(Video News 02/10/14) A new gelatin- like bait using shrimp waste could improve the way blue crabs are caught and add value to Louisiana’s shrimp processing industry. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has this report. (Runtime: 1:46)

(Distributed 02/28/14) HAMMOND, La. – One of the programs the LSU AgCenter offers is “Louisiana Yards and Neighborhoods.” It was developed several years ago as an educational program to teach home gardeners about sustainable landscaping and home horticulture practices.

(Distributed 02/28/14) ST. MARTINVILLE, La. – St. Martin Parish rice and soybeans producers heard preseason advice Wednesday (Feb. 26) from LSU AgCenter experts about preparing for this year’s crops.

(Distributed 02/28/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The future for wood products in Louisiana is bright, thanks to Europe, a beetle in Canada and an increase in U.S. housing construction, LSU AgCenter experts said Tuesday (Feb. 25) at the Central Louisiana Forestry Forum.

(Distributed 02/28/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The 13th class of the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development program completed its two-year course of study with graduation February 22 at Nottoway Plantation in White Castle as AgCenter administrators recognized 24 leaders in agriculture production and ag-related industries from around the state.

(Distributed 02/28/14) JEANERETTE, La. – The Acadiana Beef Cattle Producers field day will be held March 8 at the Iberia Research Station.

(Distributed 02/25/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Dining and music among the blooms and under the stars will be featured during Gourmet in the Garden: A Progressive Dinner in the Gardens at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden on April 25, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

(Distributed 02/25/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The fourth annual Brush With Burden art exhibition will be held at the LSU AgCenter’s Botanic Garden at Burden from March 23-30.

(Distributed 02/24/14) NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two LSU AgCenter scientists were honored at the 2014 Rice Technical Working Group’s 35th meeting held Feb. 18-21. Johnny Saichuk received the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Award, and Mike Stout was one of seven entomologists from rice-growing states to be recognized with the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Team Award.

(Distributed 02/24/14) POLLOCK, La. – Families learned about healthy eating and the importance of exercise at the Louisiana 4-H Food and Fitness Camp held at 4-H Camp Grant Walker Feb. 22-23.

(Distributed 02/24/14) CROWLEY, La. – LSU AgCenter plant pathologist Don Groth said a federal label for the fungicide Sercadis has been granted for the upcoming growing season.

(Video 02/24/14) The traditional Chinese evergreen is a tough houseplant that has always come in one color – green. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how recent developments with this plant now include striking variations from the original color and style of the plant. (Runtime: 1:50 seconds)

(Distributed 02/24/14) CROWLEY, La. – With crawfish season underway, south Louisiana residents look forward to dining on a regional delicacy, either in a backyard setting or a restaurant.

(Video News 02/21/14) Louisiana farmers were relieved to finally see passage of a farm bill. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard talks with an ag economist about what the bill means for local producers. (Runtime: 1:31)

(Distributed 02/21/14) With an ever-increasing number of color combinations now spread over 33 available varieties, the Supertunia petunias from Proven Winners continue to impress in container and landscape trials across the Southeast.

(Distributed 02/21/14) HAMMOND, La. – Flowering trees add considerable color and beauty to our landscapes during late winter and early spring. Many of the trees that flower at this time of year can be considered low-maintenance compared to the amount of pleasure we get from them.

(Audio 02/21/14) Earlier this month the president signed a new farm bill. Farmers have been operating without a farm bill for two years. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says the $1 trillion bill eliminates the direct payment program in which farmers could enroll every year to receive payments based on the their historical program payment acres, rates and yields. (Runtime: 1:25)

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Brown rust fungus poses a serious threat to Louisiana's nearly $1 billion sugarcane industry. Thanks to funding from the American Sugar Cane League, LSU AgCenter molecular biologist Niranjan Baisakh is studying DNA markers in sugarcane associated with resistance to the fungus. He hopes to help sugarcane breeders develop varieties that block the fungus at the molecular level.

(Distributed 02/20/14) SHREVEPORT, La., – The LSU AgCenter will hold its 30th Annual ARK-LA-TEX forestry forum on March 6 at the Holiday Inn Financial Plaza in Shreveport.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Beauregard Parish Master Gardeners will hold a spring garden festival and plant sale at the Beauregard Parish Fairground Exhibit Hall and Demonstration Garden from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m on March 1.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana’s issues with coastal land loss are well-documented. Scientists estimate that since 1930 as much as 25 square miles of land per year have been lost in the Mississippi River delta area.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Mike Burnett has been named executive associate dean of the LSU College of Agriculture. In this new role, Burnett hopes to help the college's 10 departments and schools meet needs that will allow improved funding and recruitment, particularly in graduate programs.

(Distributed 02/19/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Shaun Tanger has been named the new forestry economist with the LSU AgCenter. Based in Baton Rouge, Tanger coordinates the outreach programs of five regional forestry specialists and helps provide the industry with the information necessary for continued growth and development.

(Distributed 02/19/14) GONZALES, La. – Hundreds of young people from across Louisiana were named state champions during the 79th Annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show held Feb.8-15 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Audio 02/24/14) Fertilizer does not go bad over time. Proper care and storage leads to fertilizer being just as nutritious as when the bag was first opened. Listen to learn more. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/24/14) Caladium bulbs can be planted before spring starts. Bulbs can be bought and planted in potting soil flats where proper care can be given to them so that they stay warm and moist. This will help give bright colors to the flowers when planting them in the ground at the beginning of spring. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 02/18/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – East Baton Rouge Parish Master Gardeners will have a plant sale at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., April 12.

(Audio 02/17/14) Gardeners may be unsure about what exactly organic matter is. Essentially it is material derived from plants or plant parts, such as grass clipping or wood chips. Letting this material decay will give you compost. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/24/14) Late February is a good time to cut back ground covers. Do this before new growth occurs in the spring. This helps rejuvenate the plant and controls height. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/24/14) Louisiana gardeners can start planting gladiolas in late February and can plant them into March. Gladiolas need to bloom while the weather is still mild. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/24/14) To grow plants successfully, provide them with adequate light. Light is food for plants. Some plants need full sun, others part shade. Listen to learn more about these terms. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 02/17/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter has scheduled 14 field days at off-campus research stations during 2014.

(Distributed 02/17/14) GONZALES, La. – Six exceptional Louisiana youths were recognized Saturday (Feb. 15) for their knowledge, skills and communication abilities as they were named winners of the Gerry Lane Premier Exhibitor Award at the 79th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center here.

(Distributed 02/17/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter honored five Louisiana 4-H and FFA students and one adult leader Saturday, Feb. 15, for their work with youth livestock projects.

(Audio 02/17/14) Affectionately known as "John John" by his family, friends and fans, John Sonnier, a 4-H’er from St. Mary Parish, was prepping to show his pigs at the LSU AgCenter’s State Livestock Show. Sonnier has Down syndrome, and his sister, Brittany Durham, says showing livestock has given him a real purpose. (Runtime: 1:55)

(Distributed 02/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The 25th annual Florida Parishes forestry forum is scheduled for Friday, March 14, at the University Center at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

(Distributed 02/14/14) Some of the best dianthus for Louisiana are the Amazon series. These are extremely prolific flower producers and can be planted in September through early November or in February through March.

(Video 02/14/14) For one week a year, youngsters and their animals gather for the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show. The show attracts students from all walks of life. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard visited with a 4-H’er with Down syndrome who shines during his moment in the show ring. (Runtime: 1:57)

(Distributed 02/14/14) NEW ORLEANS –People involved in providing agricultural products to the New Orleans area joined in a leadership forum to discuss ways to improve the current system in New Orleans on Feb. 11.

(Distributed 02/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Rachel Detloff’s purple ombre gown is going from the classroom to the runway. Detloff is one of a group of senior level students and former students from the LSU College of Agriculture’s Department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising showing pieces during a runway show on Feb. 15.

(Distributed 02/14/14) HAMMOND, La. – Palm trees have become increasingly popular in Louisiana home landscapes recently, and this resurgence mainly can be attributed to the lack of severely cold weather over the past 30 years.

(Distributed 02/14/14) GONZALES, La. – Affectionately known as “John John” by his family, friends and fans, John Sonnier, a 4-H’er from St. Mary Parish was prepping to show his pigs at the LSU AgCenter’s state livestock show. He stopped occasionally to visit with people passing by and to show off his dance moves.

(Distributed 02/12/14) LAKE CHARLES, La. – Louisiana birds and wildlife habitat considered commonplace by local residents are considered exotic and fascinating by many out-of-state visitors looking for the different and unusual, according to speakers at an agritourism workshop on Feb. 11.

(Distributed 02/10/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana gardeners can work in their yards almost every day of the year, but spring is prime time for gardening.

(Audio 02/17/14) Gardeners can divide dormant perennials in February. Perennials may need to be divided if the clump has gotten too big or if you want plants in other areas. It is best to do this before the flowers wake up and begin growing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/17/14) Trees can benefit from the extra nutrients fertilizers provide. Young trees especially need fertilizer. You can use tree spikes or granular fertilizer to fertilize your trees. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/17/14) Spring-flowering bulbs are growing in gardens, but most won't bloom until March. Despite the extreme cold Louisiana has had this winter, there is no need to protect the plant parts. The flowers can be damaged if a hard freeze occurs in March. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/17/14) Trees sometimes pop up in places they don't belong or are in areas that don't work. Gardeners who want to transplant a tree should do it in winter. Listen to learn how. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 02/12/14) DELHI, La. – Invasive species and residue management highlighted a recent (Feb. 6) LSU AgCenter agriculture producer meeting.

(Distributed 02/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Farmers growing crops in Louisiana and Mississippi may soon have two new crops to add to their portfolios. Researchers with the LSU AgCenter, Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension Service and the United States Department of Agriculture are working together to bring sugarcane and sweet sorghum north – way north – of Interstate 10.

(Distributed 02/11/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Farmers can improve the efficiency of their fertilizer applications with a combination of soil electro-conductivity, soil sampling and crop-yield monitors, according to two LSU AgCenter agents who conducted a workshop on precision ag technology.

(Video 02/17/14) If most of your yard is brown with plants destroyed by freeze damage, then now's the time to tip the balance back to shades of living green. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how you can liven your landscape by planting hardy shrubs. (Runtime: 1:31)

(Video 02/10/14) Landscapes with ugly, dead, freeze-damaged plants don't have to look that way. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains what beautiful plants you can find at the nursery right now -- plants that will provide continuous color from now through May. (Runtime: 1:50)

(Video News 02/07/14) Freezing temperatures that persisted through much of January set back the state’s strawberry crop. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard visited Ponchatoula, where most of the strawberries are grown. (Runtime: 1:38)

(Distributed 02/11/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A new gelatin-like bait using shrimp waste could improve the way blue crabs are caught along the coast of Louisiana and add value to the state’s shrimp processing industry.

(Distributed 02/10/14) Many people may be unfamiliar with pericallis, but the Senetti series contains the first repeat-blooming varieties.

(Distributed 02/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Eighteen months after receiving a $1 million matching grant to fight obesity, residents of LaSalle Parish are seeing what new ideas and infrastructure can do to improve health.

(Audio News 02/06/14) Blue crabs caught along the coast of Louisiana are lured into traps using Atlantic-caught menhaden. But menhaden is expensive to ship, must be kept frozen and is becoming harder to get as bait. So LSU AgCenter researcher Julie Anderson is developing an alternative bait. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 02/07/14) HAMMOND, La. – Roses are one of our most popular ornamental plants. And home gardeners should learn about and be aware of recommended management practices for roses.

(Distributed 02/06/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold its annual Central Louisiana Forestry Forum on Feb. 25 at the State Evacuation Shelter at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Station adjacent to the LSU-Alexandria campus.

(Distributed 02/06/14) LAFAYETTE, La. – LSU AgCenter researchers detailed their projects recently at the annual meeting of the Louisiana Division of the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. The conference, Feb. 3-5, was held in conjunction with the American Sugar Cane League.

(Distributed 02/05/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter is helping organize a derelict crab trap rodeo off the coast of Terrebonne Parish. The roundup will take place Saturday, Feb, 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Toby Voisin’s oyster dock at the end of Highway 315 in Dularge.

(Audio 02/10/14) Hydrangea color is dependent on the acidity of the soil. Gardeners can change the color of their hydrangeas by adding aluminum sulfate or lime around the hydrangea plant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/10/14) Not many plants are sold with bare roots. Gardeners can still find bare-root roses in nurseries. They are more perishable than container-grown roses and should be planted this month while they are still dormant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/10/14) To keep your fruit tree healthy and productive, fertilize it. You can have your soil tested to choose the best fertilizer for your soil or use a general purpose fertilizer. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/10/14) Gardeners looking to add cool-season color to shady areas have several options. Plants like forget-me-nots and foxgloves can tolerate mostly shade with just a few hours of sun. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 02/10/14) February is a good time to prune hardy fruit trees. The way the tree is pruned depends on the type of fruit tree it is. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 02/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The growing feral hog population is causing millions of dollars of damage to agriculture across the southeastern United States. Because they are intelligent, difficult to control and have an appetite for just about anything, the hogs can quickly wipe out fields of crops along with farmers' investments.

(Distributed 02/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A Louisiana 4-H group attended the first 4-H National Youth Healthy Living Summit recently to learn how to spread the message about living safer and healthier.

(For Release On Or After 02/07/14) Early February is an excellent time to cut back roses growing in your landscape. Hybrid tea and grandiflora roses, in particular, should be pruned around this time every year. Otherwise, these roses tend to become leggy, less vigorous and unattractive and do not bloom as well.

(For Release On Or After 02/28/14) The next several months are a popular time for adding new beds of shrubs, ground covers and flowers to the landscape or reworking and replanting existing beds. When dealing with beds that are right next to your house, this work can affect your home’s termite protection.

(For Release On Or After 02/21/14) Yellow leaves have been showing up on a wide variety of evergreen shrubs since the past fall, and this has caused many Louisiana gardeners some concern. Although the condition may look alarming, in most cases the yellowing leaves do not indicate a problem.

(For Release On Or After 02/14/14) Homeowners whose new houses were constructed on lots with existing trees are often dismayed to find the trees declining in health or dying a few years after construction. This tragedy can be avoided if existing trees are properly protected during construction around them.

(Video 02/03/14) It sounds simple, but watering your indoor plants properly is an important part of keeping them healthy. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains the proper way to quench your plant's thirst. (Runtime: 1:42)