(Video 05/07/12) The fan flower is a heat-tolerant summer plant with beautiful flowers that come in various shades. This plant also has a tragic love story to tell as part of its folklore. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains on this edition of Get It Growing. (Runtime: 1:33)

(Video 05/21/12) In Louisiana, hydrangeas typically bloom once – in May. But the Super Plant Penny Mac hydrangea keeps reblooming many times until the end of summer. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill visits the Hammond Research Station and looks at the Penny Mac hydrangea – a reliable and beautiful plant for Louisiana landscapes. (Runtime: 1:40)

(Video 05/14/12) Looks can be deceiving. Plants that appear small in the nursery can take on much larger dimensions once they’re grown. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill advises consumers to check a plant’s full-grown size before assuming it’s the right fit for their landscape. (Runtime: 1:32)

(Video 05/28/12) Buddleia is also called butterfly bush because it attracts butterlflies. It’s a tough, flowering bush that comes in many sizes and colors. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how the dwarf buddleia Blue Chip is a good choice for vibrant color and nice fragrance.(Runtime: 1:37)

(Video 05/02/12) Louisiana has one of the highest obesity rates in the United States. A statewide program for families is looking to minimize the problem before it gets started. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux reports how the Family Nutriition Night program is tackling obesity. (Runtime 1:39)

(Video 05/22/12) Soybeans will be Louisiana's largest crop in terms of acreage with more than a million acres expected to be planted this year. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux gives an update on the current condition of Louisiana's soybean crop. (Runtime 1:36)

(Video 05/02/12) Louisiana’s cotton acres are going to be down this year because other crops such as soybeans look more attractive to farmers. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux gives an update on how this year’s cotton planting is progressing. (Runtime 1:49)

(Video 05/22/12) Researchers at the LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Research Station have succeeded in spawning alligator gar, a fish that is dwindling in numbers across the country. (Runtime 1:32)

(Video 05/29/12) Summer is here, and keeping your body hydrated and protected from the sun are especially important this time of year. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux reports on keeping your summer safe. (Runtime 1:37)

(Video 05/29/12) Louisiana farmers just finished a somewhat disappointing wheat harvest. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux reports that weather was to blame for the lower yields.(Runtime 1:25)

(Audio 05/21/12) Gardeners use a variety of summer bulbs in their landscapes. Most of the bulbs that are native to tropical areas do well in Louisiana's summer heat. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 05/17/12) East Feliciana 4-H clubs hope their school-community garden project will help decrease the incidence of diabetes and high blood pressure in elementary and junior high students in the parish.

(Distributed 05/03/12) The LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station has scheduled a pest management and crop production field day for June 14 at the research station in St. Joseph.

(Distributed 05/30/12) Many Louisiana residents who have been outside during the day recently have probably noticed a fast-flying gnat buzzing their heads. People who have been bitten may have noticed a red swelling reaction.

(Distributed 05/30/12) CROWLEY, La. – The LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station will hold its annual field day June 28 with a variety of speakers and presentations.

(Audio 05/28/12) Recycling the organic waste that your yard creates is one of the best things you can do when creating compost. Fallen leaves and grass clippings are a large portion of compost, especially during summer when mowing becomes a more frequent activity. Learn more about summer composting. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/28/12) Taking care of your lawn is an important part of maintaining a landscape during the summer. Hear more about the aspects of summer lawn care such as mowing, fertilizing and watering. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/28/12) A number of summer vegetables can withstand Louisiana's summer heat and keep your vegetable garden productive. Listen for a list of vegetables that will grow successfully in your garden this time of the year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/28/12) Containers allow us to grow plants in areas like decks, which normally could not support plant growth. Container plants exposed to a lot of sunlight need to be watered frequently during the summer to prevent them from drying out. Here are some tips on watering container plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/28/12) Louisiana gardeners can obtain wonderful vine-ripened fruit from their tomato plants. When harvesting tomatoes in your yard, leave them on the vine until they are ripe and ready to eat. If you are having trouble with insects or birds, however, you can harvest your tomatoes early. Learn more about harvesting home-grown tomatoes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 05/25/12) Sheep and goat producers heard the latest in research-based information for raising their livestock at a field day held at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine on May 19.

(Distributed 05/25/12) MAMOU, La. – Experts from the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station will tell farmers about their latest work Thursday (May 31) at the Evangeline Parish Rice Field Day.

CROWLEY, La. – Rice growers heard details Thursday (May 24) of using a new fungicide that could help them with an untreatable form of the disease sheath blight.

(Distributed 05/25/12) The LSU AgCenter recognized the volunteer efforts of the Louisiana Master Gardener program with an appreciation day at the Hammond Research Station on May 18.

(Distributed 05/25/12) Ornamental sweet potatoes are a popular warm-season annual for adding foliage colors to the summer landscape. The original varieties include plants with leaves that are chartreuse-lime green (Marguerite), blackish purple (Blackie, Black Beauty, Ace of Spades) and tricolored (Pink Frost).

(Distributed 05/25/12) Alligator gar are declining in numbers across much of the country. Researchers at the LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Research Station have successfully spawned gar in tanks to be used in studies to better understand this ancient fish.

(Distributed 05/22/12) MANSURA, La. – A dozen individuals recognized for their dedication to youth were inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame here Saturday (May 19).

(Audio 05/22/12) Researchers at the LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Research Station have successfully spawned alligator gar. These gar will be used for future research projects to help researchers understand more about these ancient fish that are declining across the country. (Runtime 1:10)

(Audio 05/22/12) Soybean planting is nearly complete with producers expected to plant more than 1.1 million acres across the state. (Runtime: 1:05)

(Distributed 05/21/12) CROWLEY, La. – Representatives of a company selling new fungicides for rice and soybeans will hold a meeting at the Acadia Parish Extension Office at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, May 24.

(Audio 05/21/12) Louisiana gardeners are lucky to be able to grow crape myrtles. These flowering trees do not have a lot of problems. The one nuisance is the crape myrtle aphid. Control is possible with a tree-and-shrub insect spray. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 05/18/12) MONROE, La. – The LSU AgCenter and the University of Louisiana at Monroe signed a memorandum of understanding on May 18 that will establish cooperative research projects between the two institutions.

(Distributed 05/18/12) Gardenias are blooming in Louisiana landscapes now. Known as cape jasmine to some Southern gardeners, gardenias are one of the most widely planted landscape shrubs in Louisiana.

(Distributed 05/17/12) White-tailed deer researchers at the LSU AgCenter Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station in Clinton are using sperm from dead bucks to keep their favorable genes alive.

(Audio 05/21/12) Cooked greens are a traditional part of Louisiana cooking. Many greens such as turnip or collards won't grow during the summer. Swiss chard and few others are good substitutes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/21/12) If you grow roses in Louisiana, you've probably had black spot. Roses are highly susceptible to this disease. It can be controlled with weekly spraying. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/21/12) Growing plants in containers allows gardeners to have plants on decks or indoors. The containers may need to be cleaned from time to time. Plastic pots and terra cotta pots are cleaned differently. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 05/16/12) CROWLEY, La. – Louisiana rice farmers who plan to harvest crawfish from their fields next year should consider restocking crawfish once their rice crops have been flooded.

(Distributed 05/15/12) CROWLEY, La. – Louisiana farmers let out a collective sigh of relief as word spread recently that federal officials had approved release of a new fungicide for rice.

(Audio 05/14/12) Termite swarming activity in Louisiana increases from early May through June. (Runtime: 1:15)

(Distributed 05/11/12) Although Formosan subterranean termites can cause problems anytime during the year, Mother's Day is a major time when alates, or winged termites, are most active.

(Distributed 05/11/12) Many of us may not realize it, but the last 20 years have been some of the most exciting times in the history of home landscaping. It would be impossible to list all the new ornamental plants – from trees to shrubs to perennials to annual flowers – that have been recently released.

(Audio 05/14/12) People may wonder if Spanish moss can harm a tree, but the answer is no. Spanish moss is not a parasite. It lives on a tree but doesn't take anything away from a tree. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/14/12) Louisiana gardeners use a wide variety of heat-tolerant bedding plants this time of the year. Pull out cool-season plants when they start to languish and prepare your beds for new plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 05/01/12) This year’s Louisiana soybean crop could exceed 1 million acres, boosted by low prices for other crops and high fertilizer prices, said Ron Levy, LSU AgCenter soybean specialist.

(Audio 05/14/12) Louisiana gardeners can use a number of annual flowering vines. One great vine is the hyacinth bean. It produces spikes of purple flowers in summer and fall. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/14/12) True blackberries are producing fruit this month. Blackberry shoots live for two years. Young canes should be left alone when pruning to make sure you have another crop of blackberries next year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/14/12) Many people planted trees during the fall and winter. These newly planted trees will need supplemental irrigation to get through their first summer in the ground. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Distributed 05/09/12) Alligator farmers could grow bigger alligators faster and with less cost based on feeding studies conducted at the LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Research Station.

(Distributed 05/09/12) Five teams and two individuals have been awarded a total of $33,852 to develop innovative extension programs over the next year, according to Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service.

(Distributed 05/08/12) JEANERETTE, La. – Cattle producers attending a field day at the LSU AgCenter Iberia Research Station on May 5 heard about the advantages and challenges of raising forage-fed cattle.

(Distributed 05/08/12) FENTON, La. – Rice farmers will have the chance to hear from LSU AgCenter scientists and to tour the new railroad loading facility at Lacassine during the Southwest Rice Field Day on May 30. The day begins with registration and coffee at 9 a.m. at the Fenton Rice Cooperative at 1311 U.S. Highway 165.

(Distributed 05/08/12) The LSU AgCenter School of Animal Sciences will present a beef field day at the Crossbred Beef Unit on Ben Hur Drive in Baton Rouge on June 9.

(Distributed 05/04/12) Plant producers, representatives from government agencies and private companies attended a unique field day to discuss the certification of wetland grasses during a field day at the LSU AgCenter Burden Center in Baton Rouge on April 24.

(Distributed 05/04/12) Daylilies are one of the most popular flowering plants for late spring and early summer landscapes in Louisiana. They have reached peak bloom about three weeks early this spring due to our lack of significant cold weather in February and March.

(Distributed 05/04/12) NEW IBERIA, La. – The LSU AgCenter hosted almost 1,200 third-grade students from across Iberia Parish May 2-3 to show them products from Louisiana agriculture and the state’s natural resources.

(DIstributed 05/04/12) Developing an appreciation for reading in young children is the goal of a literacy team at the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 05/03/12) The LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station has scheduled a crop production field day for June 6 at the station in Bossier City.

(Distributed 05/03/12) In addition to celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, LSU AgCenter scientists and specialists will present ways to improve pasture at a forage field day at the Southeast Research Station in Franklinton on May 31.

(Distributed 05/03/12) A privately funded ecotourism project administered by the LSU AgCenter has led to development of three canoeing trails in northeast Louisiana to lure adventurers to experience its bayous lined with majestic cypress trees.

(Distributed 05/02/12) Fourth-grade students from Amite Elementary School were among dozens of school children who toured the LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Research Station as part of Aquaculture Education Day for Louisiana science teachers and students May 2.

(Audio 05/07/12) Hydrangeas and gardenias are popular summer-flowering shrubs in Louisiana. Gardenias produce beautiful, fragrant flowers this time of the year. Hydrangeas put on a show of big bright flowers. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/07/12) Tomatoes are the most popular home vegetable grown in Louisiana, but they do have their share of problems. One common problem is buckeye rot. It will hit the largest tomatoes at the bottom of the vine. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/07/12) When establishing a lawn with sod, it is important to care for the sod properly. Sod loses its roots when harvested, so watering is critical early on. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 05/07/12) The permanent lawn grasses we use in Louisiana are all warm-season grasses. They grow and thrive in the heat of summer. Now is a good time to plant a lawn. The best way to do this is with sod.

(Distributed 05/01/12) Cotton acreage is expected to decrease in Louisiana this year, mirroring a downward trend nationwide. John Kruse, LSU AgCenter cotton specialist, said the decline can be partly explained by the sudden jump up in fertilizer prices, lower cotton prices and high soybean prices.

(Audio 05/07/12) Caladiums are great bedding plants for shady areas of the garden. Caladiums are grown for the their attractive foliage and come in a variety of colors. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 05/25/12) Propagating plants means to create new plants from those you already have, and you can do that in many different ways. Planting seeds and rooting cuttings are two of the most common methods of propagation. But another technique, called layering, is useful in propagating a wide variety of ornamental plants.

(For Release On Or After 05/11/12) You can recycle yard waste back into the landscape through the process of composting, which benefits your garden, your budget and the environment. Compost is used primarily in bed preparation to improve the soil and can even be used in preparing potting mixes.

(For Release On Or After 05/04/12) Hydrangeas have a long tradition of use in shady Southern gardens. From late April through July, huge flower heads of light pink, pink, rosy red, lavender, light blue, bluish purple and blends of those colors as well as white appear above the rich green leaves.

(For Release On Or After 05/18/12) Summer-flowering bulbs provide an excellent way to introduce colorful flowers, interesting foliage and even fragrance into the summer landscape. Most summer-flowering bulbs are native to tropical or subtropical climates and will reliably bloom here for many years.

(Distributed 05/01/12) Fourteen 4-H members were winners in Louisiana State 4-H Commodity Ambassador contests April 24 on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. In all, 75 4-H’ers from across the state competed in the chicken, egg, seafood, sugar and turkey contests.