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Re: Jerry Baker, "America's Master Gardener"


Quite a few years ago, I emailed to PBS  and WETA protesting their
showing of that charlatan's program.  I received two email replies -
both identical canned stuff - from supposedly 2 different human
beings at the two entities.  PBS does not care.  WETA does not care. 
 They will continue to show that crap as long as it brings in $$
while refusing to put any decent gardening programs on the air at a
time when those who work during the day and garden during the day on
the weekend might be able to watch them.  Prior to this, I supported
both PBS and WETA.  Now I do not.  I wish your groups luck in having
any impact with this issue.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Shadyside Garden Designs

----------
> From: Susan Harris <harristakoma@erols.com>
> Hi.  I just joined and have enjoyed catching up by reading your
archives - lots of interesting stuff.
> I've been in discussions with lots of folks recently about Jerry
Baker, whose gardening how-to videos sell like crazy and also run on
PBS during their fund-raising months.  Problem is, he's universally
recognized as a quack - well, by everybody except people who make
money off his looney, environmentally hazardous concoctions. 
Example:  He tells us to spray our gardens every two weeks with a
mixture containing antiseptic mouthwash, to make our gardens "clean"
and every three weeks with a mixture containing chewing tobacco
juice, which obviously contains nicotine, probably more toxic than
anything on the shelves of Home Depot.  In some markets environmental
and possibly master gardener groups have gotten him removed from the
PBS programming but I'm frankly amazed at his staying power in most
markets, including the D.C. market. 
> My garden club and another environmental group in the D.C. area
will be writing our local PBS affiliates to request they stop showing
this harmful advice but before we do, does anybody know anything else
about the situation?  Here's an excellent article about him from a
1999 USA Today article, but I'm curious why my deep Google search
revealed nothing else like it, just pro-Jerry marketing stuff. 
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/Whats/jbaker.htm

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