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MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A milder-than-usual winter may be nice for people, but it can mean trouble for fruit trees by causing them to bloom out of season.
Recent cold weather has not hurt this year's fruit production, even though warm weather has prompted some plants to bud. Generally, buds are not damaged until temperatures dip below 28 degrees for four or more hours.
By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
Every week I try to tell you what's arriving in the world of plants, but this week's column is dedicated to what's old and still wonderful. Mississippi and much of the South provide some outstanding old homesteads with long-standing plants announcing spring's arrival.
By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
To promote 1999 as the year of the salvia, the National Garden Bureau sent me pages and pages of information, but failed to mention my favorites. In defense of the National Garden Bureau, Mother Nature provided us with more than 900 species of salvia.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many New Year's resolutions have already fallen by the wayside, leaving dieters frustrated by the challenge of permanently losing excess weight.
Fad diets that sound promising may result in a roller coaster weight loss experience or worse yet, damage health.
"Every few years or so, a new diet becomes the rage. Most recently, ëSugar Busters!' has received a lot of attention," said Roxanne Roccaforte, dietetic intern at Mississippi State University. "Dietitians strongly advocate lifestyle changes over fad diets that won't last a lifetime."
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Homeowners needing extra cash who turn to a program that basically lets them sell their house over time should seriously look at their financial plan before choosing this option.
Reverse mortgages are a type of loan where owners borrow against the equity in their home while retaining ownership of the house. The amount that can be borrowed against the home depends on factors such as age and the amount of equity in the house.
By Jamie Vickers
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Forget heart-shaped chocolate and candy this month. Healthy hearts are in the spotlight during National Heart Month in February, especially for women who are twice as likely to die from a heart attack than men.
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. In 1995, about 45 percent of the deaths in Mississippi were due to cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes, said Dr. Melissa Mixon, human nutrition specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A new rice variety soon to be in commercial production is giving indications it may be a strong contender for the state's most popular variety.
Priscilla was released in 1997 by Dr. Dwight Kanter, agronomist with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. The new rice variety started in the early 1980s by an Arkansas researcher as a cross between three existing varieties.
"In early tests, Priscilla was one of the highest yielding semi-dwarfs that we observed," Kanter said.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Crop insurance is on sale for farmers in Mississippi at nearly a 30 percent discount, but growers have to act quickly to take advantage of this reduction.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced $400 million in disaster relief to subsidize buy-up crop insurance premiums. Buy-up insurance provides the highest levels of coverage at an increased cost to farmers. The relief money reduces coverage cost, but must be bought by Feb. 28. Other emergency financial assistance is available for areas that had multiple year losses or single year disasters.
By Rebekah Ray
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Aflatoxin takes its toll on Mississippi corn production, but two scientists at Mississippi State University have recently released a weapon to fight the fungus.
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service plant geneticist Paul Williams and plant pathologist Gary L. Windham developed the germplasm Mp715 that was released by the USDA-ARS and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.
By Lani Jefcoat
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Family planning efforts can protect today's pets from unwanted litters and health risks and significantly reduce the number of animals put to sleep in the years to come.
Dr. Richard Hopper, Mississippi State University Extension Service veterinarian, said the best way to help control the pet population and protect animals from serious medical problems is through spay or neuter efforts.
By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
Competition is not only great for the airline industry, but for plant breeders and adventuresome gardeners as well.
By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
Two new hollies, Liberty and Patriot, have made their debut to the Red Holly Hybrid group, giving gardeners seven beautiful new hollies from which to choose.
This group is called the Red Holly Hybrids because several produce new growth that is a red to maroon color. As a whole, these are some of the most elegant and statuesque hollies and are rapidly gaining recognition from Texas to the East Coast. In Mississippi, they are produced in Poplarville and Lucedale.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Digital technology is allowing Mississippi plant specialists to lend their expertise without leaving the office, drastically cutting response time to problems.
Dr. Frank Killebrew, plant pathologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, is using digital cameras and e-mail to distance diagnose plant diseases. He established a pilot program in five counties, and expects to expand this year.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Federal relief is on the way to small hog producers who managed to survive the 1998 market catastrophe.
Mark Crenshaw, swine specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said the assistance comes too late for many of the state's smaller producers who opted out of the business months ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimateed there are 100,000 eligible producers, but Crenshaw said Mississippi may have 50 qualified farms.
By Lani Jefcoat
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Couples celebrate Valentine's Day by expressing love and affection, but people should know how to convey love throughout the year. While it is traditionally for lovers, Valentine's also can be a time to communicate and develop love within the family.
Dr. Louise Davis, Mississippi State University Extension Service child and family development specialist, said children and adults need to be reminded that they are loved all the time and not just on Valentine's Day.
By Jamie Vickers
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Young people from across the state learned techniques and ethics of managing and hunting waterfowl before returning to experience the satisfaction of a December day's hunt.
Nearly 60 youth and their guardians took part in the Third Annual Youth Waterfowl Hunters' Workshop at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge on Oct. 31. They returned to the Refuge in December to a green-tree reservoir where the participants had the exclusive opportunity to hunt waterfowl.
By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
As a kid, I longed for 1986 when Haley's Comet would streak across the sky. Others quaked in fear of that ominous comet that comes around every 70-something years. Now, many of the same omens are forecast for the year 2000.
By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
Growers will not be disappointed by the trends toward bold flowering beds and orange colors in 1999.
The recent Grower Expo in Atlanta provide me the opportunity to hear several well-known writers and horticulturists as they describe the trends for the coming season.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Few aspects of a courtship receive the high level of public attention as the moment he proposes marriage.
Most women can't help the romantic side of their personalities that longs for a special, thoughtful proposal. From the time their mothers recount their own stories, many girls begin dreaming.
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- No matter how well a couple knows each other, some adjustments are expected in the first months and years of marriage.
Dr. Louise Davis, child and family development specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said realistic expectations as a couple enters a marriage are important in making all the adjustments to each other.
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