News

One of the most frequent calls I get in the summer concerns lawns and ground covers under trees, where sunlight is limited. Most callers want grass in these areas and realize the limitations presented by the shade.

My go-to answer is an unwavering: “Why not plant liriope?” Liriope is a versatile groundcover that is very effective under large trees with reduced light or mass-planted on slopes. It also creates soft borders and edging for paved areas and foundations.

BILOXI, Miss. -- The first in a six-part floral design workshop series for the public will be Aug. 1 at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi.

Long-time Mississippi State University floral professor Jim DelPrince, who joined the MSU Extension Service July 1, will kick off the series with a how-to class on flower crowns.

“All of these programs are hands-on, make-and-take classes,” DelPrince said. “I want the series to reveal who’s out there and what they are interested in learning about, so there are various topics on a variety of days and times.”

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Long before Charlie Weatherly earned the state’s 2015 Master Gardener of the Year honor, his family roots were dug deep into the Mississippi soil.

Although he retired from Mississippi State University in 1997, Weatherly has not strayed far from the land-grant institution’s campus or mission. How could he? As a child, he frequently came to campus with his father, Ernest, who was a county agent for what is now the MSU Extension Service.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Wet spring weather prevented Mississippi farmers from planting as many corn acres as they intended, but despite the heat, the crop is mostly looking good in fields across the state.

“We should have a good crop this year, but it won’t be a record,” said Erick Larson, Mississippi State University Extension Service corn specialist. “The planted acreage is down from what was intended because it was terribly rainy during spring planting, which delayed planting and restricted corn acreage.”

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A new mobile application can help Mississippians and visitors find high-speed Internet connections based on location.

Connect Mississippi funded the development of an app and a website that promotes broadband adoption and supports innovative broadband solutions. Both were developed by the Mississippi State University Extension Service Center for Technology Outreach.

PETAL, Miss. -- The Early Years Network: Special Needs program is hosting a free Developmental Screening Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 18 in Forrest County.

A team of early childhood specialists with the network’s special needs program will conduct screenings at the Petal School District Center for Families and Children, located at 201 West Central Avenue in Petal.

Children 6 months to 5 years will be checked for age-specific physical and educational milestones at no cost to parents.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Early Years Network: Special Needs program is hosting a free Developmental Screening Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Starkville Aug. 18.

A team of early childhood specialists with the network’s special needs program will conduct screenings at the Child Development and Family Studies Center, located at 501 Collegeview Street in Starkville.

Children 6 months to 5 years will be checked for age-specific physical and educational milestones at no cost to parents.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Squirrels look cute and cuddly, but anyone who tries to feed birds knows they can be persistent thieves at the bird feeder.

Although squirrels traditionally gather nuts, seeds, acorns, mushrooms, insects and leaves from forested habitats, they also enjoy readily available food from backyard and agricultural habitats, which often causes conflict between squirrels and homeowners.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering two deer management workshops in August to hunters and professionals working with white-tailed deer populations.

The first workshop will be held at the Mississippi Natural Science Museum in Jackson on Aug. 15. The second workshop will be held at Thompson Hall on the MSU campus in Starkville on Aug. 22.

A $50 registration fee for each workshop includes lunch and class materials. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The programs will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University will offer a Turfgrass Field Day at the R.R. Foil Plant Science Research Center in Starkville on Aug. 25 at 8:45 a.m.

Coaches, school superintendents, landscape architects, county Extension agents, lawn care professionals, golf course managers, sports field managers, and turf and landscape students are welcome to attend the field day. Homeowners may attend, too, but the event is designed for industry professionals and county agents.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Back-to-school supplies can often include expensive items that can blow the family budget, but a little preparation can help keep the cost down.

Susan Cosgrove, financial management agent with the Mississippi State University Extension Service in Newton County, said families often overlook these expenses when preparing the family budget.

By Katie Timmerman
MSU College of Veterinary Medicine

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- While most people choose to spend their vacations relaxing, a number of Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine students and faculty chose to do volunteer work in Haiti.

Dr. Skip Jack, a professor at MSU-CVM, traveled to Haiti with veterinary students Rachel Mayfield, Megen Cummings, Taylor King and Jessica Wilson as part of Christian Veterinary Missions.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The old adage “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” may have a new twist when it comes to cattle forages.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Sorghum midges have been an issue for Mississippi grain sorghum producers for as long as they have been growing the crop, but early plantings across the state have been affected more than usual this year.

Jeff Gore, an entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said he has fielded calls from farmers who report increasing problems with the crop-compromising insect across the state -- an indication that the issue is not isolated to a specific area.

Having a color scheme is a landscape design technique gardeners have used for a long time.

A couple of weeks ago, a social media friend was asking what people thought about planting their landscapes in the color scheme of their favorite athletic team. I think we’ve all seen the branding associated with ornamental plants in garden centers and nurseries. Can you imagine the branding possibilities with planting your favorite team’s plants?

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Young Mississippi 4-H leaders will tour six business cooperatives across the state, honing leadership skills in a July 21-23 conference.

Along with their adult leaders, the group includes 46 4-H Congress first-place winners, state 4-H Ambassadors and state 4-H Council officers. They will tour business cooperatives in Mayhew, Greenwood, Scott and Greenville before returning to Mississippi State University.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi soybean farmers are projected to harvest the most acres in over 25 years despite narrow planting windows and issues getting the crop established.

Trent Irby, soybean specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said planting challenges as a result of wet spring weather hampered early plantings, but the crop has rebounded despite recent hot weather with sporadic rain relief.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Returning to school is difficult for most students, but for those who have suffered family losses, the new academic year can be an overwhelming burden.

Megan Aucoin, a senior social work major at Mississippi State University from Starkville, Mississippi, knows all too well how difficult it can be to return to school after such a loss. Aucoin, 21, lost her mother, Alana, to colon cancer in fall 2013.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Starting school is a milestone that can be marked by anxiety for first-time students and parents, but the right preparation can make the transition easier.

Beth Bell, a child and family agent with Mississippi State University Extension in Tallahatchie County, said even a child who has been in child care outside the home can be nervous about the unknown.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Samyra Harris, 7, did not know what she was getting into when her mother enrolled her in a 4-H Cloverbud robotics camp for three days at Mississippi State University.

“I thought we would just play with robots. I didn’t know we would build them, too,” Harris said.

Actually, the morning camp sessions are more about programming than building the robots, and other activities offered a taste of science, technology and engineering. To the 5- to 8-year-old participants, it is all about the fun.