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My favorite definition of a horticulturist is paraphrased as “We make plants do what we want, when we want them to do it.” The holiday season is the perfect time to show off these skills, and a prime example is the poinsettia. This plant “blooms” in its native Mexico around Christmas. But using science and plant physiology, we have poinsettias colored up from late October through the Christmas holidays.

Two red flowers bloom on a stalk among holiday decorations.
Upright foliage grows from three containers in front of holiday plants.
Two flowers bloom from a single exposed bulb.

This is a crossover episode with A Talk On The Wild Side podcast, hosted by Dr. Sandra Rideout-Hanzak. Dr. Mike Cherry is the Stuart W. Stedman Chair for White-tailed Deer Research at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and has experience researching and managing deer from Texas to Florida to Virginia.  Mike and Bronson talk about deer management and habitat management in the Southeastern US as compared to South Texas.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Subscribe to the newest addition of the NRU network: Working Wild University

BILOXI, Miss. -- The Southeast has some of the most commercially and recreationally valuable fisheries in the United States. However, anglers’ observations of fish populations don’t always match the results of official stock assessments for important reef fishes.

Man showing fish to group

If you have an area in your yard where you want to create a border between property lines, reduce noise from busy streets, or soften a fence line, we have a solution

Lush green plants.
Plants are a great alterative that provide a visual separation and may also require less maintenance than a fence.

As we enter winter, many gardeners consider this a less interesting outdoor season compared to the warmer spring and summer seasons. To add color, we depend on cool-season annuals like dianthuses, pansies, violas, and the various kales and cabbages. Of course, we’re also entering camellia season, but that’s really about it.

Massive clusters of yellow flowers cause stems to arch downward.
A cluster of yellow flowers is seen up close.
Green leaves have yellow-tinged edges.

The temperatures have dropped drastically in the last week. If you’ve taken out your space heater or you’re using your fireplace, it’s important to use some safety precautions.

Heaters and fireplaces are nice ways to help keep you comfortable during cold weather. However, you should also be aware that heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Close up of a space heater sitting on a hardwood floor
Make safety a priority and take precautions when you use any type of heating equipment, which is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

For this holiday season, I was looking for a way to mix up the menu a little bit and offer something a little lighter. This Green Bean, Cranberry and Nut Salad is perfect.

Green Bean, Cranberry and Nut Salad in a bowl
Mix up the holiday menu with this Green Bean, Cranberry and Nut Salad!

Mississippi pecan producers faced a particularly challenging year with drought and then rain at the wrong time, but irrigated orchards are making a good crop.

Eric Stafne, fruit and nut crop specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the dry summer did one very good thing: It helped control pecan scab, a disease that is often a problem for the state’s pecan trees.

Two rows of trees extend into the distance.
Three pecans lay on the ground.

Although it’s only mid-November, poinsettias will be arriving very soon at garden centers -- some may have already arrived -- for the holiday and Christmas season. In many people’s minds, the traditional poinsettia color is red. And let’s face it: A red poinsettia is beautiful. My favorite continues to be the traditional red. But red is not the only color available.

A greenhouse is full of poinsettias in a variety of red, yellow, orange and pink colors.
Colorful poinsettias have marbled leaves.
People are visible behind rows of red poinsettias.

A variety of pests threaten Mississippi forests, presenting a challenge to landowners who lack experience in managing land or even knowing what problems to look for. Brady Self, a forestry specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said that good first step is to simply do a walkthrough and look for things out of place.

A pine stand has small branches laying on the ground near trees.
An exposed tree trunk has small holes surrounded by wood splinters.

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