Home & Garden

Container, newly planted plants need special watering care

Submitted by arobicheaux on Thursday, May 16th, 12:37 pm

by Dave Gill

LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

Lots of new planting gets done every spring. Proper watering can make the difference between life and death to newly planted lawns, trees, shrubs and ground covers as well as bedding and vegetable transplants.

Because their roots have not had time to grow out into the surrounding soil, these plants do not yet have well-established root systems. With their roots still limited to a relatively small area of soil, they are especially vulnerable to drought stress.

Trees

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Rose of Sharon adds to summer landscapes

Submitted by arobicheaux on Tuesday, May 14th, 3:09 pm

by Allen Owings

LSU AgCenter horticulturist

Althea goes by the scientific name of Hibiscus syriacus. When most gardeners look at althea, they are reminded of the hibiscus family, to which this Southern heritage plant belongs. These plants are also known as the "rose of Sharon."

Altheas are native to Asia and were widely used in Europe prior to being brought to the American colonies in the 1700s. They have long been considered durable landscape shrubs.

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SunPatiens offer season-long performance

Submitted by arobicheaux on Friday, May 10th, 5:05 am

by Allen Owings

LSU AgCenter horticulturist

If you like the flowering habit of shade-loving impatiens, you’ll be excited to know that a new type of impatiens is on the market that will thrive in our Louisiana summer heat and humidity – SunPatiens.

You get the best of both shade-loving impatiens and the larger-flowered and variegated foliage of New Guinea impatiens with SunPatiens, a hybrid bred by Sakata Seed that thrives in our summer landscapes in full sun.

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Vitex provides late spring, summer flowers

Submitted by arobicheaux on Monday, May 6th, 11:05 am

by Allen Owings

LSU AgCenter horticulturist

One of the nicest small, flowering trees for Louisiana landscapes is the chaste tree or vitex (Vitex agnus-castus). Midspring through early summer is the main time for flowering on this increasingly popular plant.

Native to the Mediterranean region to central and western Asia, vitex has begun to create more interest among home gardeners and commercial horticulturists over the past ten years.

Trees reach heights of 15 feet in the landscape with a spread of 15-20 feet.

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Plan summer flower gardens now

Submitted by arobicheaux on Wednesday, May 1st, 5:10 am

by Dan Gill

LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

As May approaches, we transition from the warm days and cool nights of spring and early summer to the hot days and warm nights that will be with us until September. With the increasing heat, you should be noticing the inevitable decline of your cool-season bedding plants.

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LSU AgCenter: Lantanas offer summer color

Submitted by arobicheaux on Friday, April 26th, 7:24 am

by Allen Owings

LSU AgCenter horticulturist

Lantanas continue to be one of the most popular herbaceous perennials for Louisiana landscapes. Many varieties, some old and some new, offer a multitude of growth forms and flower colors. Lantanas are most commonly added to the landscape during spring and continue with flowers all the way through the fall season.

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Bandana lantanas are Louisiana Super Plants

Submitted by arobicheaux on Tuesday, April 23rd, 5:51 am

by Dan Gill

LSU AgCenter Horticulturist

Lantana (Lantana camara) is one of the first flowers I became aware of as a young child in Chalmette. After all, who could resist a plant so perfectly named with the common name “ham and eggs”?

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