Leflore County Extension Office

05/26/2026

“Can I use a sugar substitute in place of regular sugar when making jam or jelly?”

No. Sugar helps with the gel formation in regular jams and jellies. It also reduces moisture for microbial growth. If you prefer a reduced sugar or sugar-free jam or jelly, make sure to use the correct recipe.

If you are planning to can fruits and vegetables this year, don’t just wing it. Planning and preparation are important first steps.

Make sure you have the right equipment and research-tested recipes. Both are essential to a safe product. Remember, home food preservation is a science.

Read the Complete Guide to
Home Canning: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/the-complete-guide-home-canning

05/24/2026

What’s the difference between a carpenter bee and a bumble bee? A lot. They look similar, but they are very different!

Carpenter bees
The most commonly occurring species in Mississippi is the eastern carpenter bee. Both males and females have a smooth, shiny body. But males of this species have white faces, while females have black faces. Males have no sting. Females can sting but usually don’t.

Females lead busy lives, building nests, gathering pollen, and laying eggs. Males are often seen flying about and hovering in mid-air to pass the time.

You may see the entrance holes to their nests anywhere on your property where you have wood, such as decks, eaves, fences, and barns.

Nesting galleries can be more than a foot long. Most of the time these galleries are harmless. However, if there are several galleries in one piece of wood, it can weaken that area and put the structure at risk. If you find yourself in this situation, you can learn more about methods for treating the galleries on our website.

Bumble bees
Bumble bees are large with hairy bodies. They can be either black and yellow or black and white. They build their nests in the ground like yellowjackets, where dozens of bees can live. They are not aggressive unless their nest is disturbed. But bumble bees have a painful sting, and dozens of bees may attack if they sense the nest is threatened. They can be very aggressive in this situation.

So, before you mow or do other types of lawn care, you may want to inspect your yard for nests.

Both carpenter bees and bumble bees are important pollinators, and experts recommend only using control methods to prevent structural damage by carpenter bees or prevent stinging incidents by bumble bees.

If you’d like to attract more beneficial bees or support our bee pollinators, check out our website for some great resources.

If you do disturb a bumble bee nest and get stung, watch for an allergic reaction. These reactions are rare. However, get medical attention right away if you have any of these symptoms: swelling of the mouth, tightness in the throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness, fainting, vomiting, hives, or a rapid heartbeat.

05/23/2026

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.

05/22/2026

As we celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, please take a moment to remember the military personnel who died in service to this great country. Have a safe and wonderful holiday! The Leflore Extension Office will be closed Monday, May 25 and reopen on Tuesday.

05/22/2026

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.

Clients 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.

05/21/2026

05/19/2026

Today was Nora’s first day as a summer intern working with Dr. Drew Gholson and based out of the Leflore County Extension Office. She will be helping with irrigation research across the Mississippi Delta while gaining experience in many areas of Extension work.

She jumped right in on day one installing moisture sensors and rain gauges. We are proud to have her working with Mississippi State University Extension Service this summer. If you know Nora, give her a shout and congratulate her!

05/17/2026

Efficient irrigation begins with knowing your well capacity. Determining well output in gallons per minute allows producers to accurately plan poly-pipe hole sizes and irrigation run times for improved water management efficiency. Here, Neil Pillow, with assistance from the Mississippi State University Extension from Stoneville, evaluates well output ahead of the irrigation season.

05/16/2026

One common myth surrounding purple martins is that they will eliminate mosquitoes in your landscape! Buying into this myth will only lead to disappointment. These birds mainly eat beetles, dragonflies, moths, butterflies, leafhoppers, horseflies, and wasps. They will occasionally eat mosquitoes, but it only accounts for around one percent of their diet!

If you’re interested in reducing the number of mosquitoes around your home, read here: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/mosquitoes-west-nile-and-other-encephalitis-viruses-what-you-can-do-protect-yourself