October is a transitional month in Louisiana flower gardens. Many warm season annuals have finished or are finishing, and gardeners' thoughts are just beginning to turn to cool-season bedding plants for fall, winter and spring color.

Gladiolus, or sword lily, has been a favorite of Southern gardeners for generations.

The last five to 10 years have seen a tremendous increase in the number of annual bedding plant species and varieties available for residential and commercial landscape use. The LSU AgCenter has conducted landscape trials on annual bedding plants for a number of years, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

Louisiana in August may not be the most enjoyable time to work in the yard, but rose bushes need attention to ensure good performance this fall, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

In addition to flowers, bedding plants may be grown for their colorful foliage or interesting forms or textures. With proper selection, they can be used to provide color throughout the year. Use this publication to help you with bedding plant selection and proper care.

Camellia flower blight is by far the most serious disease of camellias in Louisiana. This disease is caused by the fungus Ciborinia camelliae. This publication includes information on the symptoms, control and life cycle of the fungus.

When the proper plants are selected for shady areas, the results can be beautiful and enduring.

Sweet peas are an excellent cool-season annual for Louisiana. The flowers are popular for cutting and bundling because they come in an array of colors and have an intoxicating scent. Seeds should be sown directly in the garden in October or transplanted from containers in November. Sweet peas are vines so the plants need support (fence, netting, etc.) or a trellis to grow on. Sweet peas start blooming in late March and last up to two months, longer if deadheaded regularly.

Forty three coleus varieties were trialed in landscape evaluation plots at the Hammond Research Station in 2008. Top performers were Red Hot Rio, Big Red Judy, Zen Moment, Lancelot, Ruby Ruffles, Mariposa, Henna, Indian Summer (not pictured), Royal Glissade, Pineapple Splash and Fishnet Stockings. Here is a photo gallery. Results are based on plant vigor, foliage attractiveness, and resistance to flowering. Plants were grown in full sun.

Fertilizers come in different strengths and blends, with the three numbers on the bags showing the percentage by weight of the three major nutrients. Understanding the numbers on a bag of fertilizer helps you apply the right amount and ratio your yard or garden needs.

Winning varieties have been evaluated in more than 130 trial gardens across the United States and have proven to be good landscape performers.

Landscape plant evaluations at the LSU AgCenter regularly identify new plants worthy of increased use in Louisiana, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

Interest in daylilies is still strong despite rust problems over the past several years. New daylily selections and All-American daylily winners need to be evaluated in the Gulf South for landscape performance.

Efforts in 2003 and 2004 included evaluation of cannas, coleus, angelonias, purslane, lantanas, perennial verbena, annual and perennial salvia, vinca, zinnias, melampodium, petunias, rudbeckia, phlox, daylilies, dianthus, ornamental kale, ornamental cabbage, calendula, violas, pansies, ornamental sweet potatoes, garden mums, African and French marigolds and others.

A rose can say a lot. The beautiful blossoms speak of love, sorrow and appreciation. If a dozen roses can say so much, then the rose garden at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Center speaks volumes. The garden has 150 varieties of roses and more than 1,500 individual plants. Research on this popular flower is conducted at this station in Baton Rouge.

Daylilies are one of the most popular flowering plants for late spring and early summer landscapes in Louisiana. Many new flower forms and flower colors are now available.

(Audio 04/14/08) Gardeners can begin planting summer bedding plants around mid- to late April. LSU AgCenter horticlturist Dan Gill says there are many options when choosing warm-season plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

Violas, a close relative to the pansy but with smaller flowers, can provide a mass of color on the darkest winter day. Several viola series perform well in Louisiana, but sometimes it's difficult to choose the viola you want with so many series and colors available. The pictures included on this page are all from the annual bedding plant trials performed at the Burden Center in Baton Rouge.

Marigolds produce substances that are toxic to at least one or more kinds of nematodes.

Information on the use of petunias in our Louisiana home landscapes.

The bougainvillea is a tropical vine whose bright, vibrant flowers positively glow in the landscape. Bougainvilleas should produce two or three beautiful displays of flowers in spring, summer and fall. The colorful parts are actually modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers are small and white.

Not many plants can take Louisiana’s summer sun and heat like coleus. Information on soil conditions and preparations, watering, fertilizing, planting and blooming and recommended varieties is included. (PDF Format Only)

A relatively new category has been added to All-America Selections, home of the popular All-America Rose Selections, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings. That group is daylilies.

One of the newest groups of zinnias catching on the last five years have been the Profusion series. These zinnias are rapidly gaining popularity among home gardeners and landscape professionals.

The Louisiana iris continues to be a popular plant for landscapes in the Southeast. This publication provides information on culture, watering, fertilization and several other topics. (PDF Format Only)

With the arrival of March and April, we are squarely in the middle of the spring bedding plant season. Warm-season bedding plants make a great addition to Louisiana landscapes, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.

(Distributed 01/18/08) With the New Year come announcements of ornamental plant winners. One popular competition is the All-America Rose Selections. AARS winners for 2008 are Mardi Gras and Dream Come True.

Like the decorations on a birthday cake, annuals provide the color and interest that take a landscape from everyday humdrum and make it more vibrant and alive. Suggested annuals for Louisiana are included.

Louisiana's warm, humid weather encourages the development of several serious diseases that can damage rose bushes. This publication describes the major rose diseases found in Louisiana and offers disease management tips.

At this time of year, new rose bushes can be planted, and established bushes can be given the maintenance they need to get off to a good start this spring.

With the start of the new year comes the announcement of the All-America Rose Selections. AARS winners for 2007 are Rainbow Knock Out, Moondance and Strike It Rich.

Butterfly enthusiasts have long known the power of the penta. Pentas bloom profusely from March until the first fall frost, are pest free and attract masses of butterflies. A must have for people who desire season-long color, minus all of the work.

Pointy and pretty, no flower quite has the petal power of poinsettias at the holidays. And the selection would be far fewer in Louisiana were it not for the LSU AgCenter. Although AgCenter horticulturists do not develop new varieties of poinsettias, they do evaluate the varieties that come on the market and test them for their suitability to grow here.

Yards and gardens generally look a little frayed by this time of the year. The final really hot days that usually come at the end of a long, hot summer are especially hard on plants, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill.

It would be hard to find a flower more universally loved than the rose. Over humanity’s long history with this plant, the rose has found its way into our gardens, cuisine, medicine, art and cultures. It is easier than ever to find undemanding, reliable roses that will enhance your landscape. This publication will help you decide what types of roses to grow, as well as explaining how to plant and take care of them. (revised 4/07)

Several factors need to be carefully considered when you’re developing landscape beds for ornamental plants. Learn about soil texture, what to do for poorly drained soils and soil amendments.

Azaleas, the major ornamental plants in Louisiana’s residential and commercial landscapes, are available in many flower colors, growth habits and foliage characteristics. This publication includes information on planting and maintenance, pest control recommendations and details on popular varieties.

Summers in Louisiana are warm and humid, perfect conditions for growing tropical hibiscus. Information on soil and bed preparation, fertilization, culture and insect control included.

Information on culture, watering, fertilization and several other topics of Lantana camara (common lantana), Lantana hybrids and Lantana montevidensis (trailing lantana).

This publication includes information on growing plants in hanging baskets and caring for them. It includes the best time to plant hanging baskets, types of linings for them, details on watering and care, as well as information on winter protection and insect and disease control.

Plants need 16 elements for normal growth.

LSU AgCenter experts say soil contamination in Jefferson and Orleans parishes from flooding after this summer’s hurricanes may not be as serious as originally feared. Initial results of tests conducted in October indicate no need for special preparations to the soils prior to planting and that there should be no danger for individuals digging or planting in the soil.

Will the grass come back and how long will it be before vegetable gardens can be planted were questions on the minds of LSU AgCenter faculty members who recently toured the New Orleans area.