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[GWL]: A New Rant

There is nothing we can do about this problem, but I have to get it off my
chest.
The problem is the continuing spread of bad information by a few garden
writers and many too many non-garden writers assigned gardening topics in
newspapers, magazines, press releases, and books.
Back ten years ago a garden writer did an article in a national magazine
about how we should not use peat moss because it is not a renewable
resource.  She had done little homework because she was referring to the
peat moss harvest in parts of Europe which in fact is not renewable.  She
never noted that Canadian sphagnum peat moss was what is sold mostly in the
United States. In fact it is a renewable resource.  The Canadian Sphagnum
Peat Moss Association has spent many thousands of dollars and untold hours
since then trying to kill that bad story; it keeps coming up year after year
in the national media.
My current rant is the issue of adding sand, gravel, or Profile to clay soil
to make it drain better.  It is not true that you can change the structure
of clay by adding material with larger particles than found in the clay.  At
GWAA in Philadelphia I think it was we had an expert from Kansas State give
us very clear reasons why that was a bad idea.  He also killed the value of
any gravel in the bottom of a container.  I've checked a few states
including my own, Michigan, and the County Extension folks are agreed that
such amendments to clay either does no good or does damage to the soil's
ability to drain.  The story keeps coming back.
Nancy and I are working on a new book about trees and shrubs and again we
are finding far too many references in print and on the web that still
recommend amending the soil when planting a tree and not making it clear
that the hole is saucer shaped not pail shaped.  We recently got a press
release saying to dig the hole twice the depth of the root ball and add
organic material to the hole until the root ball was at the right height.
The American Arborist Association and the American Nurseryman's Association
have taken strong stands years ago but the inaccurate story persists.
All that and I'm not even mentioning the damage in bad information that
Jerry Baker has offered over the past 20 years (grin).
On one side, the Internet is a blessing of access to data and information
never before so readily available.  On the other side, it looks like the
Internet is a vehicle custom made for spreading the bad information along
with the good.
Yes, gardening is as much art as it is science.  But there is some really
good science being overlooked, ignored, or misunderstood by what seems to me
to be too many writers not doing their homework.  Yes, newspapers and
magazines are assigning gardening stories to young inexpensive and
inexperienced writers who don't know what roots do, but still.....
I know there is nothing to do but to keep on trying in any way I can to put
out what I believe to be, after professional research, the proper story.
And I know that most everyone else in the garden writing business is doing
exactly the same thing.  As my son would say, "Suck it up Dad, you're not
going to change everything in the world".  Ah such wisdom from someone only
35 years old.
End of rant for the day
Still Frustrated
Jeff Ball

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