Home > Communications > News > News You Can Use > Keep food safe on Mardi Gras (Distributed 02/05/10) Don’t let unsafe food masquerade at your Mardi Gras celebration. Food that hasn’t been prepared following recommended food safety guidelines usually appears safe because it looks smells and tastes fine, but eating it may lead to food-borne illness, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Flowering trees add spring color to landscapes (Distributed 02/05/10) Flowering trees add considerable color and beauty to our landscapes during the late winter and early spring months. Many of these trees that flower at this time of the year can be considered low maintenance compared to the amount of joy we get from them. Give a healthy, edible Valentine treat (Distributed 02/03/10) You can show your Valentine how much you care by surprising her or him with a special treat – luscious red fruit, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Improve your home for better health (Distributed 02/01/10) A home remodeling project – and your investment in it – can do much more than update your surroundings. It can make your home a healthier place to live and breathe, according to Claudette Reichel, LSU AgCenter housing specialist.  more articles... Protect your trees (Distributed 01/29/10) Landscape beds, parking lots and construction activities around trees are all possible without harming the trees if you understand where the tree roots are and what they need to survive. Louisiana celebrated Arbor Day earlier in January, and now is a good time of the year to be reminded about tree care in landscape beds, parking lots and construction sites. Go red in February, call attention to women’s heart health [Image: go red logo] (Distributed 01/27/10) During February, the American Heart Association wants people to Go Red for Women and call attention to the need for women to take charge of their heart health. On Feb. 5, women across America are to wear something red as part of the National Wear Red Day, according to Beth Reames, LSU AgCenter nutritionist. Watch for iron chlorosis in your landscape plants (Distributed 01/25/10) Iron chlorosis is a common and sometimes serious problem in landscape plants across Louisiana. Reviewing the use of landscape mulch (Distributed 01/15/10) Mulching is a great sustainable landscape practice when done correctly. The new year is a good time to review the use of mulch in the landscape and how to apply it properly to achieve the maximum benefit. Match your gardening styles to your site (Distributed 01/11/10) “Selecting the right plant for the right place” is a frequently mentioned phrase in many of our home horticulture educational presentations. How very important it is. When planning new landscape areas or renovating old landscape areas, you need to consider many factors, including gardening style. Horses need help during extreme cold, wet weather (Distributed 01/06/10) Horses need help to get through the coming freezing weather, according to LSU AgCenter equine agent Howard J. Cormier. Horse owners need to make plans to protect the animals from a possible deadly combination of extreme cold and rain. Avoid a frozen-pipe crisis (Distributed 01/05/10) You can avoid a frozen pipe crisis and all of the misery that comes with it – being without water while on a plumber’s long waiting list and thousands of dollars of damage to your walls, floors and furniture – by taking a few simple measures to protect your home. Expert offers tips for New Year’s weight loss (Distributed 01/04/10) If one of your New Year goals is to lose weight, choose a plan that helps you make healthy lifestyle changes instead of following the latest diet craze, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Camellias brighten winter landscapes (Distributed 12/25/09) Camellias are part of our Southern gardening heritage. A few well-placed specimens will brighten up your landscape during the winter when few other shrubs are blooming. Tree planting needs proper preparation (Distributed 12/18/09) Many landscape trees are planted from fall through the winter in Louisiana. Homeowners need to be aware of some of the common mistakes made in planting, establishment and follow-up care of trees. Click for more information...