As October’s mild and sunny days turn into the cool and dryer days of November, gardeners everywhere begin to think about winter and how best to tend their gardens and houseplants to help them survive the cold and windy conditions that come along with it.

But then along comes the LSU Ag Center’s annual Lawn & Garden Calendar and dreams of spring and planting new flower and vegetable beds begin to take root, supplanting any thoughts of winter.

The 2014 calendar, like those before it, is awash in color, featuring brilliant photos of plants and flowers representative of the months in which they are featured and that will make themselves at home in Louisiana’s gardens in the coming year.

Calendar coordinator Elma Sue McCallum, asst. director the of LSU AgCenter Communications Department said, “People in Louisiana love their gardens, and it shows in the beautiful photos we receive from all across the state.”

Continuing, she gave an inventory of the many articles and tips included within the calendar’s oversized, 9-by-13.25-inch pages.

“This year’s special feature offers a wealth of information on roses,” she said. “It includes a section on how to compost properly, definitions and explanations for a variety of gardening terms and a list of new Louisiana Super Plants for spring and fall.”

The calendar, which over the years has become an annual resource for Louisiana gardeners, is designed to appeal to both novice and experienced gardeners, and the information in it has helped many to improve their gardening skills as well as nurture their flowers, vegetables, plants and lawns.

As part of the LSU AgCenter’s popular Get It Growing campaign, the calendar carries a wealth of information, including gardening tips from horticulturist Dan Gill. Gill, who is an associate professor in Consumer Horticulture at the LSU AgCenter, can be heard weekly on his Saturday morning Garden Show on WWL 870-AM radio, answering questions and giving advice to gardeners throughout southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. He also authors a monthly column in Louisiana Gardener Magazine, and his articles have appeared nationally in Fine Gardening Magazine.

Some examples of his gardening tips: In April, “Don’t discard this year’s Easter lilies. They can be planted outside and will grow and bloom each year in April. Cut them back in July as they go dormant, and watch for new growth in October.” In May, “Don’t forget summer heat makes caring for flower beds uncomfortable. Keep this in mind when deciding how large and how many flower beds you can practically maintain.” July: “Fig trees can be sprayed as soon as production ends in late July to prevent fig leaf rust. Use a copper-based fungicide using label directions, and making sure to cover the under surface of the leaves thoroughly.” And in September, “Late heavy pruning of shrubs will increase the chance of cold damage. Spring-flowering shrubs, like gardenias, hydrangeas, sasanquas and camellias, already have set their flower buds and should not be pruned.” These are just a small sample of the many other helpful tips that are printed on each month’s calendar page.

The photography in the calendar is breathtaking, and according to McCallum, the photographers featured in the 2014 calendar come from cities all across the state, including New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, Baton Rouge, Maurice, Slaughter, Gonzales and many others.

To purchase a calendar, which sells for $11.95, call 225-578-4646, or buy online at the LSU AgCenter Store, www.lsuagcenter.com. Click on Get it Growing under Features, and then on the picture of the calendar in the upper right-hand corner of the page. For any gardening questions you may have, email Gill at DGill@agcenter.lus.edu with an explanation of the problem. Contact McCallum at EMccallum@agcenter.lsu.edu.