Annuals and perennials spice the landscape with their colorful flowers and foliage. Beds of color provide brilliant accents against backgrounds of permanent plantings, soften man-made lines, and provide graceful transitions from one outdoor area to another. Flowers can be used to catch the eye, accent a view, frame a door, or just draw attention to their own blooms.
Mississippi gardeners grow hundreds of different species of plants in the home landscape, and most are attacked by one or more insect pests. Being able to identify and control these pests is an important part of managing a home landscape.
Mississippi’s bountiful sunshine, rain, and quality soils make the Magnolia State a wonderful place to grow all kinds of flowers, trees, fruits, and vegetables. Don’t have a green thumb? Interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Need to get a soil test? The MSU Extension Service has experts on all kinds of garden-related topics and issues, from plant disease and weed specialists to county agents who know what thrives in their local areas. Get tips on gardening through the seasons, how to avoid “crape murder,” and more!
Many different species of insects invade our homes and apartments. Some, such as Asian lady beetles and other occasional invaders, are just nuisances, but they can be quite bothersome when they occur in high numbers. Pests such as cockroaches and houseflies simply want to live with us and feed on our leftovers, but we do not appreciate their company, and they can cause serious health problems.
Many different insect pests are found in home lawns in Mississippi. These include insects such as chinch bugs and white grubs that directly attack and damage turf grass, pests such as slugs and millipedes that can become a nuisance when they occur in high numbers, and pests such as fire ants, wasps, and ticks that directly attack people using the lawn.
One of the cheapest, easiest, safest, and most effective ways to control fire ants in home lawns is to use a combination of granular fire ant baits and direct mound treatments. This is often called the two step method of fire ant control.
Insects directly affect the lives of all Mississippi citizens. You don’t have to be a farmer or gardener to be plagued by insects. Fire ants and mosquitoes are just two examples of insect pests that affect us all.
Every major row crop grown in the state is subject to attack by a variety of insect pests, and farmers often suffer large yield losses to insects despite spending a significant portion of their crop production budget on insect control.
Everyone wants a healthy family, and that extends to our feathered, finned, and furry family members—our pets. In partnership with MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the MSU Extension Service offers research-based information on routine pet care, specialized treatment, and what to do in the case of natural or manmade disasters.
MSU Extension’s homebuyer education helps individuals determine if homeownership is right for them. The four-to-six-hour course covers buying v. renting, credit building, personal financial management, foreclosure prevention, the homebuying process, understanding mortgages, inspections, and appraisals.
MSU Extension provides the certification homebuyer’s applying for USDA RD loans require.
Contact your local MSU Extension office or Dr. Becky Smith for more information.