(Video 8/31/09) Keeping weeds out of your garden by hand during the summer is tough, but effective. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explores when to use the option of herbicides to help you control or prevent weeds. (Runtime: 1:40)

(Video 08/03/09) Tropical plants add a refreshing touch to any patio or landscape. But can all tropicals survive in Louisiana? On this edition of Get it Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains which tropicals are hardy in Louisiana and which ones aren’t. (Runtime: 1:33)

(Video 08/10/09) It’s nice to have choices of perennials – plants that stay alive throughout the year while periodically producing beautiful colors. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to some brilliant perennials you can plant during the summer. (Runtime: 1: 44)

(Video 08/17/09) As August temperatures soar gardeners should not be ashamed to retreat to the shade. In fact, on this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill encourages you to work in the shade – planting shade-loving ferns. (Runtime: 1:47)

(Video 08/24/09) Looking for an attractive ground cover for parts of your summer landscape? Then you might be interested in ajuga – a purple plant you can grow in shaded or semi-shaded areas. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill introduces you to various types of ajuga, which is also known as bugleweed. (Runtime: 1:39)

(Audio 08/03/09) Chinch bugs are among the leading lawn insect pests. They attack primarily St. Augustine grass and they proliferate in hot, dry weather. Since these pests can kill the grass if they get out of hand, controlling them is important. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/03/09) Louisiana gardeners can get a fall crop of tomatoes. Plant transplants into the vegetable garden during August or early September. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/03/09) Pest problems can get out of hand during the summer. Insects, diseases and weeds thrive in the heat. It is important to identify the problem and determine how best to solve it. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/03/09) Louisiana has a long growing season for summer bedding plants. Some of these plants may be overgrown or leggy. Cut those back to keep your garden looking attractive. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/03/09) While August is still intensely hot, we can look forward to the cooler season in our vegetable gardens. We can plant seeds for cool-season vegetable transplants including broccoli and cauliflower now. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/10/09) Many areas of Louisiana have been very dry this summer. It is important to water properly -- which means watering when necessary rather than watering "by the calendar" or how many days have passed since the previous watering or rain.(Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/10/09) Spider mites are worse when the weather is hot and dry -- the conditions common in Louisiana this time of the year. White flies also can be a problem in August. Oil sprays can help keep these pests under control. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/10/09) Coleus is a great summer bedding plant. It is grown for its colorful foliage. Some varieties are more adapted to shady areas, but others can be planted in locations that receive full sun this time of year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/10/09) Most vegetable gardeners planted eggplant and bell pepper transplants into their gardens during the spring. These plants may not be very productive this time of year, but they can produce again in the fall. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/10/09) Pecan season is right around the corner, so you need to pay attention to any needs the trees may have. Drought stress will cause trees to drop their pecans early, so make sure the trees are well watered. Also, watch out for breaking branches. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/17/09) Container plants, even houseplants, enjoy spending some time outside. Their growth will be more vigorous and attractive. But you'll need to check now and then to see if they've outgrown their containers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/17/09) Butterfly gardeners know that butterfly weeds are wonderful ornamental plants. These plants are the preferred host of the monarch butterfly. Although aphids may cluster on butterfly weeds, don't use insecticides because they might harm the caterpillar eggs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/17/09) In the months of August and September, Louisiana iris are dormant. They'll begin active growth in October. This is a great time to divide and transplant them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/17/09) Pears begin ripening during August. To determine when to harvest pears, look for fruit that is turning from green to more yellow. Some pears may have a redish blush. Ripe pears also will soften slightly. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/17/09) This is a great time of the year to work with ferns. Ferns grow in shady areas, and that allows you the opportunity to garden in the shade. You can evaluate fern plants and do some grooming. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/24/09) Ajuga is a favorite plant for ground cover in Louisiana. These plants have attractive foliage -- often in shades of purple. It also is wonderful in shady areas. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/24/09) Fish are a wonderful addition to aquatic ponds. They are part of the natural ecosystem of a pond. As an example of one benefit, fish will eat mosquito larvae in the garden. But LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill warns koi may be too destructive in a water garden. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/24/09) Although palms are considered tropical plants, we can grow them across the state -- even in north Louisiana. These plants are easy to care for and only need to be groomed occasionally. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/24/09) When temperatures soar in August, heat stress can be an issue for gardeners and for plants. This is not a good time to plant new trees or shrubs to your landscape. New plants are vulnerable, so wait until the weather cools to add trees or shrubs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/24/09) Louisiana has a long growing season, and gardeners can look forward to a great rose blooming season in October and November. In the meantime, these flowers may need care before they bloom. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/31/09) Fertilizing lawn grasses encourages optimal growth, but August is the last month to apply fertilizer. We want our grasses to slow down during the fall and get ready for winter. Fertilizing too late will make the grass less hardy. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/31/09) Mosquitoes are a concern for gardeners. During the summer, gardeners tend to work outside more in the early morning or late evening hours -- because it is cooler then. But those times also are when mosquitoes are most active. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/31/09) Gingers and cannas are wonderful plants that add a tropical look to our landscapes. These two plants grow similarly, and when they finish blooming, you can cut them back. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/31/09) Late summer is a great time to take cuttings from plants in your landscape. The cuttings can be rooted and used to propagate plants for other areas in your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/31/09) July, August and September are the most stressful months for plants in our landscapes. This hot time defines what we can grow in our yards and is a great time to evaluate your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 08/29/09) One of the most famous phrases ever written is, “Let there be light.” It is amazing that such a simple statement has such profound implications about creation and life.

(For Release On Or After 08/22/09) It would be hard to find a more dazzling, flowering tropical plant than the bougainvillea. The bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) is a tropical, shrubby vine whose bright magenta, pink, white, gold or purple flowers positively glow.

(For Release On Or After 08/15/09) Designing a garden is one of the more intimidating things gardeners expect of themselves. It’s challenging enough to learn all you need to know to select, plant and care for landscape plants successfully. But design is not just learning how to plant and water. It requires an expression of something from inside.

(For Release On Or After 08/08/09) I live in an area that is rural transitioning into suburban. In many areas of the state, developers are building more and more new subdivisions in areas that were once wooded or open fields. People moving to these new subdivisions from more urban areas are often startled to encounter wildlife they never saw in the cities, such as deer, raccoons, armadillos, opossums and moles.

(For Release On Or After 08/01/09) Although native to the Far East, crape myrtles are almost indispensable in the Southern landscape. Their vibrantly colored flowers in shades of pink, purple, red and white from May to September virtually define the summer season here. The relatively small size of crape myrtle trees and long, colorful blooming season make them useful in a variety of landscapes.