(Distributed 02/05/15) AMITE, La. – The annual Camellia Garden Stroll at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station will be held on Feb. 22 from 1 to 4 p.m.

(Distributed 01/30/15) Many people may be unfamiliar with pericallis, but the Senetti series features the first repeat-blooming varieties.

(Distributed 01/30/15) HAMMOND, La. – Winter and early spring are when many gardeners prune plants, which is the correct time for most plants in the home landscape.

(Distributed 01/30/15) WINNSBORO, La. – LSU AgCenter researchers continue to evaluate energycane varieties planted in north Louisiana as a possible new crop for producers to grow as a biofuel feedstock.

(Distributed 01/29/15) ALEXANDRIA, La. –The central Louisiana forestry forum will be held Feb. 24 at the LSU AgCenter Evacuation Shelter next to the LSU-A campus on U.S. Highway 71 south of Alexandria.

(Distributed 01/27/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – In four hours, LSU College of Agriculture Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising students turned paper hearts into dresses that were works of art.

(Distributed 01/26/15) OPELOUSAS, La. – Louisiana led the nation for the average soybean yield last year, according to the LSU AgCenter soybean specialist.

(Distributed 01/26/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – the LSU AgCenter hosted workshops for entrepreneurs from several Latin American food and agriculture companies during their visit to Baton Rouge on Jan. 12-23.

(Distributed 01/23/15) CROWLEY, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold a workshop on stored rice insect pest management on Feb. 25 at the Acadia Parish Extension Office.

(Distributed 01/23/15) Nicotianas are good alternative cool-season bedding plants for south Louisiana.

(Distributed 01/23/15) WEST MONROE, La. – Northeast Louisiana Master Gardeners continued their record of bringing in national gardening experts as speakers at the 5th Annual Ag Expo Gardening Seminar on Jan. 17.

(Distributed 01/23/15) HAMMOND, La. – New plants make gardening exciting. About five years ago, a new sweet alyssum variety started appearing in trial gardens and garden centers around the country. These are now well-established in the greenhouse trade and have added a great cool-season-to-warm-season transitional plant to the retail marketplace.

(Distributed 01/22/15) WEST MONROE, La. – With the emerald ash borer yet to be detected in the state, experts speaking at the 2015 Ag Expo Forestry Forum at the West Monroe Convention Center on Jan. 16 said it’s time to prepare.

(Distributed 01/22/15) WINNSBORO, La. – Cover crops can improve soil health, but it is important to make careful decisions when choosing and growing them. Farmers learned about the benefits of cover crops and how to manage them during a workshop at the LSU AgCenter Macon Ridge Research Station on Jan. 21.

(Distributed 01/22/15) WEST MONROE, La. – LSU AgCenter agents and volunteers from northeast Louisiana provided hands-on experience to deliver agricultural information to school children and adults during the annual Ag Expo at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center on Jan. 14-17.

(Distributed 01/20/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Keeping your house warm during winter can be a challenge if it is poorly insulated or has air leakage points. But there are ways to identify those problems and conserve energy.

(Distributed 01/20/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – When students from Slovak University of Agriculture visit LSU in February, a new group of global agriculture ambassadors from the LSU College of Agriculture will welcome them to campus.

(Distributed 01/20/15) BATON ROUGE, La – With a splash of water and a flash of a grin, Taylor Tycer christened the Research Vessel Eric Fabre. The airboat, which is part of the LSU College of Agriculture’s research fleet, was named in memory of Eric Fabre, an LSU student who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in June 2014.

(Distributed 01/16/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold a crop production forum for northeast Louisiana farmers on Feb. 3 in Delhi.

(Distributed 01/19/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Blue skies and crisp temperatures made Saturday, Jan. 17, the perfect day to celebrate Arbor Day at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden. Children and adults alike headed into the Burden Woods to plant trees and explore the scenery along trails.

(Distributed 01/16/15) LAFAYETTE, La. – Resuming rice exports to Cuba would provide a huge boost to Louisiana rice farmers, according to the chairman of the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board.

(Distributed 01/16/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Two LSU AgCenter researchers were honored Thursday (Jan. 15) at the National Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference in Baton Rouge. The event drew 574 people from Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.

(Distributed 01/16/15) 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 01/16/15) CROWLEY, La. – More than 100 friends, farmers and fellow employees turned out on Jan. 13 for a reception for Johnny Saichuk, who retired recently as LSU AgCenter rice specialist.

(Distributed 01/16/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – An LSU AgCenter project that teaches Armenians about food safety could help more producers and processors in the Eurasian country get certifications that will help them expand global trade.

(Distributed 01/16/15) HAMMOND, La. – One of the most widely planted landscape shrubs in Louisiana is the gardenia. Many times from the late fall through winter, you may see gardenias with yellow foliage and “poor-looking” growth. This is more of an “end-of-the-growing-season” look when old leaves are being lost and new foliage is preparing for spring emergence.

(Distributed 01/15/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Most performance horses are accustomed to being transported, but doing so in cold temperatures presents challenges for animals and their owners. The stress that horses experience during hauling can lead to decreased reproductive performance, increased disease and temporary reduction in performance ability, according to LSU AgCenter equine specialist Neely Walker.

(Distributed 01/15/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Master Gardeners will have an opportunity to increase their knowledge and expand their service through a new advanced program offered by the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 01/14/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Nine individuals were recognized Tuesday (Jan. 13) for achieving certification under the Louisiana Master Farmer Program at the state convention of the Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts.

(Distributed 01/14/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – For more than 50 years, the Louisiana Turfgrass Association has organized annual events for professionals in turf-based industries. Nearly 200 attendees ranging from landscapers to golf course and football field managers attended the 2015 conference held Jan. 9 at Tiger Stadium.

(Distributed 01/13/15) CROWLEY, La. – Rice farmers across southern Louisiana heard the latest recommendations from LSU AgCenter experts for growing the 2015 crop at a series of LSU AgCenter meetings held during the week of Jan. 5.

(Distributed 01/13/15) OAK GROVE, La. – New soybean varieties featuring oil with high oleic content are on the horizon, Jim Carroll, a farmer from Brinkley, Arkansas, told growers and industry representatives at the 2015 Tri-State Soybean Forum on Jan. 9.

(Distributed 01/12/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – It’s the season for planting Irish potatoes in Louisiana. “Potatoes are usually planted from mid-January through February,” said LSU AgCenter vegetable expert Kiki Fontenot.

(Distributed 01/09/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – If you’re concerned about your energy bill shooting high this winter, explore efficient solutions at the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Home and Landscape Resource Center’s open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 17.

(Distributed 01/08/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – Hundreds of youth from across Louisiana will be gathering in Gonzales next month for the 80th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.

(Distributed 01/08/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter is developing partnerships with five major agriculture universities in China that will allow students and faculty to participate in exchanges and cooperate on research.

(Distributed 01/09/15) Flowering cherry trees can be seen blooming around Louisiana in February and March. In some years, the first flowers appear in late January in the southern part of the state.

(Distributed 01/09/15) HAMMOND, La. – Now is a great time to plant a tree in Louisiana. We observe Louisiana Arbor Day this year on Friday, Jan. 16.

(Distributed 01/06/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will host four workshops in February to help fresh produce growers understand food safety risks and develop an on-farm food safety plan, according to AgCenter food safety specialist Achyut Adhikari.

(Distributed 01/06/15) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter in cooperation with the American Rose Society Gulf District will present a midwinter workshop on rose care Feb. 6-7 at the Clarion Inn and Conference Center in Gonzales, Louisiana.

(Distributed 01/02/15) The ornamental or flowering kales typically have feather-type leaves as compared to the rounded leaves of ornamental cabbage. The deeply serrated leaf edges add unique foliage texture to the cool-season landscape.

(Distributed 01/02/15) HAMMOND, La. – Eight vegetables and four flowers have been named All-America Selection (AAS) winners for the 2015 gardening season. Each year, the best of the best in new flowers, bedding plants and vegetables receive this national recognition.