News

Native azaleas’ spring blooms are peak of year-round charm

April is Native Plant Month, making it the perfect time to celebrate the beauty and importance of native species. Native azalea is one of my favorites, and it is currently putting on a spectacular show.

Producers plan to plant more corn, less cotton

MSU Extension Head Start supports learning, growth

Papaya trees add fruit, tropical look to gardens

I recently came across a remarkable papaya plant thriving since 2014 inside a greenhouse, and it has now grown into a productive tree.

High hive mortality mars bee business

Small fruit crops have good potential in state

Fruit production requires considerable effort, and some fruits require much more care than others -- facts specialists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service keep in mind as they provide research and information support to the industry.

MSU has ongoing blueberry research at the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville and the Beaumont Horticultural Unit, and muscadine research at Beaumont and the McNeill Research Unit. MSU also has trials and research on blackberries, wine grapes, elderberries, passion fruit and strawberries.

MSU Extension offers free water well testing, training

SENATOBIA, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service will offer free bacteria and chemical screenings for private water well owners in Tate County during an upcoming workshop.

Treat houses, buildings before swarming termites are found

Mississippi’s native subterranean termites have started swarming, and these structure-destroying insects will continue to swarm across the state over the next few months.

John Riggins, professor of forest entomology in the Mississippi State University Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection, said termites swarm to produce new colonies when the weather warms up, often after a rain.

Use containers to keep citrus growing all year

Growing citrus in containers has been a rewarding experience for me and some of my friends, and it might be something you should consider for your own landscape.