(For Release On Or After 06/29/12) There is a great deal of confusion among gardeners about what fertilizers are, what they do and why we use them. To put things in perspective, using fertilizers properly is an important part of gardening, but it is almost never a matter of life and death.

(For Release On Or After 06/22/12 ) As if mowing the lawn wasn’t trouble enough, dealing with and disposing of grass clippings can be a major problem. Clumps of grass clippings left on the lawn are unsightly and yellow the grass beneath them.

(For Release On Or After 06/15/12) No other summer-flowering shrub surpasses the tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) for glossy, dark green foliage and nonstop flowers in shades of and blends of pink, yellow, orange, white, lavender or scarlet. And their exceptionally long blooming season runs from late spring through late fall.

(For Release On Or After 06/08/12) People often take their longest vacations during summer. When planning a vacation, people make arrangements to have someone take care of everything from their pets to the newspaper. But it’s also important to have someone look after plants and home grounds during an extended absence.

(For Release On Or After 06/01/12) Gardeners crave color in shady areas of their landscapes just as much as they do in sunny areas. Unfortunately, shade-loving plants are generally not so flamboyant, and the selection of colorful bedding plants for shady gardens is limited. Thank goodness for caladiums.

(Audio 06/25/12) Louisiana figs will soon begin to ripen. It is important to make sure fig trees are receiving a sufficient amount of water. To prevent birds from feeding on your figs, purchase bird netting from your local nursery. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 06/25/12) Frequent summer rainfall makes the weather humid and damp. Snails and slugs love this type of weather, and they are likely to come out and feed on your plants. Deal with snails and slugs by setting out beer traps or using iron phosphate baits. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 06/25/12) Gardeners should practice weed control in Louisiana beds during the summer. Regardless of how you weed, chances are the weeds will grow back. Try using mulch as a defense against weeds, and you also may want to apply a pre-emergence herbicide to prevent weeds from developing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 06/25/12) Louisiana gardeners welcome flowering plants that are able to withstand the intense heat of summer. Profusion zinnias are a hybrid group of zinnias that are insect-free. They grow very well during the summer. Hear more about growing zinnias in your landscape. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 06/25/12) If you have tomatoes planted in your vegetable garden, by this time of the year you should be harvesting many fresh red tomatoes. You may notice some of the flowers that the plant produces will begin to fall off due to high temperatures and lack of pollination. If you want to harvest tomatoes well into the summer, be sure to plant heat-tolerant varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)