By Chloe Evans
If you love the idea of adding beautiful landscape features to your yard but don’t know where to start, container gardening is an easy way to make a statement and limit costs! To make it even easier, we asked the host of Southern Gardening, Dr. Eddie Smith, to curate a variety of container gardening combos for you to choose from.
When following the thriller, spiller, and filler combination rules, container gardening can be achieved by anyone. For clarity, a thriller grabs attention with color and/or height. A spiller adds length to the...
From the Field: 4-H Co-op
July 29, 2019
School is out for the summer, meaning 4-H activities are in full swing! I had the privilege of leading the Media Corps Team at the 4-H Cooperative and Leadership Conference earlier this month. We discussed how our smartphones and social media have changed the way the media works, and then we worked together to “cover” the conference as the media would.
The Food Factor: Southwest Chicken Pitas
July 26, 2019
When the weather heats up, it’s good to have a plan for those nights when you just don’t want to heat up the kitchen. This recipe is perfect for summer nights, for picky eaters (because everyone can decide what they want in their pita), and for healthy eaters. #winning
What To Do in Your Garden in August
July 23, 2019
There’s always a lot going on in August. School is back in session, and everyone is trying to get back on their busy schedule. In the middle of the chaos, don’t forget your garden!
Chiggers: Step Away from the Nail Polish
July 19, 2019
Being outside in the summertime can feel like a battle against nature. Mosquitoes. Ticks. Chiggers. (Photo by CanStock)
How to Prune Blueberry Bushes
July 16, 2019
Pruning is a task I put off, and my blueberry bushes serve as a testament to this fact. Mainly, I am unsure how to do it correctly most of the time and don’t want to kill my plants.
The Food Factor: 5 Favorite Ways to Cut Fat
July 12, 2019
If you’ve ever been told you need to cut fat from your diet and wondered how to do it, this post is for you!
Fat, especially saturated fat, plays a role in heart health. Increased blood cholesterol is tied to heart disease, so finding ways to reduce saturated fat is important.
Three Tips for Pet Food Safety
July 9, 2019
My pets are part of the family, and I want them to have a healthy diet. There are many choices when it comes to what to feed your pet, and I always discuss this with my veterinarian when I add a pet to the family and at each pet’s check-up.
Plant Now for Fall Tomatoes
July 5, 2019
If you love home-grown tomatoes, you can enjoy them into fall. Get your plants into the ground from July to early August, depending on where you live in the state, and you can harvest into October or November.
How to Keep Pests Out of Your Home
July 2, 2019
Everyone deals with the occasional invasion of sugar ants in the kitchen. It’s just a fact of life.
But when they do make their way in, you don’t want to lay out the welcome mat for them. Regina Boykins, Extension agent in Humphreys County has a few tips to help keep ants and other pests out of your kitchen.
The Food Factor: Steamed Salmon & Veggies
June 28, 2019
Have you ever heard someone praise the benefits of a Mediterranean diet, but wondered what to cook? This delicious fish recipe, cooked with an assortment of tasty vegetables, fits the bill! Fish, healthy oils, and plenty of vegetables are key parts of the Mediterranean diet. Served with a side of whole-grain couscous or pasta, you’ve got a feast ready in about 45 minutes.
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About Extension for Real Life
Extension for Real Life is a product of the MSU Extension Service’s Office of Agricultural Communications.
That’s a long way of saying we are professional communicators who get to talk about food, families, 4-H, flowers, and farming for a living.
Blog content is created by a core team of communicators, including Susan Collins-Smith, Ellen Graves, Natasha Haynes, Qula Madkin, Michaela Parker, and Jonathan Parrish. But we get by with a lot of help from our friends in Ag Comm and Extension!
You can reach us at 662-325-2262 or extreallife@msstate.edu