Truck Crops Experiment Station

06/12/2026

🌱Fun Plant Friday!🌱

Nearly 20 years ago, the first-ever Petchoa (Pet-KOE-ah) hit the market. They are intergeneric hybrids between Petunias and Calibrachoas where the Petunia parent brings in larger flowers, while the Calibrachoa (Cal-ih-bruh-KOE-ah) parent brings unique colors.

The one pictured here is Petchoa EnViva™ Pink by Ball FloraPlant. It has an exceptionally hot pink corolla with a yellow eye. It is stunning and will liven up any dull space.

06/05/2026

🌿 Fun Plant Friday is here! 🌿

Looking for a plant that can handle Mississippi summers while adding beautiful color to your porch, patio, or downtown Main Street displays? Scaevola (see-VO-luh) is way underutilized for this task!

With its thick, drought-tolerant leaves and continuous blooms, Scaevola thrives in Mississippi’s heat and humidity, making it an excellent choice for summer landscapes. This stunning new cultivar, Scaevola Blazen™ Blue by Ball FloraPlant, produces vibrant violet-blue fan-shaped flowers that spill gracefully over baskets and containers all season long. This cultivar is more compact than series like Whirlwind, and it has just become more beautiful as the season has progressed. This low-maintenance choice will deliver big color through the hottest months of the year.

Be sure to water regularly, and consider adding slow-release fertilizer or compost to your containers to maximize their health and flowering.

06/04/2026

When you slow down and really look around the garden, an entirely different world appears. Beyond the familiar ladybugs are countless quiet helpers at work: lacewings drifting through the leaves, robber flies patrolling for prey, and even a wolf spider carrying her babies safely on her back.

These beneficial insects and predators are part of nature’s own balance, helping keep pest populations in check while our plants thrive. Every flower bed and field holds tiny stories of survival, protection, and purpose, if we take the time to notice them.

06/03/2026

Here's another fun entry in our trial garden this year. So far, it's been performing great. This seedless cultivar has a short stature and large flowers.

06/02/2026

Hi everyone!

Dr. Perier here with a quick check-in! 👋

Just a couple of friendly reminders as the season heats up:

🔍 First, scouting matters.
Regularly checking your crops is the foundation of a successful pest management program. The earlier you catch an issue, the easier it is to manage.

🌡️ Second, take care of yourself out there.
Whether you're in the field or the garden, don’t forget to stay hydrated and watch for signs of heat stress: feeling dizzy, heavy sweating, cool/clammy skin, nausea, a rapid pulse, or muscle cramps.

Let’s keep both you and your crops in good shape this season!
... because when it comes to pest management, we don’t want problems to crop up! 🌱😉 (a little humor for the day).

👉 Get out there and scout this week: take a few minutes in each row or bed, flip leaves, and really look. If you spot something unusual or need help identifying a pest, drop a photo in the comments or send it our way. We’re happy to help with solutions!

Happy scouting! 🌱🐛

Here's your June landscape checklist for Mississippi! Some tasks to consider are...

Plant daylilies and summer annuals.
Scout for pests and diseases.
Plant warm season grasses.
Fertilize ornamental shrubs and trees.
Remove faded flowers.
Plant crape myrtles while blooming.

Learn more about these tasks here: https://extension.msstate.edu/blog/june-garden-checklist

05/26/2026

Important information regarding soil testing at MSU. One of the biggest mistakes people make is failing to provide a good soil foundation for their plants to thrive. A test gives you a starting point for determining what nutrients are lacking. Best $12 you will ever spend on your garden. or landscape.

New Soil Testing Information! Soil testing is the first step to healthy soil and productive crops, pastures, turf and gardens.

Follow the steps below to submit your soil sample:

Order online. Visit soiltesting.extension.msstate.edu and follow the instructions to complete your order. Enter your contact info, sample names and crop or intended use.

Choose payment. Cost is $12 per sample. You may pay by cash or check sent with your soil sample or choose to receive an invoice to pay by credit card. Your payment options are cash, check or invoice.

Prepare and label your sample. Collect the soil to be tested. Fill the sample collection container to the fill line and close the container. Write the “sample name” (and your name, if desired) on the outside of the container. Clearly write your order number and sample name on each container. This information must match what was entered online.

Ship or drop off your sample. The new shipping address and drop off location is:
Southern Soil & Plant Lab, LLC.
117 Haley Barbour Parkway
Yazoo City, MS 39194

Receive results. Results will be sent to you and your county Extension office. You can contact your Extension agent for assistance with the sample report and recommendations.

Important Reminders

Cost is $12 per sample.

You may pick up your soil sample containers from your county Extension office.

You are responsible for shipping samples to the soil testing laboratory.

Contact your local Extension office for help with collecting soil samples, understanding crop codes, interpreting soil test reports and general soil fertility questions.

05/26/2026

We are excited to be trialing this new Savlia here in central Mississippi.

05/08/2026

🥳🎉🥳🎉

Happy birthday to us!! Today is our birthday, and we're turning 112 years old! Since 1914, we've been connecting, educating and empowering Mississippi communities.

However, we realize we still might be "new" to some people!

Here are some commonly asked questions about us...

Q: What is MSU Extension?
The Extension Service is the statewide, community-based education agency of Mississippi State University. We provide useful, practical education based on the best university research to help Mississippians improve their businesses, strengthen their communities, and live healthier lives.

Our main goal has remained the same for more than 100 years—we connect, educate and empower Mississippi communities.

Agriculture, natural resources, family, health and wellness, government and community development and 4-H youth development are our priorities.

Q: Where are you located?
We are headquartered at the Bost Extension Center on the MSU campus in Starkville AND we have Extension offices in ALL 82 counties. We also have four regional MSU Research and Extension Centers.

Q: How do you get all of your knowledge and resources to people?
Local Extension agents and staff receive training in a wide range of subjects and are ready to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with clients through programs, field days, workshops, consultations, etc. Our on-campus faculty provide training and support, too!

Our goal is to deliver research-proven information to all Mississippians, through face-to-face events and by using digital and print methods. If you have a question, we probably know the answer! If we don’t, we know whom to ask!

Our website is a great resource, too! Visit here: extension.msstate.edu

Q: How do you contact Extension?
You can email, call, or visit in-person with your local Extension agent! Find yours here: http://extension.msstate.edu/county-offices (Each county office is also on Facebook!)

Education. Outreach. Service. We are Extension!

05/08/2026

Identifying the real source of garden problems is key to healthier plants. MSU Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab is a phenomenal resource for this.

12/04/2025

We are in full poinsettia season! Their beauty transforms our homes and communities this time of year. But it's important to care for them properly so they look their best. We wanted to answer some of the most common questions we get about them.

Poinsettia Q&A

How do you pronounce poinsettia?
Poyn·seh·tee·uh

How do I water them? 💧
Poinsettias are sensitive to watering extremes. Check the weight of the pot to determine if water is needed: if it feels heavy, wait to water; if it feels light, go ahead and water. If they get too dry, they may prematurely shed their lower leaves.

Their colorful plastic pot covers are helpful for protecting furniture and keeping water contained, but water often pools at the bottom of the pot inside the sleeve. This is a perfect setup for root rot. So here’s the most important tip for keeping them healthy: remove the pot cover before watering. Let excess water drain off for a few minutes and then return the plant to the pot cover.

Where can I put them? 🌡️
They prefer normal room temperatures (60–80 ºF). Cold temperatures (below 50 ºF) or hot temperatures, such as near a heater or fire, can damage them.

Do they need light? 🔦
Poinsettias prefer a brightly lit room. That said, they can handle being in poorly lit spaces for a few weeks. Light is usually not a problem except in extreme circumstances, such as placing them in a windowless or unlit room for several days.

For those who purchased a poinsettia this season, we hope you enjoy it and get the most out of it!