News

Harvest will begin as soon as early August for soybeans, Mississippi’s largest row crop that is overall in good shape heading into the last weeks of its growing season.
Prices, however, are poor, with supply and demand working to push prices even lower.

I’ve always been a fan of butterfly bushes, so in my garden, I have both regular-sized varieties and a couple of dwarf varieties.

My favorites are the dwarf ones. They are compact and known for their fragrant blossoms and ability to attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension Service fisheries specialist is being inducted as a fellow of the American Fisheries Society.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- By 2050, the world’s oceans will contain more plastic pollution by weight than fish. It's an alarming statistic. Implementing small lifestyle changes associated with zero waste can help reduce all waste, including plastics, that enter waterways and landfills.

Mississippians with a quality food product looking to scale up their business are invited to take advantage of a series of one-hour webinars and a one-day, in-person workshop to learn ways to navigate different markets.
The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering "Food as Business: Scaling up from the Market - Take Your Food Business to the Next Level” program. It is for anyone who currently operates or is interested in operating an agriculture-based food business, including agricultural and food entrepreneurs, farmers and cottage food operators.

BILOXI, Miss. -- Two upcoming events will offer insight on sustainable practices in floral design for new and established professional florists, flower producers and flower sellers. Both events will be held Aug. 25 at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, located at 1815 Popp’s Ferry Road.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The first of August is usually one of the hottest stretches of the year in Mississippi -- not the best timing for the many high school and college athletes who begin practices and camps during that time.

Because the temperatures associated with fall sports are still weeks from arriving, managing heat exposure and staying hydrated are key for anyone working or playing outside to prevent heat-related illness.

I have always admired plants with silver color, as this unusual shade can bring some variety to garden spaces.

STARKVILLE, Miss.—As a father of three, Marcus Drymon has watched his fair share of Disney movies, but he never imagined his work as an associate Extension professor at Mississippi State University would land him a spot on a National Geographic feature documentary on Disney+.

“Being part of this show was a blast,” said Drymon.

As communities realize the treasure they have in their water resources, many citizens and groups look for ways to preserve and improve the lakes, rivers and streams.
Beth Baker, a specialist in natural resource conservation in agroecosystems with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the university recently received a $100,000 environmental education grant to help these grassroots efforts go farther.

Gardeners who want to improve their own skills and give back to their communities can take advantage of an online training and certification opportunity this fall.
Registration for the next class of Master Gardeners opens Aug. 13 and closes Sept. 12. Participants can begin their training Oct. 1, and all coursework must be completed by Dec. 2. These expert volunteers are trained and certified in consumer horticulture and related areas by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- Wildlife photographers of all ages and skill levels have a venue to showcase their camera eye in an insect photo competition.

The Crosby Arboretum BugFest Photo Competition is accepting entries until Sept. 14 for photos of arthropods. These include centipedes, millipedes, insects, spiders and scorpions on land and barnacles, crabs, crayfish, lobsters and shrimp in water. The contest also includes a “Best of Show” dragonfly photo award. To register, visit msuext.ms/24bugfest.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Lower feed prices are providing some relief to Mississippi’s catfish producers, but many are still facing more than their share of obstacles just to break even.

Among these are middling demand, high operating costs and renovation.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service was part of a team that received a national award in July for innovation in conservation efforts.
The Soil and Water Conservation Society gave the Conservation Innovation Award to the One Good Idea online platform, which is a component of a larger project led by Beth Baker, associate Extension professor in the MSU Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, and involves five multi-state partners.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Yield quality for Mississippi’s corn crop this year will largely hinge on which fields were irrigated and which ones were dry land.

“Corn crop condition varies considerably depending on whether it is grown in fields with supplemental irrigation or not,” said Erick Larson, grain crops specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “Mississippi corn dependent on rain has gone since early June without much appreciable rainfall, so the crop outlook has diminished considerably in that time.”

I am always looking for unique plants that brighten the landscape. Scaevola , commonly known as fan flower, is one of those plants. Native to Australia and the Pacific Islands, these plants are popular for their distinctive, fan-shaped flowers, versatile growth habit and robust nature.

I have enjoyed Echinacea coneflowers in my landscape for many years, and I find that these striking perennials bring a burst of vivid color to gardens. While recently visiting the home of Dave Overturf and Ginger Wentz in Long Beach, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful Echinacea coneflowers they have in their landscape.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- The consequences of last year’s significant drought continue to appear in trees all over Mississippi. Landowners in Central Mississippi have recently reported damage from variable oakleaf caterpillars and hypoxylon canker, according to the Mississippi Forestry Commission.

The combination of the caterpillars and hypoxylon canker has been observed affecting trees in towns including Raymond, Flora and Pocahantas.For drought-stressed trees, the double whammy can be a serious threat, but healthy trees will be able to withstand both pests, said Brady Self, a forestry specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Forest landowners who incurred damage from last year’s drought now have more information about the federal cost shares for restoration assistance approved in April. The Emergency Forest Restoration Program, or EFRP, is open to landowners in all 82 counties with private, nonindustrial property in rural areas who have lost pine trees related to pine bark beetle infestations that stemmed from last year’s drought.

Hydrangeas are one of my favorite plants to use in areas of my landscape that get part shade and full shade. This year, my hydrangeas have really put on a show with their colorful blooms.

One of the most popular and widely grown species, the bigleaf hydrangea, has always fascinated me with its ability to change color based on the soil pH and aluminum availability.