News

Prepare gardens before tropical storms arrive

Two MS cottage food law updates aid entrepreneurs

Cottage food laws enacted to allow new entrepreneurs to start small-scale food businesses in their homes were updated recently to stay current with the business climate.

Take steps to reduce pandemic litter

Increased littering of single-use items related to the novel coronavirus pandemic, including masks, gloves, and disinfecting wipes, has troubling consequences for the environment.
When trash is not properly disposed of, it makes its way into watersheds, where it travels by water flow from rivers and streams into the ocean.

Attract Monarch butterflies with milkweed selections

Many of my gardening friends are already on the lookout for the annual migration of Monarch butterflies on their way to their Mexico wintering grounds. Witnessing this migration is awe-inspiring.

Last year towards the end of September, clouds of Monarchs made their way through Mississippi.

MS cotton has a strong boll set nearing harvest

Mississippi has a good-looking cotton crop in most places, but acreage is down to 520,000 acres because of a rainy planting season and unfavorable market conditions.

Limit family visits after bringing newborn home

Parents welcoming a newborn in the COVID-19 era face potentially tough decisions regarding family visits after delivery.

Make safety a priority for hunting season

With dove season opening Sept. 5 and the first deer season opening Oct. 1, many would-be hunters are gearing up and making sure everything is safe and legal for the upcoming hunts.

Still time to plant and enjoy summer pentas

We’re already into our September garden, and lots of great things are going to happen.

As temperatures finally start to moderate -- my fingers are crossed -- most of our summer flowering annuals that look ragged after surviving the heat and humidity will start to perk up. I think of this as our flowering annuals getting their second wind.

MSU Extension extends free soil nematode tests to 2021

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering another year of free testing for often overlooked nematode pests that frequently cause poor crop performance.