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   Get It Growing
 Home>Communications>News>Get It Growing>
LSU AgCenter Communications produces a special service called “Get It Growing” aimed at people who want to improve their landscapes, grow flowers and ornamentals or grow vegetables and fruit. This service includes a weekly newspaper column written by horticulturist Dan Gill, a daily (Monday through Friday) 60-second radio spot voiced by Gill, and a weekly 90-second television spot featuring Gill. The newspaper columns are sent via e-mail once a month to a subscriber list.

Read More features the newspaper columns.                      

See More contains the 90-second TV spots.

Hear More includes the 60-second radio spots.

In addition, the radio and television spots are available as podcasts. Users can subscribe to the podcast service to receive the daily or weekly programs in their iTunes or comparable program.

For more information about the Get It Growing service and the podcasts, please contact Tobie Blanchard at (225) 578-5649.


Choose trees based on trunk structure
Tree Selection

(Video 03/15/10) October through March is the best time to plant hardy trees. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill helps you meet your deadline by providing tips for selecting the best trees. (Runtime: 1:37)

Control cool-season weeds
(Audio 03/15/10) Most weeds growing in lawns this time of the year are cool-season weeds and will not survive much longer. If you would like to get rid of cool-season weeds and prevent them from popping up next year, you can apply a weed killer that is safe to use on your type of grass. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

Louisiana gardeners should try mirliton
(Audio 03/15/10) Mirliton is a popularly grown vegetable, especially in south Louisiana. This unusual vegetable requires a well-prepared climbing area, such as a trellis or fence, that will receive lots of sunlight. Learn more about planting and growing mirliton. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

Preparing beds allows for best performance
(Audio 03/15/10) The spring months allow for a lot of activity in the landscape. All new vegetables, bedding plants and shrubs need to be planted into well-prepared beds for maximum performance. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

March offers last opportunity to divide perennials
(Audio 03/15/10) Perennials are great for adding bright, attractive colors in our landscapes. One of the greatest advantages of planting perennials is their ability to produce year after year. Gardeners should pay attention to overcrowding of perennials, however, and should transplant when necessary. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Leaving mulch enriches soil
(Audio 03/15/10) Many gardeners are wondering whether or not to remove old mulch prior to adding new mulch to their gardens this time of the year. Gardeners should leave the old mulch, which allows the organic matter in the mulch to enrich the soil while saving time and money for the gardener. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Azaleas are spring showoffs
(For Release On Or After 03/26/10) With the introduction and more common use of alternate-season-blooming azaleas, such as the increasingly popular Encore azaleas, it’s not unusual to see azaleas blooming during late summer, fall and winter. Even so, March through April is still the time when azaleas really strut their stuff.
Choose plants carefully for pet-friendly landscapes
(For Release On Or After 03/19/10) Your landscape is there to be enjoyed by you and your family. It’s the setting for your home and provides a space for outdoor activities. Lawn areas offer a wonderful place for kids to play, barbeques, family get-togethers and parties on decks and patios. If your family includes pets, your landscape will likely be used by them as well.
Growing sweet corn requires space, planning
(For Release On Or After 03/12/10) Perk up your ears… of sweet corn, that is. Corn harvested from the home garden and cooked within minutes is considered one of life’s great treats by those lucky enough to have enjoyed it – and now is the time to plant it.
Careful choices matter when it comes to plants
(For Release On Or After 03/05/10) I take great satisfaction in telling gardeners about all the many plants that will thrive in our state. These plants are excellent choices for your landscapes and gardens because they have proven records of thriving in our climate. But there are also many plants that will not do well here.
Purchase perennials from local nursery
(Audio 03/08/10) Perennials brighten our landscapes and live for many years. This lifespan provides an advantage over annuals which must be replaced each year. Check your local nursery for a variety of perennials in several different sizes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Resist temptation to plant pansies now
(Audio 03/08/10) Right now there is a luscious display of flowers, including pansies, all around Louisiana. This wonderful exhibit may tempt gardeners to purchase and plant pansies in their own landscape now. Learn more about why that may not be the best option. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Start fertilizing shrubs in March
(Audio 03/08/10) Many shrubs are beginning to wake up and grow, so March is a great month to fertilize shrubs in your landscape. Hear more about what type of products to use when choosing a fertilizer for your shrubs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Transitioning pampered greenhouse plants into landscape
(Audio 03/08/10) Many of the transplants purchased from nurseries have been grown in greenhouses and are not prepared for life in a real garden. Gardeners should harden their plants before putting them into the landscape. Learn how to transition your plants into tolerating bed life. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Get It Growing
2010 Get It Growing Calendar