Lawn and Garden
Mississippi’s bountiful sunshine, rain, and quality soils make the Magnolia State a wonderful place to grow all kinds of flowers, trees, fruits, and vegetables. Don’t have a green thumb? Interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Need to get a soil test? The MSU Extension Service has experts on all kinds of garden-related topics and issues, from plant disease and weed specialists to county agents who know what thrives in their local areas. Get tips on gardening through the seasons, how to avoid “crape murder,” and more!
Publications
News
Chiggers are most active in grassy, overgrown, and wooded areas. These microscopic creatures, also known as redbugs, are tiny mites that can cause significant discomfort during the summer months. File photo by MSU Extension Service/Nathan Gregory.
What’s that itch? Chiggers, also known as redbugs, are tiny mites that can cause significant discomfort during the warmer months in Mississippi. Here's how to lessen your chances of coming into contact with these critters and some tips if you do.
Yellow-blooming plants bring a bright, cheerful energy to my garden. There’s something about that bold splash of golden color that lifts the spirit and catches the eye, especially after the gray tones of winter.
In Grenada, Mississippi, Devo and Rosemary Lancaster have a couple of showstopping yellow bloomers in their landscape.
Slugs eat a wide variety of plants, but they are especially fond of leafy greens, such as lettuce. Photo by stock.adobe.com.
If you grow your own vegetables, you will likely see at least a few pesky insects that want to feed on your plants. Slugs are one of the pests you may be noticing now.
Success Stories
Fenton Pope looked around his native Covington County a quarter-century ago and saw what he believed was an alarming amount of farmland out of production.
Known around Cleveland, Mississippi as “The Rose Lady,” Jane Dunlap marked 30 years as a Master Gardener in 2024, but her home county lacked its own chapter for the first half of that span.
More than 80 grade-school students from Choctaw Tribal Schools visited Mississippi State University in March to participate in Choctaw Preview Day.
