George County Extension Office

05/29/2026

Congratulations! To George County Sr 4-H team member Gus Merritt for winning 1st place in the Welding contest at the 2026 MSU 4-H Club Congress held in Starkville, MS.

05/29/2026

Congratulations! To George County Sr 4-H team member Gunter Steede for winning 1st place in the Compact Tractor contest at the 2026 MSU 4-H Club Congress held in Starkville, MS.

05/29/2026

Great Time was held at this week's MSU 4-H Club Congress with George County Senior 4-H Team Members:
Sam Bass, Addilyn Durkee, Owen Eubanks, Emmalyn French, Caroline Harrell, Ethan Harrell, Cooper Keel, Rebecca Lawrence, Gus Merritt, Raife Mixon, Gunter Steede, along with Mandy & Heath Steede 4-H Volunteer/Agent.

05/29/2026

2026 MSU State 4-H Club Congress
Congratulations to George County 4-H Team Member
Gunter Steede.

05/14/2026

Join the George County Master Gardeners on
June 9, 2026, at 10:00 am
Lucedale Fine Arts Building
143 Beaver Dam Rd (behind the City Park) for
Dr. Casey Stanford, Lucedale Herb Shop
Arnold Threatt and Richard Hoven
Presentation on healthier options more accessible to rural MS by providing holistic medical services and products to ensure you get the best natural and organic herbs, supplements, and remedies.
Space is limited Please RSVP by June 5, 2026, at 601-947-4223

05/14/2026

There is one garden chore that helps to keep many flowering plants looking good that often gets overlooked. Despite its name, deadheading is actually good for some of your flowering plants!

Deadheading many flowering summer plants, both annuals and perennials, encourages the plants to restart their bloom cycle. Deadheading is really pretty simple, so don’t be afraid. Simply select a flower head that is past its prime and snip it off.

There are a couple of techniques the home gardener can use when deadheading. Soft stems can simply be pinched off. Or you can use bypass pruners for a nice clean scissors cut.

A quick cheat sheet for some popular flowers that do and do NOT need deadheading:

Yes, these need deadheading--pentunias, zinnias and geraniums.

No, these do not need deadheading--begonias, vincas, and impatiens.

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

Harvesting blueberries at the peak of ripeness ensures you get the greatest health benefits and the best taste!

Depending on location and cultivar, rabbiteye blueberries begin to ripen in mid-May to June and are ready for harvesting after they have turned a uniform light blue. Redness indicates the berry is not fully ripe.

A uniform blue color means the berry is ready to be picked. Especially look toward the stem end where it may still be green, white, or rose colored even though the rest of the berry looks blue.

Once harvested, blueberries can be eaten immediately, refrigerated for a short time, or frozen for longer. Always wash the fruit before you eat it. If you are storing the berries for use later, wait until just before you want to use them to wash them. Washing berries before refrigerating or freezing will make them break down and leak.

05/14/2026

Forestry & Landowner Meeting: Restore Act
Dave Godwin, MFA Hardwood Management
Dr. Brady Self, MSU Forestry Specialist, Forestry Health
Butch Bailey, MSU Extension Forestry Instructor

Agricola Storm Shelter
3161 Cooks Corner Road
Lucedale, MS 39452
11:00 am Tuesday, May 19, 2026
We'll provide a meal.
Please RSVP by calling 601-947-4223 by May 12.

Heath Steede, MSU Extension George County Director