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March 2014 Articles

Just Rambling, March 2014
"Local Business Recognized During Northeast Louisiana District Livestock Show"
Louisiana Tech University Stock Horse Team
Red Imported Fire Ants, Management Options -- Continued from March Issue
Livestock Markets and Government Sequestration
Making Sense of the Nitrogen Cycle
Tropical hibiscuses add to spring, summer landscapes
Lawn Mower Safety
Did You Know?
Historical Facts:
Farmers Words of Wisdom
Shade gardening takes planning
Master Gardeners Help Make Louisiana Beautiful
New Waterway Bill Addresses Critical Needs
New Taxes Burdensome for Farm and Ranch Families
Did You Know?
Adequate Land Ranks as Top Concern of Young Farmers
Quote
Feral hogs, deer disease topics of field day
New forestry industries plan moves to Louisiana
Rehydrate with skim milk
Quote
Spiritual Corner: People of the Way
Cutting Corners: Three Layer Delight
Looking Into 2013
Fruit plants add diversity to landscapes
Plant Southern Magnolias Now
Strain Responds to Congress' Farm Bill Extension
Now - or anytime - is a good time to mulch
Historical Facts:
Insect Management--Red Imported Fire Ants--Management Options (Continued from De
Cotton growers slowly transition to round bales
Statement by Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding
Louisiana farmers set several yield records in 2012
Controlling Rain Rot
Vitamins for Horses
Louisiana's Commercial Poultry Industry
"New" Bedding for Broilers
Louisiana Ghost Story
Canadian and U.S. Cow Slaughter Numbers Linked
Cutting Corners: Sausage Corn Chowder
Improving the Profitablity of Contract Boiler Operations
Duck Hunting in LA
Strain Named 2012 Veterinarian of the Year
LDAF Works to Deter Spread of Virus in Horses
Farmers advised on EPA fuel tank rules
Landowners advised to focus on forest productivity
Excess Capacity and its Impact on the Beef Industry
Cattle Inventory Report Summary
Controlling Grass Tetany
Livestock Market News - Situation and Outlook, Week Ending February 1, 2013
Bill extension leaves farmers uncertain about future
Historical Facts:
Trail rides, related businesses offer financial potential
Pigeon Fever Cases Identified in Northwest Arkansas
Dogwoods deserve a second look
• Prune trees and shrubs correctly
Horse Trivia
Seasonal Price and Production Influences in the Broiler Chicken Industry
33 recognized as new Louisiana Master Farmers
Cutting Corners: Beef-Stuffed Peppers
Horse Trivia
New License Plate to Benefit Timber Industry
Strain Urges DEA to Review Enforcement of Controlled Substances
NASDA Members Press Congress to Enact Long-Term Farm Bill
Beef Demand Index Improvement
LDAF Warns Horse Owners of Potential Virus
Safe Tractor Operation
Red Imported Fire Ants, Management Options -- Continued from January Issue
IRS Humor
Tips for starting a home vegetable garden
Diagnostic Plan for Weak and Still-born Calves
Antibiotics Remain Important for Animal and Public Health
Farm Bureau Raises Record Food, Funds for Feeding America
Farm Bureau Urges Ag Labor Guestworker Program
Asian soybean rust found earlier this year
Replacement Heifer Management-FAQ's
Planning for azaleas is important spring decision
Proper early-season care gets roses off to a good start
Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day
Aging
Effects of Temperature and Acclimation to Handling on Reproductive Performance o
Improving the Profitablity of Contract Boiler Operations
Cutting Corners: Fried Rice
Psalm 117

(85 articles found)

Archives by Months

Prune trees and shrubs correctly

Prune trees and shrubs correctly Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu, By Allen Owings, LSU AgCenter horticulturist
HAMMOND, La. – No specific set of rules will cover all pruning. The important consideration should be preserving the natural form of a particular species.
For shrubs, the extent of annual pruning depends on the plant. Some shrubs may require removing a considerable amount of wood each year, while others require little pruning. It is much better to prune lightly each year rather than severely butcher a plant after several years of growth.
When pruning, first remove weak and spindly wood inside the plant perimeter or near the ground. Next, reduce the height of the plant to the desired level by making cuts at various heights, always keeping in mind the natural form of the plant.
One rule for cane-type plants like nandina and mahonia is to remove one-third of the oldest and tallest canes near the ground each year. This will keep the height of the plant at a reasonable level.
Make all large cuts on the outside of the shoulder wrinkle to promote callus and healing. Cuts made flush with a primary branch or central trunk remove this shoulder wrinkle, and healing over never occurs, leaving your plant susceptible to insects and diseases.
People once believed that pruning cuts, especially large ones, needed to be painted with special pruning compounds to prevent the entry of insects and diseases. We now know these compounds can cause the plant more harm than good.
Several plant types or categories need special treatment for the purpose of specific training. These include espaliered plants, topiary or “poodled” plants, and other landscape oddities.
Pruning flowering shrubs depends on the time of the year they bloom. Prune late winter- and spring-flowering shrubs after they flower. If you prune spring-flowering shrubs during winter, you will be removing flower buds. Examples in this category include azalea, spirea, mock orange, quince, hydrangea, forsythia, gardenia, camellia, viburnum, and flowering almond. For azaleas, complete pruning by late June or early July.
Prune summer-flowering shrubs from mid- to late winter before spring growth. Some plants in this group are crape myrtle, oleander, vitex and althea. Most non-flowering evergreens should be pruned in the dormant winter season, but some pruning may be done throughout the year.
Prune ground covers, such as liriope, before growth commences in late February or early March.
Young trees need to be pruned and trained properly to develop growth for the future, and mature trees may need an occasional pruning to maintain plant health and vigor.
Improperly pruning shade trees results in growth patterns that lead to structural weaknesses and entry points for disease and insects. In addition, improperly pruned branches can hamper human and vehicular activity, present problems with utility lines and interfere with buildings and related structures.
Root establishment is critical during the first three years after planting a young tree, and it determines whether the tree will survive. The amount of pruning and whether pruning is done correctly will influence how a young tree will develop in the later years.
First, be sure the tree has a dominant central leader, like a trunk or major branch. Next, select the permanent branches that will be the major structural framework of the tree in future years. These branches should have a wide angle of attachment to the main trunk for greatest strength. Also, they should be uniformly distributed around and up and down the trunk of the tree. This distribution up, down and around is referred to as vertical and radial branch distribution.
While selecting the permanent branches, you may need to leave a few temporary branches to help the tree grow. These temporary branches can be removed after two or three years – as soon as the permanent branches have filled out.
Mature trees occasionally need dead wood removed. This process is called "dead wooding" or "cleaning out." Crown thinning is another pruning technique and involves "opening up" the canopy of deciduous trees. Never “top” a tree.
Another popular pruning technique for mature trees is thinning out. This reduces the height and spread of the tree while maintaining the natural shape. It is very important to prune mature trees properly. Such pruning needs to be done in most cases by a licensed arborist.
You can see more about work being done in landscape horticulture by viewing the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station website at www.lsuagcenter.com/hammond. Also, like us on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com and typing Hammond Research Station in the search box. You can find an abundance of landscape information for both home gardeners and industry professionals.

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