(Distributed 10/30/15) Gulf Coast muhly – or pink muhly grass (known botanically as Muhlenbergia capillaris) – is one of the most stunning grasses in the fall landscape in Louisiana. This coastal native ornamental grass has received a considerable amount of attention the past few years.

(Distributed 10/30/15) HAMMOND, La. – The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plants program is completing its sixth year of plant announcements. The objective of this program is to identify and promote exceptional plants that perform well in Louisiana landscapes.

(Video 10/28/15) Soon, kitchens across the country will be preparing holiday meals, and one dish will almost certainly include sweet potatoes. Louisiana sweet potato farmers are busy making sure that area supermarkets are well-stocked with this holiday staple. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux has the story. (Runtime: 01:49)

(Video 10/28/15) S’mores and satsumas were on the menu for an evening away from campus for a group of LSU freshmen studying agriculture. The students toured a research facility giving them a view of farming in an urban setting. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard took the tour too and has this report. (Runtime: 01:30)

(Distributed 10/28/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter and LSU College of Agriculture have named Michael Salassi head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. Salassi has served on the faculty of the department for 21 years and is the J. Nelson Fairbanks Endowed Professor for Agricultural Economics.

(Distributed 10/27/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – With several success stories to tell, Louisiana is poised to become a major player in the bioproducts industry, speakers said during a bioenergy conference held by the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 10/26/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will welcome children to decorate their own gingerbread houses during What’s Cooking at Burden on Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

(Distributed 10/23/15) Want to add color to your fall, winter and early spring garden? Plant some colorful Sorbet series violas.

(Distributed 10/23/15) HAMMOND, La. – Fall is here, and it is a great time to add new ornamental plants to your landscape.

(Distributed 10/22/15) GRAMMERCY, La. – Over 800 St. James Parish students attended the St. James Parish Ag Day on Oct. 15 to learn where their favorite foods come from and to get up close and personal with animals, said LSU AgCenter 4-H agent Tara Roussel.

(Audio 10/26/15) When your leaves begin to drop in the fall, try using them as mulch for your plants or organic material for compost instead of throwing them away. If you choose to compost, allow the leaves to sit for six months to a year. Listen for more information on using fallen leaves this season. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/26/15) In the fall, Louisiana wildflowers put on a grand and colorful display for us. Be sure to look around and notice all of the beautiful flowers such as asters, sunflowers, and goldenrods. Listen for more information on Louisiana wildflowers in the fall. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/26/15) It's time to begin winterizing your lawns by adding potassium to help them remain hardy through the cold weather. Although this process is optional, it can help your lawn remain healthy this winter. Listen for information on how to choose the right winterizer for your lawn. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/26/15) Summer storms and hurricanes can cause tree limbs to break and become hazards in your landscape. Be sure to look at your trees and call an arborist if any pruning or limb removal needs to be done. Listen for more information on tree care. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/26/15) There are several kinds of herbs that can be planted and will flourish during the cold season. Some of these hardy herbs include celery, cilantro, dill, and parsley. Listen for more information on planting herbs that will tolerate the cold. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 10/21/15) AMITE, La. – Being good stewards of the land and producing a quality beef product is a goal of cattle producers.

(Distributed 10/22/15) WISNER, La. – Louisiana sweet potato producers have seen both ends of the spectrum in terms of the weather this year. An unusually wet spring delayed planting and has evolved into an exceptionally dry fall that has caused some growers to halt their harvest and wait for rain.

(Audio 10/19/15) Now is an great time to plant hardy fruit trees in your landscape. Apple, plum, blackberry, blueberry, and pecan trees are among the trees that flourish when planted in the fall. Listen for more information on adding fruit trees to your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/19/15) Although growing broccoli is relatively easy, harvesting can sometimes be tricky. The size of the flower buds on the head can help gardeners determine when broccoli is ready for harvest. Listen for more information on this cool-season vegetable. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/19/15) Now is a great time to add some hardy shrubs to your landscape. Consider planting such as roses, camellias, or azaleas. Listen for more information on planting hardy shrubs in your landscape this fall. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/19/15) Although hydrangeas are deciduous, Louisiana gardeners love to use these plants because of their unique ability to change colors. Depending on the composition of the soil, these flowers can be anywhere from pink to blue. Listen for more information on colorful hydrangeas. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/19/15) Once caladiums have gone dormant, digging up their tubers and storing them over the winter can help ensure that they last their longest. Although it is possible for these tubers to survive in the ground, storing them provides a better chance of survival. Listen for more information on storing caladium tubers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 10/19/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter LaHouse Home and Landscape Resource Center will host a fall open house on Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(Distributed 10/16/15) HAMMOND, La. –The landscape horticulture field day at the Hammond Research Station on Oct. 8 featured a diversity of activity and allowed the staff to show off some of the latest plants being grown.

(Distributed 10/16/15) 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. The variety chosen as a Louisiana Super Plant selection last fall is the evergreen type, Magnolia virginiana var. australis, which retains its leaves through winter.

(Distributed 10/16/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU graduate students in agriculture are expanding their knowledge and enhancing their collegiate experiences by participating in internships.

(Distributed 10/16/15) HAMMOND, La. – Since the debut of a landscape horticulture research and extension program at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station eight years ago, we have continued to expand the research gardens. One of the largest efforts each year is evaluating new annual warm-season bedding plants and perennial flowers in the sun garden and shade garden.

(Distributed 10/16/15) BATON ROUGE , La. – Casey Kenny considers cats her first love. The freshman in the LSU College of Agriculture wants to work with small animals, exotics and wildlife as a veterinarian, but she plans to work toward finding a cure for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus while in college.

(Video 10/26/15) 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 or your patio burst with those warm fall shades of orange, red and gold. (Runtime: 01:40)

(Video 10/19/15) Now is a great time to plant hardy shrubs. Maybe one of the best-smelling of all those shrubs is the gardenia. But as LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill points out on this edition of Get It Growing, if you want those great smells from nice, white flowers in the spring, you want to avoid pruning your gardenias at this time. (Runtime: 01:42)

(Video 10/14/15) Levees are designed to protect communities across Louisiana. The engineering of levees helps make them strong, but agriculture plays a role in keeping them strong. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has the story. (Runtime: 01:46)

(Distributed 10/15/15) SHREVEPORT, La. – The metropolitan area of Shreveport and Bossier City suffers from a problem becoming increasingly common in Louisiana – lack of significant access to nutritious food.

(Distributed 10/14/15) ST. GABRIEL, La. – Louisiana sugar producers may one day have a new market for their crops.

(Distributed 10/08/15) NEW ORLEANS, La.—Kabrel Johnson, a student at KIPP Central City Academy and a 4-H club member, was busy putting Newton’s Laws of Motion to the test.

(Distributed 10/12/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – A recently constructed boardwalk guiding visitors through a hardwood swamp called Black Swamp at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will play a key role in a new wetlands education program.

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 10/09/15) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Graduation for 22 people who completed the LSU AgCenter Master Cattleman program was held Thursday (Oct. 8) during the Dean Lee Research Station Beef Cattle and Forage Field Day.

(Distributed 10/9/15) HAMMOND, La. – The LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station was one of the stops for the International Plant Propagators’ Society as they toured gardens from Louisiana to Florida on their four- state tour.

(Distributed 10/09/15) HINESTON, La. – For the past 26 years the 4-H Teen Leader Club in Rapides Parish has hatched eggs in an incubator for a display at the Rapides Parish Fair.

(Distributed 10/09/15) HAMMOND, La. – Fall is here, and the LSU AgCenter along with the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association and other groups encourage you to add new plants to your landscape at this time of year. There’s no better horticultural time than now.

(Distributed 10/08/15) SHREVEPORT, La. – AgMagic, the LSU AgCenter’s interactive exhibit about Louisiana agriculture, returns to the State Fair of Louisiana on Oct. 22 and will be open through Nov. 8. The hours for the free event are between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

(Distributed 10/08/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – More than 100 volunteers monitored people in the corn maze, managed the giant slingshot and hay mountain, served refreshments, oversaw the pumpkin-painting area and contributed much more as hundreds of families visited the opening day of the Corn Maze Festival at Burden on Oct. 3.

(Distributed 10/05/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Students at LSU have a little over one month of the new academic year under their belts. And for seven international graduate students, it is the beginning of a long process – earning their doctorates, then returning home with hopes of sparking much-needed change in farming practices and policies.

(Audio 10/5/15) Drift roses, a Louisiana Super Plant selection for fall 2013, are nice low-growing and compact plants. They come in a variety of colors and are practically covered in flowers when they bloom. Listen for more information on planting Drift roses in your garden. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/05/15) Although lawn growth is beginning to slow down, the spread of disease is not. Watch your lawn for signs of brown patch, especially if your grass is St. Augustine. Listen for more information on how to treat brown patch in your lawn. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/05/15) October is the time to focus on cool-season vegetables. Cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage can be planted from transplants. Other crops such as radish, carrots, turnip greens and lettuce and be planted directly from seeds. Listen for more information on cool-season vegetables. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/05/15) Perennials are great plants that keep coming back and growing year after year. Although most of these plants are done blooming right now, don't remove them from your garden because they will come back next year. Listen for more information on growing perennials in your garden. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 10/05/15) If you look around, you can easily find natural decorations that can be used around your house from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Leaves, seed pods and grass plumes are just a few nature-made decorations that can be used this cool season. Listen for more information on using natural decorations. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 10/02/15) The Chinese pistache (Pistachio chinensis) is a medium-sized ornamental shade tree known for spectacular orange, red and crimson fall foliage. Its fall color is great in Louisiana from early November through mid-December in most years.

(Distributed 10/02/15) HAMMOND, La – One of the great flowers that continues to be popular in our Louisiana landscapes is perennial verbena.

(Distributed 10/02/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – At the Red Stick Food Swap, cooks and crafters share their wares with fellow swappers. Items must be homemade or homegrown, and if it is a food item, prepared safely.

(Distributed 10/02/15) LAFAYETTE, La. – Consumers who want locally grown food have expanded the market for selling vegetables and other agricultural products to restaurants and groceries, LSU AgCenter experts advised small producers here Wednesday (Sept. 30).

(Video 10/12/15) Swiss chard is a cool-season vegetable that can provide colorful ornamentation to a landscape. And as LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get it Growing, Swiss chard doesn’t only look good — every part of the plant also offers tasty nutrition. (Runtime: 01:55)

(Video 10/05/15) If you plant most cool-season bedding plants too early during this seasonal transition, they could be affected by lingering heat. But on this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill describes a handful of cool-season plants that you can plant now because they don’t mind the heat. (Runtime: 01:52)

(Distributed 10/01/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter has been awarded a two-year, $1.25 million grant that will fund research and outreach projects aimed at reducing obesity and chronic diseases in three rural Louisiana parishes – Madison, St. Helena and Tensas.

(For Release On 10/30/15) As the weather cools down and nights get nippy over the next few weeks, gardeners need to decide what to do with their outdoor container tropical plants. These beautiful plants, grown for their attractive foliage or beautiful flowers, are commonly placed outside for the summer where they provide a valuable addition to decks, patios and porches. However, these plants will not withstand freezing temperatures and must be brought inside the house for the winter.

(For Release On 10/23/15) The seasons are changing, and we are entering a transitional period in the flower garden when warm-season bedding plants begin to fade and cool-season bedding plants are planted to provide fall, winter and spring color.

(For Release On 10/16/15) Cooler mornings in October make it a joy to get out and work in the home vegetable garden. A number of delicious and nutritious vegetables will thrive in the coming cool season. Indeed, some of our favorite vegetables can only be grown in October through April in Louisiana.

(For Release On 10/09/15) We are entering the prime planting season for hardy trees, shrubs, ground covers and perennials in Louisiana, which runs through early March. That makes this a great time for planning landscaping projects.

(For Release On 10/02/15) Louisiana gardeners have long been familiar with verbenas. These generally low-growing plants produce clusters of showy flowers in a wide variety of colors. Homestead Purple verbena is considered one of the very best, and it has been selected as a Louisiana Super Plant for fall 2015.