(Video News 12/26/11) 2011 was a challenging year for agriculture. Weather extremes affected many major crops. As the year comes to a close, LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard looks back on how farmers fared. (Runtime: 1:39)

(Video News 12/15/11) Pies, candies and even side dishes and salads are laced with pecans during the holiday season. This nut figures large in Louisiana cuisine. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard visited a pecan processing facility to see how the season is going. (Runtime: 1:27)

(Video News 12/05/11) Bright orange and yellow citrus fruits can evoke feelings of sunny, summer days, but satsumas, navels and grapefruit are at their peak during the winter season. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard visited groves in the heart of Louisiana’s citrus-growing region. (Runtime: 1:45)

(Video 12/19/11) What do you need to be doing for roses during the winter? On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains what to do and what not to do when caring for your roses. (Runtime: 1:38)

(Video News 12/12/11) Louisiana’s sugarcane harvest is ahead of schedule. Dry weather is helping farmers move quickly through their fields and harvest clean cane. An early harvest reduces the risk of a freeze damaging the cane. (Runtime: 1:24)

(Video News 12/21/11) Changing the way farmers feed their dairy cows can lower their costs without reducing milk production. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard says researchers with the LSU AgCenter are working on methods to help farmers produce milk more efficiently. (Runtime: 1:22)

(Video 12/12/11) With colors ranging from dazzling red to creamy white, the poinsettia is maybe the most popular of all Christmas plants. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to best care for your poinsettias throughout the holiday season. (Runtime: 1:33)

(Video 12/5/11) Just because a Christmas tree looks good, doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to find a fresh tree and how to properly maintain it so it lasts longer. (Runtime: 1:50)

(Video 12/26/11) Potted plants need the right kind of soil to help them grow to their full potential. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to choose the right potting soil for your needs. (Runtime: 1:52)

(Radio 12/30/11) When the holidays are over and the decorations have come down, LSU AgCenter forestry specialist Don Reed says your Christmas tree can still have value. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/30/11) Redbuds are one of our more popular early spring-flowering small trees. The most common redbud species is the Eastern redbud – Cercis canadensis –the one we primarily plant in Louisiana.

(Distributed 12/23/11) Although poinsettias are typically associated with the holidays, another group of plants to consider are the Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses. These are highly recommended for long-term enjoyment.

(Radio News 12/27/11) At the start of a new year, people make resolutions to live healthier. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames has advice to help you make healthful choices in 2012. (Runtime: 1:05)

(Radio News 12/26/11) Hard freezes that can occur in Louisiana in January and February can damage citrus trees. LSU AgCenter county agent Alan Vaughn says protecting a tree from a freeze starts before winter. (Runtime:1:05)

(Audio 12/26/11) Gardeners may still have roses blooming during late December. Taking care of them this time of the year does not require a lot of effort. While they continue to bloom, deadhead them. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/26/11) Bunching onions and shallots were planted in late summer or early fall. These plants may be getting big enough to harvest now. Hear more to learn how. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/21/11) In a year marked by drought and floods, Louisiana farmers still managed to have a good year in 2011. Dry weather allowed for easy and efficient harvests of most crops, and overall yields were respectable despite challenges.

(Radio News 12/22/11) 2012 crop outlook is similar to 2011. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says commodity prices will drive where acres go next year, and these prices have come down. (Runtime: 1:15)

(Radio News 12/21/11) In a year marked by drought and floods, farmers in Louisiana still managed to have a good year in 2011. Dry weather allowed for easy and efficient harvests of most crops, and overall yields were respectable despite challenges. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry said one downside was some flooded or drought-damaged crops never did get harvested. (Runtime: 1:20)

(Distributed 12/20/11) A series of clinics in January sponsored by the LSU AgCenter for rice farmers will provide information on disease, weed and insect control, fertilization, a rice market outlook and new varieties.

(Distributed 12/20/11) RAYVILLE, La. – A forum to discuss issues facing farmers will be held Jan. 24 at the Rayville Civic Center.

(Audio 12/26/11) Knowledgeable gardeners refrigerated tulip and hyacinth bulbs back in fall. Now through early January is the time to plant those bulbs. You can force the hyacinth bulbs indoors. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/20/11) Winter doesn’t seem like prime time for pests, but our habits around the holidays and during cold weather could bring bugs into our homes. Christmas trees, firewood, potted plants, decorations from the attic – these all can harbor a host of insects, says LSU AgCenter entomologist Dennis Ring.

(Audio 12/19/11) Winter doesn’t seem like a prime time for pests, but our habits around the holidays and during cold weather could bring bugs into our homes. When freezes threaten, people bring in their tender potted plants, and with them insects says LSU AgCenter entomologist Dennis Ring. (Runtime: 1:30)

(Audio 12/26/11) If you used poinsettias, Christmas cactus or a living Christmas tree to decorate with during the holiday season, you may be wondering what to do with them. Some can be saved, others should be tossed. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/26/11) Most gardeners use tropical plants in their landscapes, so it typical to see freeze damage occur on them. It takes a few days for damage to appear, so wait to prune them. Woody tropical plants shouldn't be pruned until new growth appears in the spring. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 12/14/11) The LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station held a field day to show dairy farmers pasture and grazing techniques that can help their cows produce milk more cheaply and efficiently. Station coordinator Mike McCormick explains. (Runtime: 1:10 seconds)

(Radio News 12/16/11) A burning sugarcane field releases a sweet, smoky smell, but it also sends particles and greenhouse gases into the air. LSU AgCenter chemist Jim Wang monitored a burning field to determine what is released during a burn. It is part of a larger study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to learn more about how sugarcane production affects the environment. (Runtime: 1:45)

(Distributed 12/16/11) Most Louisiana gardeners know about the new Louisiana Super Plants program launched by the LSU AgCenter in 2010. This program highlights tough and beautiful plants that perform well in Louisiana landscapes. The AgCenter announces new selections each spring and fall. We still have time to add cool-season flowers to the landscape.

(Distributed 12/16/11) WELSH, La. – Entomologists continue to monitor the eastward progress of the Mexican rice borer.

(Distributed 12/16/11) The third annual Arbor Day at Burden Center has been scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 21, from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to celebrate Arbor Day in Baton Rouge. Visitors will be invited to plant a tree in the Burden woods and participate in a 5-K Fun Hike through the Trees and Trails system.

(Radio News 12/13/11) In the southeast portion of the state, LSU AgCenter researchers are helping Louisiana’s dairy industry survive despite challenges like high prices for fuel, feed and fertilizer. Milk prices have been high, but Mike McCormick, coordinator of the LSU AgCenter's Southeast Research Station, says that hasn’t helped producers. (Runtime: 1:10)

(Distributed 12/15/11) Whether you’re Christmas shopping for organic foods or you have fall vegetables to sell, the LSU AgCenter’s MarketMaker website is the place for you.

(Distributed 12/15/11) Gary Hay has been named the new director of the LSU AgCenter School of Animal Sciences effective Jan. 1, 2012. He had been serving as interim director since May 1, 2009, when he replaced Paul Humes, who retired on April 30, 2009 after 41 years with the AgCenter.

(Audio 12/19/11) In Louisiana, we still have weeds in the winter. The means gardeners will have to weed their flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Weed killers can be used on lawn weeds. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/15/11) AUSTIN, Texas – LSU AgCenter entomologist Natalie Hummel was accepted for the USA Rice Leadership Program. Nobel Guedon of Natchez, Miss., who farms in Louisiana, also was accepted into the program.

(Distributed 12/15/11) AUSTIN, Texas – The LSU AgCenter announced the release of two new rice varieties on Dec. 8 during the USA Rice Federation Outlook Conference.

(Distributed 12/14/11) WEST MONROE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will host an exhibit called Ag Alley to help people learn about agriculture as part of the 30th annual Ag Expo at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center on Jan. 20-21 and two days before, Jan. 18-19, for first- and fourth-grade students in the area.

(Radio News 12/14/11) The Mexican rice borer, a pest that threatens the state sugarcane crop, is moving east into sugar production areas. The insect was first detected in Louisiana two years ago in Calcasieu Parish but has now been confirmed in Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Beauregard parishes as well says LSU AgCenter entomologist Gene Reagan. (Runtime: 1:35)

(Audio 12/19/11) Many of the gardening products such as water-based herbicides and insecticides can freeze if left outdoors during winter. Make sure you store them where this won't be an issue. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/19/11) Apple is not a common fruit tree in Louisiana, but there are varieties that can be grown successfully in the state. Winter is a great time to plant apple and other hardy fruit trees in your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/19/11) Gardening catalogues arrive in the winter. They are full of beautiful photographs and great descriptions that can be tempting. Just make sure the plants or seeds you order are suitable for your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/19/11) Deciduous shade trees provide great shade in the summer while allowing the sun to shine through in winter. They do leave us with a blanket of leaves on our yard. Don't throw these leaves out, but rather use them as mulch or compost. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/13/11) In years past, December was not the month to say a lot about strawberries in Louisiana, but with growers planting newer varieties that produce earlier, it’s becoming the norm.

(Distributed 12/13/11) The LSU AgCenter hosted a ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 13, for a new Animal and Food Sciences Laboratory Building on the Baton Rouge campus. The new two-story, 48,000-square-foot building will provide state-of-the-art facilities for the AgCenter’s School of Animal Sciences and Departments of Veterinary Science and Food Science.

(Distributed 12/12/11) FRANKLINTON, La. – Participants at the LSU AgCenter Southeast Research Station Field Day on Dec. 8 heard about the latest studies on pasture-based dairying being conducted at the facility.

(Distributed 12/09/11) B. Rogers Leonard, an award-winning entomologist, has been named the new associate vice chancellor for research in the LSU AgCenter effective Jan. 1, 2012. He will also have the title of associate director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station.

(Distributed 12/09/11) ROBERT, La. – Students from two Tangipahoa Parish elementary schools got out of the classroom for a wetlands education at the Shell Robert Training Facility on Dec. 6.

(Distributed 12/09/11) Mulching flowers, trees and shrubs is a great sustainable landscape practice when done correctly.

(Radio News 12/09/11) More than four million pounds of pecans will be cracked, processed and packaged at Bergeron Pecans in New Roads this year. Pecan prices rose sharply early in the season, with China buying a large supply of the nuts. Lester Bergeron says this slowed his business, but with the holidays here, demand is picking up. (Runtime: 1:25)

(Radio 12/08/11) Perishable pies can present a food safety challenge during the holidays. LSU AgCenter nutritionist and food safety expert Beth Reames says pumpkin, custard, cream and even pecan pies shouldn’t be left out indefinitely. (Runtime: 1:05)

(Audio 12/12/11) Louisiana gardeners are lucky to be able to grow camellias. These plants bloom during the winter when not much else does. Check for tea scale, and water them if we get a dry spell. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/1/2/11) Gardeners move many plants indoors for the winter. Taking care of these plants requires thought and effort. Remember, they need light and water. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/12/11) Fall color isn't as common in Louisiana as in other parts of the country. Gardeners may be alarmed to see the leaves on evergreens change colors. This may be a reaction to cold weather, and not cause for concern. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/12/11) Hard freezes can occur regularly in December. Tropical plants can be damaged if not protected during freezes. Covers, mulch and lights provide warmth for plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/12/11) Gardeners watch for freezes during the winter in an effort to protect tender plants. When wondering whether to take a plant indoors or cover it, look at the actual temperature, not the wind chill temperature. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/06/11) For some in the Baton Rouge area, the Christmas season officially began at the LSU AgCenter Poinsettia Open House at the Burden Research Center.

(Distributed 12/06/11) Research management during an economic slowdown will be featured at the 2012 Ag Expo Forestry Forum presented by the LSU AgCenter from 1 to 5 p.m., Jan. 20 at the West Monroe Convention Center.

(Audio 12/06/11) Daily deal websites have become very popular, allowing shoppers the opportunity to try new businesses or visit favorites at a discounted price. LSU AgCenter family economist Jeanette Tucker says you need to read the fine print before purchasing these online deals. (Runtime: 1:25)

(Distributed12/05/11) Frugal shoppers looking to snag a bargain on a beauty treatment, travel package or a fancy dinner at a new restaurant can spend a lot of time browsing daily deal sites on the Internet.

(Radio News 12/05/11) Many people will gain a small amount of weight during the holidays according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames. She has some strategies to help you maintain your weight throughout the holidays without depriving yourself. (Runtime: 1:10)

(Radio News 12/02/11) Visitors to the poinsettia open house at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Research Center were greeted with sea of red, pink and white poinsettias. Also for sale and on display were unusual ones with speckled colors or ruffled bracts. Jeff Kuehny, director of the Burden Center, conducts a survey of new poinsettia varieties, and while the unusual ones always catch peoples’ eyes, most tend to stick with tradition. (Runtime: 1:30 seconds)

(Distributed 12/02/2011) The LSU AgCenter is looking for photos for its 2013 Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar and is inviting the public to participate. Although 2012 has yet to arrive, it’s already time to begin production of the 2013 edition of the popular gardening calendar. The first step in that process is asking professional and amateur photographers from across Louisiana to submit photographs for consideration, and the deadline for submission of entries is Jan. 31, 2012.

(Distributed 12/02/11) After the investments in land and equipment, tow of the largest costs have each year are in fertilizer and seed. That's where Rick Mascagni's research benefits Louisiana corn growers.

(Distributed 12/02/11) Frost has settled over the majority of the state. This means many of our warm-season lawn grasses are going dormant for the winter. December begins the bleak time of the year for warm-season turfgrasses in Louisiana.

(Radio News 12/01/11) Louisiana’s sugarcane harvest is ahead of schedule. Dry weather is helping farmers move quickly through their fields and harvest clean cane. LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois says an early harvest reduces the risk of a freeze damaging the cane. (Runtime: 1:15)

(Distributed 12/01/11) Eighteen winners of this year’s Louisiana 4-H Educational Awards Trip were honored at an awards luncheon at the LSU Faculty Club on Nov. 22.

(Audio 12/05/11) Gardeners can add cool-season bedding plants to their winter flower gardens. Plants such as pansies, snapdragons and dianthus enjoy cool days and colder nights. Try the 2011 fall Super Plant Swan columbine. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/05/11) Louisiana gardeners can still grow vegetables in December. Plant cold-hardy vegetables such as beets, cabbage and carrots. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/05/11) Garden equipment such as lawn mowers may not be used much over the winter. Be sure to store this equipment properly. Also have items repaired during the off season. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 12/05/11) We use a wide variety of plants to embellish our homes during the holidays. Pick healthy plants so they will last throughout the season. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 12/01/11) With nearly 35 million Christmas trees sold in the United States every year, there still may be room for a few more growers, according to LSU AgCenter forestry specialist Don Reed.

(Audio 12/05/11) Selecting a fresh, healthy Christmas tree and taking proper care of it will help it last throughout the holiday season. Christmas tree farms allow customers to cut down fresh trees. At a tree lot, look for healthy needles. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 12/23/11) I recently received a copy of a book called “The Garden in Winter.” Imagining what I would see inside, I opened the book, and the pictures were just what I had expected.

(For Release On Or After 12/16/11) The pace of things tends to slow down a bit this time of year in the garden. Although we may continue to plant, prepare beds, harvest winter vegetables and enjoy cool-season flowers, most gardeners find this a more relaxed time of year.

(For Release On Or After 12/09/11) Paperwhite and amaryllis are two bulbs that are popular for forcing in Louisiana during the winter. Forcing bulbs means growing them to bloom earlier than they would under normal landscape conditions. Paperwhite bulbs and amaryllis bulbs are commonly available from November to late December. Forcing them for bloom during the winter is not difficult, and the results are beautiful.

(For Release On Or After 12/02/11) As cold winter weather begins to settle in over the state this month, we can expect freezing temperatures in the 20s and even occasionally the teens for the next few months. With cold weather comes concern for tropical plants in our landscapes.

(For Release On Or After 12/30/11) Pruning is one gardening job that often neglected because gardeners are not exactly sure what to do. There is a great deal of confusion about how to prune, when to do it and even why pruning is done.