Lafayette County Extension Office

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.

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.

05/21/2026

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Lafayette County Extension Public Officials Luncheon originally scheduled for June 1 has been postponed.

The luncheon will now be held on August 3.

We appreciate your understanding and continued support. We look forward to seeing everyone in August!

05/12/2026

Pouring gas on a mound does kill ants, but it also kills the grass and is a waste of money.

Gasoline is not legal to use in this way because it is not safe or environmentally suitable and is not labeled for this use. It would also be a very costly method of control.

If you want fewer fire ant beds in your yard, the best way to achieve that goal is to maintain a consistent management plan throughout the year.

Some people call it the two-step method. It’s easy, inexpensive and effective.

Here’s how to do it:
Apply a granular bait treatment over the entire property three times a year. Use Easter, July 4th, and Labor Day holidays to help you remember when to apply these broadcast treatments.

Use a dry mound treatment product throughout the year when you notice mounds pop up. Products containing acephate work fastest and are the most effective but have a strong, unpleasant odor. Products containing deltamethrin or cyfluthrin work slower and are slightly less effective, but they don’t smell bad.

(Remember one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to management. Certain treatment products shouldn’t be used near food crops, pets, and livestock. Always read and follow label instructions.)

Great resources on fire ant control can be found here: https://extension.msstate.edu/insects/fire-ants

05/07/2026

ATTENTION!
Lady Landowners has been postponed and rescheduled to July 1st! We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and hope that you will be able to join us on July 1st!

05/01/2026

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 from this Extension publication: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/control-insect-pests-and-around-the-home-lawn

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 this Extension publication: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/gardening-for-beneficial-bees-mississippi

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.

04/13/2026

It's that time of year again!
Join us for the Lady Landowners Seminar on May 13th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM! This is a great opportunity to learn, connect, and gain valuable insights.

To register, call the office at 662-234-4451
Or email [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there!

04/08/2026

Gardeners have a color choice only with bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas, which can be pink, purple, or blue. Bloom color and intensity depends on the specific cultivar, weather condition, soil pH, and the aluminum content in the soil. Aluminum availability is determined by the soil pH. Gardeners can adjust the soil pH to influence color.

In soils with a pH of 5 to 5.5, flower color is blue. In less acidic soils, or those with a pH of 6 to 6.5, flower color is pink. Soil with a pH of between 5 and 6 may produce rose to purple flowers, depending on the hydrangea species.

A quick way to influence soil pH for an individual plant is to apply a liquid soil drench. To make pink flowers turn blue, dissolve 1 tablespoon of aluminum sulfate in a gallon of water and drench the soil around the plant in March, April, and May. To make blue flowers turn pink, dissolve 1 tablespoon of hydrated lime in a gallon of water and drench the soil around the plant in March, April, and May. Do not increase the amounts of the color change additives. Aluminum in high doses will harm hydrangea plants. Be careful when applying and do not get these chemicals on the leaves.

The more practical and long-term method of color change is to make a fall application of either 1 cup dolomitic lime per 10 square feet or 1/2 cup sulfur per 10 square feet.

Ultimately, cultivar selection and care determine the outcome. Remember that white-flowered cultivars do not respond to the pH of the soil. Occasionally, however, white-flowered cultivars will sport a pink or blue eye, depending on aluminum availability.


Learn more: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/hydrangeas-for-mississippi-gardens

04/06/2026

April planting 🍅🥕🥬🍉

Here's your veggie planting guide for April! Some of the vegetables you can plant in your garden this month include...

Carrots
Cucumbers
Eggplants
Lettuce
Peppers
Pumpkins
Radishes
Lima beans
Turnips
Peanuts
Snap beans
Southern peas
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Watermelons
Muskmelons
Mustards
New Zealand spinach
Okra

Planting times will vary by area.

Read our Mississippi Vegetable Gardener's Guide for TONS of great info: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/mississippi-vegetable-gardeners-guide

Contact your county's Extension agent for localized guidance! Find yours here: https://extension.msstate.edu/county-offices

04/02/2026

Happy Easter!🐰🐣

We will be closed on April 3 for Good Friday! We will reopen on Monday, April 6. We hope everyone has a safe Easter holiday weekend!

03/25/2026

Termites and ants share a number of similar physical characteristics, and it can be hard to distinguish between the two at first glance!

Since termites can be active long before they are properly identified, mistaking them for ants could be a costly error!

If you notice tiny flying insects around your house or dead in the windowsill, it’s important to determine if they are ant swarmers or termite swarmers.

‘Swarmers’ is a term many entomologists use for reproductive ants or termites. They have wings and typically fly together in large numbers. After they swarm, termites and ants shed their wings.
Termite ‘swarmers’ emerge only once per year, usually in the SPRING, and they are never alone.

Usually there will be several hundred to a few thousand swarmers, all emerging simultaneously. But it is not the swarmers you need to worry about—it is the established termite colony from which they emerged. Termite colonies do not produce swarmers until they have been established for several years.

There are a few ways to tell these two insects apart:

Wings: A good way to tell the difference between the two is by examining the insect’s wings. Termites have front wings and hind wings that are the same length, and are twice as long as their body. Ants have shorter wings overall, and their front wings are longer than their hind wings.

Antennae: Termites have straight antennae, while ants have bent antennae.

Body: Termites have little to no visible waist, while ants have a narrow waist.

If you’re unsure about which insect has taken up residence in your home, it’s best to contact a professional exterminator. If you have termites, your exterminator will need to remove the pesky insects and determine if there is any structural damage to your home. An ant infestation is something you can typically treat on your own.

Learn more: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/protect-your-house-termites