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GARDENERS EXPLAIN HOW THEY USE INTERNET FOR GARDENING INFORMATION
I asked a group of gardeners recently what they found most useful, helpful or interesting about the internet, from a gardening perspective. Here are some of their comments:
"It gives me instant access to more horticultural information than I had even when I was in graduate school."
"The internet permits me to read the latest research and extension information from every land-grant university in the country."
"Some days I love the internet and other days I hate it. By querying a group of gardeners or horticultural professionals, I can ask a question on a very specific topic or plant and within 24 hours receive at least a half dozen testimonials or responses."
"Recently I wanted to research a very specific plant so I did a search. I was doubtful whether I could even find any information about this plant on the internet. An instant after I pushed the search key, I received a list of more than 50 websites with information about this plant. The internet provides an overwhelming amount of information on gardening."
"I like to look at and download photos and videos of plants and gardens. And I also appreciate that I can do this on my schedule -- 2 am on a Sunday morning if that's when I have the time. It's very helpful to study the pictures so I can get a sense of what a full-sized plant is going to look like in my garden."
"I like the access the internet gives me to experts around the world. With email, I've found that scientists and other professionals are willing to write a response to my question when I'm quite sure they wouldn't take my phone call. And a further plus is that there's no long-distance charge for the information."
"Speaking on behalf of our southwestern Minnesota extension service, we've been able to greatly reduce our reliance on telephone, printed materials and postage by communicating with our constituents via email. I have also found that I can often find information on a topic much faster on the internet than by digging through my files for a bulletin that I may or may not have saved."
"The internet is a wonderful source of horticultural information, but I find that I still enjoy reading gardening books."
"My problem is that we have only one computer and my wife was constantly wanting to use it to send and read email messages. We solved that problem by buying a second computer. I use the internet primarily to discover information about unusual plants."
"The internet has really expanded my sources for technical information on turf grass, which is my specialty."
"I get the greatest value out of amazon.com, ebay.com and half.com, which I use to purchase gardening books. I am amazed at the low prices that books can be purchased for, compared with bookstores."
"I've discovered that you have to be very careful about some of the horticultural information you find on the internet. You really have to pay attention to the growing zone for plants, for example. Just because someone on a website says a plant does well in some other part of the country doesn't mean it will do well in Zone 4 in Minnesota."
I have used the internet for many of the uses described above. This column is transmitted to the paper you're reading over the internet. I recently received my 2002 order of flowers and vegetable seeds, which I ordered over the internet.
One of the more unpleasant tasks I've done for the past half dozen winters is cleaning the soil residue from seed-starting containers used the previous year, and then sterilizing every tray in a bleach solution. Many of my containers have developed cracks and have been getting hard to handle. I haven't replaced them because I've never been able to find my preferred-size containers at garden stores.
I decided to do an internet search for "plastic seed-starting trays" and quickly found a company in Maryland called Home Harvest Garden Supply (www.homeharvest.com) that offered exactly what I was searching for, plus a lot more. I placed my order and the plastic containers were delivered in less than a week.
Wandering through garden centers in the spring is still a very enjoyable experience and I will spend time (and money) at my favorite stores in 2002. But it's hard to beat the internet for hard-to-find seeds, plants and gardening supplies. Plus, it's convenient and sometimes the prices are the lowest to be found anywhere.
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PUTTING DOWN ROOTS:
A Delightful Blend of
Gardening Wisdom, Wit
and Whimsy
$10 + $2 for shipping
by Cliff Johnson |
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