with their container-grown outdoor tropical plants.

(For Release On Or After 10/17/14) Blueberries are one of the easiest-to-grow fruiting plants for home landscapes, and research indicates that they have all kinds of health benefits. Here in Louisiana we plant the native rabbiteye blueberry, Vaccinium ashei. A number of rabbiteye blueberry varieties are available, and all are Louisiana Super Plant selections for fall 2014.

(For Release On Or After 10/10/14) October is a transitional month in Louisiana flower gardens. Many warm-season annuals finish up this month, and gardeners’ thoughts begin to turn to cool-season bedding plants for fall, winter and spring color.

(For Release On Or After 10/03/14) As the days shorten and temperatures gradually become cooler, it’s apparent that summer is finally ending. Lawn care definitely begins to change this time of year.