Home > Lawn & Garden > Home Gardening > Landscaping > Get It Growing: Healthy Plants Start With Bed Preparation (For Release On Or After 10/05/07) Fall is a prime planting season in Louisiana. Cool-season flowering bedding plants and cool-season vegetables are planted from now through February, and November through February is the best time to plant hardy shrubs, ground covers and perennials in the landscape. How well you prepare the soil before planting has an enormous effect on the health and growth of your plants. A Guide to Louisiana-friendly Landscaping - Louisiana Yards & Neighborhoods [Image: La Yards and Neighborhoods] Information on how to reduce nonpoint source pollution using research-based horticultural best management practices. (PDF Only) Mow Like a Pro [Image: rutted turf] Varying your mowing pattern can cause you to spend a little more time mowing, but the result will be a greatly improved appearance in your turfgrass. Be careful when gardening in hot Louisiana summers (Audio 06/09/08) Even in the hot summer, we need to care for our landscape, but working in the sun can be dangerous. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill has some tips for summer gardening. (Runtime: 60 seconds)  more articles... Drip Irrigation Best For Gardens And Beds Louisiana gets a lot of rain, but it isn’t spaced out uniformly. Sometimes there’s too much rain, and other times there are periods of drought. Plants do better, however, with a more uniform water supply. Choices for Summer Vegetable Gardens [Image: Okra, Tomatoes] There are not a whole lot of heat-loving vegetable crops, laments LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. In late spring, you can plant collards, vine crops such as squash, cucumber and pumpkins, or crops like okra, malabar vine spinach and southern peas. Reduce Stormwater Runoff [Image: title slide] Rain that falls in your yard should soak into your yard. It's good for the landscape and protects waterways. Landscapes for Wildlife [Image: Title Slide] As our communities expand, we lament the loss of birds and other wildlife, but often our own yards are partly to blame. You can provide habitat for wildlife in your landscape. Manage Yard Pests [Image: title slide] A responsible and environmentally friendly approach to pest management is Integrated Pest Management. Common Landscape Diseases [Image: Title Slide] Diseases occur on landscape plants when environmental conditions are suitable for pathogens to develop on them. Prevention is the key to management. Weed Management [Image: Title Slide] Weeds are the No. 1 pest in Louisiana lawns. They are in direct competition with lawns for essential nutrients, water and light. Water Efficiently [Image: Title slide] Adequate soil moisture is essential for a thriving landscape. Providing uniform moisture is critical for most plants to prevent drought stress during dry periods. Maximize Mulch [Image: Title Slide] A mulch layer around trees, shrubs, planted beds and bare ground provides many benefits. Fertilize Effectively [Image: title slide] Fertilizers provide mineral elements needed for plant health. Fertilizing can be done by applying composted organic material, packaged fertilizer or a specific mineral, such as iron. More...