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Environment Blog Posts

A redbird sits on a platform bird feeder full of black oil sunflower seeds.

October 27, 2023

Want your feathered friends to have a supplemental source of food this winter? Set out a bird feeder for them. There are many types of bird feeders, but they are not all created equal. Check out the common types of feeders and decide which ones will work best in your yard.

Four jack-o-lantern pumpkins

October 20, 2023

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I love having pumpkin carving parties with friends. Pair the night with apple cider and a bonfire, and it’s my ideal day!

Man raking leaves

October 16, 2023

To rake or not to rake? Some people believe you should rake up fallen leaves, while others think they shouldn’t be touched. So, what is the right answer?

A rake in orange leaves.

September 29, 2023

As of September 23, it’s officially fall! Cue the pumpkins, apple cider, and bonfires! The weather normally takes a while to realize that it’s actually fall but isn’t this cooler weather glorious!

Tufted Titmouse

September 27, 2023

The tufted titmouse is a bird you’ve likely seen in parks, woodlands, and in your back yard. They’re native to the eastern parts of the United States and are attracted to areas where there is an abundance of broadleaf trees, such as oaks, hickories, and maples. 

Soil testing boxes full of soil waiting to be tested.

September 21, 2023

Early fall is one of the best times to test your soil. A soil test can tell you if your lawn or garden needs critical nutrients and how much. This way, your plants and your wallet will stay healthy. You won’t waste your money applying fertilizer or lime that your plants don’t need.

Southern Brown Turkey Fig

September 8, 2023

Figs are in season from July to October. So, now is the perfect time to find some figs to eat and cook with! There are two main fig varieties found in Mississippi: Celeste and Southern Brown Turkey.

Robin.

September 1, 2023

“Rockin’ robin, tweet-tweedle-lee-dee!” You sang that sentence as you read it, didn’t you?

Orange, purple, and yellow mums.

August 29, 2023

September is one of my favorite months. The scorching hot temps will soon turn into nice cool weather, and the leaves will start to change colors.

marigolds planted with other ornamentals.

August 18, 2023

You’ve likely heard of companion planting, but do the principles work?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no; and other times maybe.

Carolina Chickadee.

August 4, 2023

If you hear a bird call that sounds like a fast, high pitched “chick-a-dee-dee-dee,” you can confidently say it’s coming from a Carolina chickadee– they get their name from this distinctive call.

Blue hydrangea bush.

July 31, 2023

August is typically a busy month for many people! The kids are back in school, and people are returning to their fall routines after summer.

A dog sits in a swimming pool

July 24, 2023

If you’ve ever had an encounter with a horsefly, you know they are annoying. If you’ve ever been bitten by one, you know it hurts! So, how can you keep these pesky critters from spoiling your outdoor summer fun? The answer probably isn’t what you want to hear. 

asian lady beetle

July 21, 2023

Believe it or not, fall is right around the corner. I know, I know, you probably just rolled your eyes as sweat dripped down your face from the summer heat.

Northern mockingbird.

July 7, 2023

Every Mississippian is familiar with the northern mockingbird. In 1944, it became the official bird of Mississippi.

July 3, 2023

And just like that, our mild, rainy summer has turned hot and steamy. 

Grass with brown spots.

June 28, 2023

A lot of time and energy is put into caring for your lawn: mowing, fertilizing, watering, and everything in between.

Bats fly against the sky as the sun sets.

June 23, 2023

While scientists know bats eat mosquitoes, the insect makes up only part of their diet. So the question is: Do bats significantly lower mosquito numbers?

Post Oak tree

June 19, 2023

What do turkey, water, willow, swamp chestnut, and white all have in common? If you guessed they’re all native oak trees in Mississippi, you’d be a winner!

Firefly lighting up.

June 9, 2023

During summer nights, something magical happens. Tiny insects light up the night sky, making summertime just a bit more special than it already is.

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About Extension for Real Life

Extension for Real Life is a product of the MSU Extension Service’s Office of Agricultural Communications.

That’s a long way of saying we are professional communicators who get to talk about food, families, 4-H, flowers, and farming for a living. Pretty good gig, right?

The three main writers for the blog are Ellen Graves (Seamstress of Social Media Strategy), Susan Collins-Smith (Content Connector) and Keri Lewis (Captain Cat Herder). But we get by with a lot of help from our friends in Ag Comm and Extension!

You can reach us at 662-325-2262 or extreallife@msstate.edu

Recent Posts

A cucumber leaf with disease lesions rests on a hand.
Home vegetable garden plants, like this cucumber plant, are one of the many plants the Mississippi State University Extension Service Plant Diagnostic Laboratory can test for disease. Photo by Olya/stock.adobe.com
MSU Extension Plant Diagnostic Laboratory: How Can It Help You?
Box Turtle
Box vs. Snapping Turtle